Lightroom Importing Issue "...destination folder is not writable". Branched

It is a good idea to always expand and look in the Destination Panel when you Import from a camera card. (Or use Copy or Move at any time)

Depending on your options- the Destination panel can show new folders that will be created (as greyed out), and the number of photos that will be placed in those folders.

In my screen-clip note the new 'dated' folders showing a + sign  on the icon to indicate these will be created. I am importing 11 photos into 4 new folders.

On any photo already in the Library from a previous Import: A [Right-Click] > [Go to Folder in Library] will take you to the Folder where Lightroom knows your photos are stored. (or you can 'Show in Explorer/Finder' to see the OS location)

I think that clears it up for me in that it is not "moving" "adding" etc. to lightroom itself but moving the files from one spot to another on your hard drive.  I think the word "import" is what was confusing me (like when you "add" to itunes, it places your MP3s in a folder of its choosing, totally ignoring the original location).  I will have to check and see what the destination folder actually was in order to figure out if I even want to save there anyway.

I think you need to understand that your photo files are never IN Lightroom, never IN a Catalog, never IN the .LRCAT file.

Then it is easier to understand what "Import" means in the Lightroom-Classic world-

"ADD" will simply read the Filenames, metadata, and Folder location of your camera files and create a Preview in the Catalog Library. Yes it is still called an "Import" but the files are not changed on your hard-drive in any way, or hidden in any folder. "ADD" is useful for creating Previews in the Catalog of photos that are already in your hard-drive folders.

Note: You cannot use the "ADD" option if importing from 'Removable' media such as a Camera SD/CF card.

"COPY" will use the Operating System to make a physical Copy of your files, place them in a new Folder that is specified by YOU in the Destination panel of the Import dialog. And a Preview is created in the Catalog Library.

Note: Using "COPY" with files already on your hard-drive, you will now have two versions of your files on the Hard-drive.

"Copy" is commonly used for importing from the camera card to the Hard-drive.

"COPY as DNG" does the same, but converts proprietary raw files to DNG as it copies.

"MOVE" As the word implies- uses the Operating system to move the imported files to a new Folder location on your Hard-drive (the "Destination") as it also creates the Previews in the Catalog.

"COPY" and "MOVE" will always require the "Destination" folder to have Read/Write permissions as discussed by others.

OK, I think I know how to give "myself" permission to use my own folders.  (I put files in the C drive that I did not want to "sync" with onedrive but never found it to be a terribly risky thing). Anyway, that said.  The thing I am still not getting my head around is this:

If I point lightroom to a folder in which I have things I want to "import."  What is it actually "moving" or "copying" to?  If it lets me "add" then the source folder is not the problem.  Is it trying to move things to the folder containing the .lrcat?  Just what is the difference between "Move," "Copy" and "Add." (I ask because before, I don't think moving deleted anything from the original location, but I could be wrong).  It was incredibly disruptive....and like I said, if it would just keep the one file I was working on I would be okay with that.   But it had to download everything everytime (although that was actually Bridge that did that).

In any case, I am going to give myself permission as per the instructions I found online (ie. ""How to Fix Folder Keeps Reverting to Read Only on Windows 10") and hope this ends my aggravation.

Just to close the loop, we could probably give some ideas on why you were having permission problems, but you would need to tell us the exact full path of the original destination folder you were trying to use as shown in the Destination panel of the Import dialog.

OK. I tried the add button. That worked after much teeth gnashing.  However, I cannot understand why I would not have permissions to use my own folders.   I only ran up against this problem when I created the folder in C drive (a spot outside the clutches of OneDrive....actually I need and want onedrive.  I just dont want to download every photo I ever took every time I open lightroom or Bridge.

So I substituted one problem for another it appears.  All I know is this makes relocoting entire iTunes libraries look like Child's play because at least I understand what is happening.  BUt like iTunes, I do understand that you have to make changes within the software or the links will be lost.

I just don't know why I had no problems importing before, and now I can only "add."  I hope it is not this disastrously awful when I try to export finished items.  However, slowly but surely I am understanding the "semantics" of the thing and what they mean.  That is the hardest part I think.

The Destination folder is the folder that LR will Copy or Move images into when importing them from a memory card and or if you want to move them from one folder on your hard drive to another folder.

Windows has become restrictive with allowing access to System folders. You have 2 choices. Whatever folder is selected in the Import dialog Destination section you can Change the permissions on it to include your username and give yourself Full Rights.

Or you can choose some other folder that your username does already have access to.

Google Change drive, folder and file permissions on Win 10 for instructions on how to do that.