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theopon
theopon
Participating Frequently
January 16, 2023
Question

delete files from disk and not from catalog

  • January 16, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 570 views

dear

i have a storage problem on external drives.
There are about 80000 images stored now, with preview 1/1.
I want to delete some of the images and move them to a "spare disk" without deleting them from the catalog. Then I do see in the catalog that it does not find the image but then I know where to find it.
So: how do I delete an image file on the disk but keep the info in the catalog

thank you in advance

latest versions macOS and LRC

 

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    4 replies

    GoldingD
    GoldingD
    Legend
    January 16, 2023

     

     

    I have a storage problem on external drives.

     

     

    Ok, I think we, or at least I, are overlooking that sentence. Your issue is hard drive space.

     

    Several areas of consideration:

     

    • Catalog location/size
    • Library previews size
    • Original photos location, amount
    • Exported images location, amount

     

    And you want to deal with the Original photos part if that.

     

    Solution is NOT deleting the originals from the hard drive(s), Solution is not removing the originals from the catalog.

     

    Practical solution is moving the original photos (and exports if desired) to different hard drive(s). A new external hard drive would work just fine.

     

    P.S. some points on locations:

     

    • The catalog must be on a hard drive, internal or external, not flash media, not a NAS, not the Cloud, not a Server Share. Adobe does not support anything other than local hard drive.
    • The catalog can take advantage of being on your fastest hard drive, a SSD drive.
    • The Library previews must be on the same hard drive as the catalog, within the same folder structure, LrC handles that, do not try to fight that.
    • Library previews can be deleted, LrC will recreate them if needed. Usually just a pain in the rear to mess with that.
    • The Camera RAW CACHE can take advantage of your fasted]st hard drive
    • The Camera RAW CACHE can be on any hard drive
    • For Windows computers, typically avoid if possible to locate the Camera RAW CACHE on the same hard drive as your Windows Paging file, typically C. The two might compete for read/wrights.
    • The photos can be on any hard drive. Their is no advantage by locating them on your fastest hard drive.
    • The photos do not need to be on the same hard drive as the catalog. 
    • The photos can be on multiple hard drives.
    • The photos should not be on the cloud. If they are, be ready for missing photos conflicts at some point. This is not absolute.
    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    January 16, 2023

    Any and everything you can do in the Finder (move, rename, delete, add folders etc), always do this in Lightroom, not outside of it! It is a database (DAM) and if you do any of these functions outside LR, it doesn't know what you've done and this adds all kinds of complications. Anything neceesary like this can be done within LR, it then 'knows' what you did and the results in the Finder are the same. 

    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    theopon
    theoponAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    January 16, 2023
    Hi there,

    received first answer like here:
    https://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htmseams ok (copy via finder, update folder location and delete afterwards

    But this was/is not the problem:
    i would like to have
    - collection of 80000 pictures, with the raw/dng files on 1 or 2 external drives (sort of an archive to consult if necessary)
    - 80000 previews in my LRcatalog
    - 20000 pictures (best of the 80000) stay on the computerdisk with continuous backup
    i know i then will have for 60000 pictures the “!” missing sign in the catalog, but i will know where to find them

    so:
    how can i delete on the drive a picture but maintaining the 1/1 preview in the catalog






    Met vriendelijke groeten
    Ponnet Jan
    jan@ponnet.be
    +32(0)475602393
    GoldingD
    GoldingD
    Legend
    January 16, 2023

    No no no

    Do not delete the RAW files, just move them to wherever you want. Do that within LrC.

    Also, do not remove the RAW files.

     

    A bit of nomenclature to straighten out. Delete means the files are no longer anywhere, gone from the catalog and gone from the computer, not coming back. Remove means just no longer in catalog, still on computer, could be brought back with a bit of work.

     

    Second a bit of possible confusion, either our (replying members) or your end, perhaps a context issue. This RAW files are not actually stored in the catalog, what is in the catalog is records of their existence, records of the edits. Remember the catalog is a database. Yes, each record line adds to the database size, but is that your issue? 

     

     

     

      F. McLion
      Community Expert
      F. McLionCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 16, 2023

      DO NOT simply delete the files.

      Use LrC to move the files, or move an entire structure with finder and then update the topmost folder in LrC.

      Read here: https://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm

       

      --- Got your issue resolved? Please label the response as 'Correct Answer' to help your fellow community members find a solution to similar problems. ---
        Ged_Traynor
        Community Expert
        Ged_TraynorCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        January 16, 2023

        Moved to the Lightroom Classic forum from Using the Community

         

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