Can a lightroom classic catalog be move to another drive?

[elsas67673398]

I have several folders of lightroom classic catalogs and I am confused.  I would like to have just one folder with the lightroom classic catalogs and backups on an additional drive tha I have.  The original folder which is on my c:drive is cluttering my space and my c: drive is running out of space.  I have a data D: drive that is a 2T with space.  Can I merge all my catalogs into one and move it? 

Thank you so much

Gracie

[dj_paige]

One catalog is a very good idea. You can merge them all together into one catalog. Then, you can move the merged catalog file to any other drive you want it to be on. Just move it using Windows Explorer to the other drive, and then double-click on the moved catalog file to open it.

You do not want backups on the same drive as the working catalog. Backups MUST (it is not optional) be stored on a different drive than the original or working catalog file.

[elsas67673398]

So, I create a brand new catalog, merge everything into it?  If so, how do I create a new catalog?  Can I delete the old catalog? I don't want it on my c: drive.  It takes all my storage.

Thank you 

Gracie

[Rob_Cullen]

The link from @dj_paige gives you directions on Merging catalogs. And this link might provide more info- Merging Catalogs - The Overview | The Lightroom Queen 

"So, I create a brand new catalog," 

You do not need to do this- You can open one existing catalog (your primary use catalog preferred) and use the [Import from another catalog] to merge others into the 'Primary' catalog.

"how do I create a new catalog?" 

If LrC is running, it's right at the top menu- {File > New Catalog} and choose the location (drive)

If LrC is not running hold down the Ctrl/Cmd key as you open LrC and you get a list of catalogs that LrC finds, along with a button to [Create a new Catalog]

You can create a new catalog on any connected drive, or as advised by @dj_paige 'Move' a catalog to another drive.

[drtonyb]

@elsas67673398 

Firstly, @dj_paige wrote

"Backups MUST (it is not optional) be stored on a different drive than the original or working catalog file."

This is not true. You are not compelled to store your backup on a different drive. It is good practice, but you are free to choose how and where to store backups. Saying this is not an option is simply false.

Here is what you should do:

On your D: drive, create a folder in which to store your new catalog such as "Lightroom" (optional).

Start LrC, then choose File > New Catalog... from the menu.

Navigate to the D: drive and if you created a folder for the new catalog, choose that folder.

Type a name for the new catalog, let's say "LrC Master", then click the Create button.

LrC will relaunch with the new empty catalog. In my example, the path to this new catalog will be "D:\Lightroom\LrC Master\LrC Master.lrcat".

You now want to start importing your old catalogs into this new one using File > Import from Another Catalog...

This import process can be made much faster by removing the source catalog's previews folder. The safest way to do this is just rename the previews folder so that LrC can't access it. When you import, LrC will create a new previews folder for the source catalog, but that is ok. Let's say you want to import a catalog from C: drive called "C:\Pictures\Lightroom\My Catalog\My Catalog.lrcat", then rename "C:\Pictures\Lightroom\My Catalog\My Catalog Previews.lrdata" to say "C:\Pictures\Lightroom\My Catalog\My Catalog Previews BAK.lrdata".

Using File > Import from Another Catalog... navigate to the first source catalog you want to import, choosing the .lrcat file and click the Choose button.

In the Import from Catalog dialog, for the File Handling option, ensure “Add new photos to catalog without moving” is selected.

Click the Import button.

Repeat this for every old catalog you need to import into your new one.

Once you are confident that the new catalog has every photo you need, you can make a backup for safety and if you choose, store a backup on another drive, such as a removable one.

Then you can delete the old catalog from your C: drive, but I would first copy them to an external (removable) drive just for insurance. Only the .lrcat file and the .lrcat-data folder need to be saved, the Previews.lrdata and Helper.lrdata folders are easily recreated by LrC if ever needed.

I’m assuming that your photos are stored on the D: drive already.

[dj_paige]

This is not true. You are not compelled to store your backup on a different drive. It is good practice, but you are free to choose how and where to store backups. Saying this is not an option is simply false.

Sure it is true. These are not backups if they are on the same hard disk. Why? Because if the hard disk fails, you now have zero copies of your catalog file. You have no backup.

If you put your backups on a different disk, they are backups, because if the hard disk with the original copy of the catalog fails, you still have a backup copy.

And also, I want to phrase my comments in such a way that people will get the message not to put backups on the same disk as the originals. I try to strongly encourage good practices by the way I word my statements.

Also, there is no importing in the process of moving a catalog file to another disk. Just use the MOVE (or cut and paste) function in your operating system.

[drtonyb]

@dj_paige 

You wrote "Backups MUST (it is not optional)..."

There is no MUST and it is optional how a user manages their own backups. I agree that it is good practice to save backups to a different drive, but it is not compulsory, as your wording implies.

"Also, there is no importing in the process of moving a catalog file to another disk. Just use the MOVE (or cut and paste) function in your operating system."

My method isn't about moving one of the catalogs to another drive, it is building a new catalog on another drive from the various catalogs still stored on the original drive. You provided a link which describes the same process.

[dj_paige]

In my opinion, it is not an optional choice the user can make. Putting a copy on the same disk results in a file that is NOT a backup in any meaningful sense of the word, it provides no protection against hard disk failure.

Yes, your method isn't about moving; my method is about moving.