Difficulty Importing Photo into LRC from an external drive.

[Firislander]

Hi. I am using LRC 13.2 with Mac OS Sonoma 14.4.1.

In an attempt to free up storage space on my internal drive I used the Finder to copy image files from a Folder A on my internal drive to a Folder A on an external SSD drive. LRC displays these files along with their metadata on the SSD drive. Using the Finder I then moved Folder A from my internal drive to a separate external drive, Drive B. The Finder shows the image files from Folder A existing on Drive B. In the folder window in LRC I see both the SSD Drive and Drive B. 

While I can see Drive B displayed in the folder window in LRC there is no Folder A visible nor is the Parent Folder holding Folder A visible. When I attempt to import Folder A into Drive B in LRC the images all display in the import window but are grayed out. 

How do I get LRC to recognize the image files in Folder A on Drive B?

Thank you in advance for any help with this.

-Firislander

[dj_paige]

Please read this document carefully, the explanation is in there: https://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm

Also, please do NOT re-import these photos. Re-importing is almost always a bad thing to do and it makes the problem worse. DO NOT RE-IMPORT!

[Firislander]

Thank you for your response. I am confused. I have, but did not mention in my original question, 3 separate external Drives with all my image folders on them going back 30 years. The Finder shows that each Drive contains a Parent Folder for each year. All 3 drives appear in the LRC Folder window but none show all the Parent Folders that are on each Drive (as seen in the Finder). I organize my images in monthly folders which are grouped into a Parent Folder for their corresponding year.

In LRC's Folder window none of the Drives display all of my Parent Folders contained in each Drive. In the Folder window all the Drives do display Parent Folders for several years in common. Each Drive, as an example, happens to have the Parent Folder for year 2015.

On each of these drives when I click on a given month in 2015 the images appear in the grid view and when I right click on any given image and select "Show in Finder" they always are shown as being on the selected drive in the parent folder for 2015 and in the correct monthly folder. All metadata is present. So for example, each Drive shows the same image for Jan. 1, 2015 as existing in the Jan. 2015 folder of that particular Drive being looked at.

Here is one of the difficulties I am having: As an example, on Drive T7 the Finder shows that I have 30 separate folders corresponding to 30 years each consisting of 12 monthly folders with their images. In the LRC Folder Window the Drive T7 appears with 12 of the 30 Parent Folders. So, LRC is not displaying the remaining 18 Parent Folders existing on Drive T7. When I attempt to import one of the Parent Folders existing on Drive T7 (shown in the Finder but not displayed in the Folder window) the import window shows all the missing Parent folders. When I click to import one particular folder the import window  then shows  all of the images in that Parent Folder as being grayed out. Thus I cannot import this folder so that it displays in the LRC Folder window.

What am I missing here?

Thank you again for your help.

Firislander.

[dj_paige]

In LRC's Folder window none of the Drives display all of my Parent Folders contained in each Drive.

In LrC, right click on a folder and select Show Parent Folder.

If this doesn't solve the problem, show us screen captures to illustrate your point, we need to see a screen capture in LrC and a screen capture of Mac Finder. Please use the "Insert PHotos" icon to include your screen captures in your reply; do NOT attach files.

When I click to import one particular folder the import window then shows all of the images in that Parent Folder as being grayed out.

Let me point out that at least two people have told you not to import. This will not fix the problem and will make it worse.

[Firislander]

Thanks for this. Yes I did see the "do not import" but was unclear if it applied in this situation.

I this particular instance I am trying to get all the Parent folders on Drive T7 ...

Screen shot of Drive T7 in Finder:

which are not presently in LRC to appear in it's Folder window...

Screen shot of LRC Folder window for Drive T7...

I do not understand what you mean by, "In LrC, right click on a folder and select Show Parent Folder." How do I right click on a folder which appears in the Finder but does not appear in the Folder window of LRC?

I should ask, is it possible for all 3 of my external drives to appear in the Folder window of LRC with their folders showing? All 3 drives do appear in the Folder window but all their folders do not show up.

Again I ask, what is it I am not understanding here?

Thank you for this help.

Firislander.

[dj_paige]

I do not understand what you mean by, "In LrC, right click on a folder and select Show Parent Folder." How do I right click on a folder which appears in the Finder but does not appear in the Folder window of LRC?

In LrC, you do the right-click. Select any folder, right-click and then "Show Parent Folder".

I am not a Mac person, what is the top screen capture?

[Firislander]

The previous top screen capture shows the folders in Drive T7 on my Mac.

It is being suggested that, "In LrC, you do the right-click. Select any folder, right-click and then "Show Parent Folder"."

This screen capture shows what happens when I do as suggested...

As you can see there is no "Show Parent Folder" option.

Firislander

[Rob_Cullen]

"In LrC, you do the right-click. Select any folder, right-click and then "Show Parent Folder"."
It is not "any Folder" !  You will only see the [Show Parent Folder] command when you select the topmost folder in the Folder panel. In your screen-clip you do not have the topmost folder {Andy T7 S} folder selected- so the menu option does not show.

Anyway in this screen-clip {Andy T7 S} appears to already be at the Drive name so I would not expect to see a 'parent' above {Andy T7 S}.

[Firislander]

Thank you. So how do I get the other folders in {Andy T7 S} to display in the LRC Folder window?

Firislander

[dj_paige]

When I attempt to import one of the Parent Folders existing on Drive T7 (shown in the Finder but not displayed in the Folder window) the import window shows all the missing Parent folders. When I click to import one particular folder the import window then shows all of the images in that Parent Folder as being grayed out

Greyed out means the photos have already been imported into LrC. Thus, the advice to not import again.

You need to find these photos in Lightroom Classic. Please follow all four of these steps in order:

1. In the Lightroom Classic Library Module, on the left, under Catalog, click on All Photographs
2. Turn off all filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)
3. Turn off all stacking (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)
4. Search for at least one of these photos by file name using the Lightroom Classic Filter Bar

Once you find these photos in LrC, we can help you fix the problem. Please show us screen captures when you find them. Please tell us what folder LrC thinks these photos are in.

[Firislander]

Hi. I thought I replied to your suggestion along with screen captures but I don't see my response here so I will repost it.

I searched for a photo from Parent folder "1-2015" not listed on {Andy T7 S} in the LRC Folder window...

The one photo I searched for (20150101-DSC_0011.JPG) LRC found in {Andy's Passport}...

Is this the information you need in order to help me fix this problem.

Thank you again.

Firislander

[Rob_Cullen]

Obviously the file you searched for (20150101-DSC_0011.JPG) is on the {Andy's Passport} Drive. It is not on the (Andy T7 S) drive.

When you imported this photo you must have set the destination to the {Andy's Passport} Drive.

You also have similar folders on both drives, but with different photos- Compare the number of files in these duplicated folders-

eg. Folders 1-2011. 1-2014

If you want all the 'Year' folders on one drive  (Andy T7 S-) then you can drag&drop photos (folder to folder) where a folder exists on both drives, or drag&drop a folder (Folder to a Parent folder) if it does not exist on the 'other' drive.

[Rob_Cullen]

DO NOT IMPORT FILES  I will say it again!

DO NOT IMPORT FILES

DO NOT IMPORT FILES

In the LrC catalog Re-link 'Folder A' to its new location on the External Drive B.

See this link for instructions.  In particular Step#4 re-link Folders.

MISSING FILES & FOLDERS (Lightroom Queen)