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A
alistairw72100433
Inspiring
February 23, 2018
Question

How to open right catalog

  • February 23, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 456 views

Last year I upgraded to LR6 and transferred all my files and catalogs onto an external hard drive. All went well.

I have just opened up LR and it does not open with the correct catalog.

On the left hand side when I opened LR the external hard drive was shown but the were question marks against all the folders.

I went to open catalog to select the catalog I had last used. When selected it asked me

The catalog I last used in 2017 was the first one the "old" one. The "new" catalog was from an earlier attempt today to try to open it. 

When I tried again I got this message and when I upgraded it only shows the iMac Hard drive on the left hand side in Library and the folders where photos were cataloged previously in iMac.

I thought when I open LR I simply have to select open catalog and select the one I last used and it would open with all folders available. Dont understand why its trying to upgrade catalogs that have already been upgraded in LR?

I am totally confused as to how I can locate the right catalog, can anyone help please?

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    JP Hess
    JP Hess
    Inspiring
    February 23, 2018

    You have opened the right catalog, but the catalog is linked to images located in the old location before they were moved to the external hard drive. So you need to follow the instructions in the link that DJ has posted. The images are not in the catalog. The images are only referenced in the catalog, and if they get moved then you have to reestablish the link so that Lightroom knows where the images are now located.

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    February 23, 2018

    You can use File->Open Recent in Lightroom to select recently opened catalogs; or File->Open Catalog to open a file anywhere on any local hard disk.

    The problem with ? on your folders is a different problem, it does not indicate you have opened the wrong catalog; and can be fixed by following these directions:

    Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

    A
    alistairw72100433Author
    Inspiring
    February 23, 2018

    Thanks for your reply. When I select the last used catalog it asks to upgrade it see below.

    The one I last used is the old one why should it need upgrading?

    When I select to find missing folders it says the folders are already in LR and do I want to merge. Tried that and still get ? In frames.

    Please can you suggest a fix.

    Many thanks

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    February 23, 2018

    alistairw72100433  wrote

    When I select to find missing folders it says the folders are already in LR and do I want to merge. Tried that and still get ? In frames.

    Please can you suggest a fix.

    This happens because you have either imported photos twice (accidentally), or you have imported some photos from a folder into LR and then imported other photos from that folder using the COPY option into another folder.

    Can you search Lightroom using ALL 4 (not one or two, but ALL 4) of these steps, in order shown (not in the order you choose)

    1. In the Lightroom Library Module, click on All Photographs on the left hand side (under Catalog)
    2. Expand all stacks (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)
    3. Turn off filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)
    4. In the Filter bar, search for one of these photos from a folder with a ? icon. Search by file name.

    Report the results.

    B
    Community Expert
    Bill SpragueCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 23, 2018

    Your screen shots are not displaying.  

    Can you use your operating system (Finder or Explorer) to locate the catalog file with the appropriate date of last use?  Double click on it and LR will open it.

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