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"Lightroom cannot import from this catalog" after updating to classic cc

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
October 26, 2017
9 replies
8645 views

Has anyone seen the error in the subject when importing a catalog?

My workflow has been in the past:

1. export a catalog with say about 1000 photos from my macbook pro to my surface book, with files

2. edit photos on the surface book, importing other photos etc... used as a road catalog

3. at a later date import the surface book catalog into the macbook pro's and destroy the surface book's catalog.

Rinse and repeat.

However after updating to "Lightroom Classic CC" on both computers I am unable to import the catalog, i get the error:

"Lightroom cannot import from this catalog."

"The catalog does not appear to be a valid Lightroom catalog."

To note, I am able to open each catalog separately, just not able to import

Any thoughts on what might be a solution would be appreciated!

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer VtBobF

Hi,

OP here. Sorry for not updating.

Ok so, perhaps this is a case of 'how did this ever work' but I've done this workflow 4-5 times in the past with no issue, but everything i'm reading says that you can't interact with a lightroom catalog while it's on a network share, and I had in the past been importing them right over wifi overnight.

Apparently you simply can't do that (perhaps ever ... but definitely that was my issue)

So I did the following as a fix.

1. copied the surface book (sb) catalog to the Macbook Pro (MBP) machine.
2. opened the sb catalog on the macbook pro and remap the local paths to network paths for the pictures.
3. Close the SB pro catalog and relaunch the MBP catalog
4. Run the Import as normal
5. Enjoy.

J

Jerome26708554gr1c

Participant

Hi All,

I encountered the same type of issues: unable to import on my desktop some libraries exported from my laptop.

I finally realized that there are some issues with the imports of Stacks or Virtual copies: I removed the Stacks and Virtual Copies from the original library (on the laptop), re-exported it then imported it again on the desktop. It finally worked.

D

djskinner50

Known Participant

I have just experienced the same problem. I take my MacBook Air when I travel, start a new LRC catalog, rate, sort and edit. Back home in my main LRC catalog on my Mac Studio I "Import from another catalog". Used to work fine. This time I got the "Lightroom cannot import from this catalog" message. My workaround was to export all the photos to a new catalog on the Desktop of the MBAir. This automatically synced with the Desktop on my Mac Studio. Took time but I was then able to import from this catalog without issues.

P

Paul SLS

Participant

Thanks for this thread. It worked for me. Had been creating a catalog when on a shoot, on my MacBook Pro. Was then able to go to my MacPro desktop and import the shoot catalog to my master. Got same error message "LR cannot import from this catalog. It does not appear to be a valid LR catalog". This occurs when I try to import over my local wireless network. The latest update to 7.2 is the first time I have seen this problem.

Copied just the catalog file to my desktop, then opened it in LR. Then pointed to the missing folders on the MacBook. Closed LR, Reopened LR to the master catalog, and then "import from another catalog". LR then found the files on the MacBook and copied to my master.

Google_Maps_in_Lightroom

Participant

I had the same problem. Was in New Zealand crated a new catalog on my macbook pro and anted to import the photos on my main catalog on my iMac. But it doesn't work with the same error message like above. and I am sure it does work before

Its only a mess, to try to get your photos with workarounds on the right places. I wasted a lot of time in the past with that.

It seems I have to do it again. I think the support should read these piste careful.

H

highflyer_30

Participant

Just to confirm that importing a catalog from a network location is still not posssible, even using the latest LR clasic version 9.1. As a fairly new user of LR classic, I just encountred the issue these days. Following the not unusual workflow of first adding pictures to a catalog on a MacBook when shooting and later on copying the RAWs onto a NAS and integrating the catalog into the main catalog on an I-mac at home. It would be straight forward to transfer the exported catalog via the NAS, but this is definitely not possile for technical reasons beeing discussed in other threads. So the only workaround is to somehow copy the exported catalog onto the target machine using either USB-Memory-Keys or any intermediate cloud based storage options to finally have the catalog on a local drive to make the import work. I would still reccomend to store the RAWs on a NAS for security but remember catalogs always have to be local at any time. Backups of catalogs shall still be stored on the NAS.

L

Luc Lodder

Participating Frequently

Okay!

I found a workaround which suits me fine.

On my Macbook i created a Library in my Dropbox (or iCloud) folder. Then i import the images into this Library with their location the Dropbox (or iCloud) folder.

The library will be synced with my desktop iMac now. (and als the images)
When syncing dropbox on the same network it wil be fast. Otherwise you should need a broadband internet connection.

When the sync is complete. Close lightroom on the Macbook and import from the library on the iMac dropbox folder.

No need to copy the files manually. I keep my MacBook library empty.

T

timr21031184

Participating Frequently

Glad you submitted the update. That appears to have resolved my same issue. It looks like the developers added some checking (or broke something) that prevents loading from a NAS. I've done it many times before where from computer 1 I export to NAS and then import from same catalog on NAS to computer 2. It used to work. I've known LR doesn't work properly with the catalog anywhere but local but we're talking about single write single read. Lame

BTW, I got away with just copying the NAS version local on computer 2 without re-exporting and moving the files

V

VtBobFAuthorCorrect answer

Participant

Hi,

OP here. Sorry for not updating.

Ok so, perhaps this is a case of 'how did this ever work' but I've done this workflow 4-5 times in the past with no issue, but everything i'm reading says that you can't interact with a lightroom catalog while it's on a network share, and I had in the past been importing them right over wifi overnight.

Apparently you simply can't do that (perhaps ever ... but definitely that was my issue)

So I did the following as a fix.

1. copied the surface book (sb) catalog to the Macbook Pro (MBP) machine.
2. opened the sb catalog on the macbook pro and remap the local paths to network paths for the pictures.
3. Close the SB pro catalog and relaunch the MBP catalog
4. Run the Import as normal
5. Enjoy.

L

Luc Lodder

Participating Frequently

I have the exact same workflow and problem. Both Macbook Pro and iMac have been updated to Lightroom Classic CC. Both Libraries are now for LR Classic CC. But i cannot import photos from my MacBook Pro library into my big iMac Library.

FIX needed! I cannot find a solution or workaround on the previous posted link in the replies either.

cmgap

Community Expert

I just did a test and can not reproduce the problem.

I exported a folder of images as a catalog from Lr Classic on my laptop to an external drive then opened Lr Classic on desktop and imported the 'on location catalog' to the master catalog without any trouble.

Where are your images from the MBP located? Are they on an external hard drive? Is the hard drive connected to the iMac when you import?

L

Luc Lodder

Participating Frequently

The files are located on the Macbook Pro.

It always worked this way. When on site working. I import them into the LR catalog on my Macbook.

Whenever I got back home I did an import from catalog from my iMac over the network.

However I just found a workaround.

I guess the Library on my Macbook become somehow corrupt (however stil working when opened)

I opened the library and did select the folders (files) i wished to import into the iMac Library and selected Export files to new Library.

I could import from that newly created library.

cmgap

Community Expert

Hi vtbob - you mentioned that you destroy the exported catalog on your surface once they are imported into your MBP Lr cat. Any chance you have one left pre-classic update? Wondering if you can successfully import a catalog that is older and if the issue is related specifically to the surface Lr export process.

Akash Sharma

Legend

Hi VtBobF,

Sorry fir the inconvenience caused.

Please take a look at the workaround mentioned for this issue here Known issues and workaround https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/kb/known-issues.html

Let us know if that helps.

Thanks,

Akash

V

VtBobFAuthor

Participant

Akash Sharma, thanks for the quick reply however I don't see a known issue for this on that page nor a workaround? Am i missing it? I'm very interested in getting my road catalog imported.

Thanks!

-Bob

Akash Sharma

Legend

Quit Lightroom. Hold down the ctrl key (on win) or the Option key (on Mac), and start Lightroom again.

This will bring up a dialog that allows you to select a catalog. Depending on your usage history with Lightroom, you may see a list of catalogs in the dialog to choose from, or you can click the "Choose a Different Catalog" button to navigate to your catalog. Select a valid catalog (it will be a file with a .lrcat extension), and open.

Another possible solution is mentioned here Lightroom catalog cannot be opened

Thanks,

Akash

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