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RRowe
RRowe
Inspiring
January 25, 2024
Answered

Deleting previous catalog previews

  • January 25, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 519 views

My main catalog, and the only one I use, is "Lightroom Catalog-v13-2".  I still have data files from "Lightroom Catalog-v13", like the previews file. My question is, do current catalogs use any data from older catalog files? My current previews file (Lightroom Catalog-v13-2 Previews.lrdata) is 3.3GB. However, the older one (Lightroom Catalog-v13 Previews.lrdata) is 13.62GB. Does the newer one draw from the older, or is it that the newer one will expand in size the more I go look at older photos and cause LR to build a preview for it?

Ultimately, if I delete the older preview file, will it disrupt any previews in the new catalog?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer richardplondon

To the best of my knowledge preview etc support folders are 100% dedicated to the particular catalog that their folder naming matches up with.

 

Sometimes when upgrading a Catalog as part of going to a newer software version, the prior previews will get reused / repurposed to accompany the newer Catalog, hence removed from that prior (and now superseded) Catalog.

 

Failing that happening, fresh 'everything' will get generated naturally as you go along, or else on demand. 

 

So both a prior Catalog and any remaining support folders associated with the name of that, then become redundant.

 

Personally I would satisfy myself that the catalog conversion has finished OK with no apparent issues, and then been backed up at least once, before deleting the prior catalog it was upconverted from. Just in case you might find some problem which necessitated a second go at that conversion.

 

But previews - those are merely a convenience, always disposable without any risk of losing important information. 

1 reply

R
Community Expert
richardplondonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 25, 2024

To the best of my knowledge preview etc support folders are 100% dedicated to the particular catalog that their folder naming matches up with.

 

Sometimes when upgrading a Catalog as part of going to a newer software version, the prior previews will get reused / repurposed to accompany the newer Catalog, hence removed from that prior (and now superseded) Catalog.

 

Failing that happening, fresh 'everything' will get generated naturally as you go along, or else on demand. 

 

So both a prior Catalog and any remaining support folders associated with the name of that, then become redundant.

 

Personally I would satisfy myself that the catalog conversion has finished OK with no apparent issues, and then been backed up at least once, before deleting the prior catalog it was upconverted from. Just in case you might find some problem which necessitated a second go at that conversion.

 

But previews - those are merely a convenience, always disposable without any risk of losing important information. 

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