Missing files functionality broken?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
February 18, 2023
3 replies
2934 views

Occasionally I need to batch rename photo filenames using a third party tool. Until today (and as recently as a couple of weeks ago), I've been able to rename the files outside of LR, return to LR and either relink the photos using the question mark on the thumbnails for renamed photos and/or use the "Find missing folder" option.

When I just tried to do this LR doesn't show the question mark for the missing photos but "Edit In" options are dimmed and if I try moving the files within LR it reports that "All the files you selected are missing. No files can be moved." So it appears that LR realizes the photos are missing but the functionality to do something about it doesn't seem to be there anymore.

Has something broken with Lightroom 12.2 when it comes to missing photos? I was able to do this in previous versions.

Windows

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GoldingD

Legend

How about posting a screen capture, Library Module, grid display, with Navigator, Catalog, Collections, and Published Services, minimized, and Folders Panel maximized. And a folder the problematic photos are in selected.

FrostyOfTheNorthAuthor

Known Participant

I hesitate to post a screenshot because of privacy (these are corporate headshots with employee names visible). Can I provide the information you're asking for some other way? Or can I DM you a screenshot instead?

After renaming the photos using a third-party tool (to batch rename them), Lightroom definitely does not link to the photos. Naturally, given that the filenames in the LR database no longer match the actual filenames. I can confirm this in three ways:

Trying to export any of those images results in the expected "originals missing" message.
Trying to move these images results in a "originals missing" message.
Trying to open these images in an editor doesn't work because all of the editors I've defined in LR are dimmed and not clickable.

But the exclamation mark that used to appear that allows relinking each photo to the LR database does not appear.

I've used LR to relink renamed photos many times over the years. I'm either having a days-long brain fart or this no works in this version of LR.

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

Lightroom can still relink missing images, nothing has changed. The smart previews are the problem. If you have smart previews (and your first screenshot shows that you do), then the exclamation point will not show if the original image is missing. If you rename photos outside of Lightroom however, then the only way to reconnect them is doing it one by one by clicking on the exclamation point... So it seems that the only way to solve this is by first deleting the smart previews, so the missing images will show exclamation points again.

-- Johan W. Elzenga