Duplicate folders with same name when switching PC <-> Mac

[Michał350566426a8w]

Hi

I have a NAS with my photos, which I use from both PC and Mac.

When I need to switch between PC and Mac I do copy collection files from one to another.

After that operation Lightroom can't find my files, as on Mac they are in /Volumes/sharename/... and on PC they are in \\hostname\sharename\...

I use "Find missing folder" on the root folder of my collection and it works perfectly for most of the files.

But for some sub-folders it can't find them. When I click on the exclamation mark on a picture in "missing" folder" and locate the file, the directory containing this file is duplicated (booth have same name!):

There are two issues here:

1. LRC can't find some folders which are absolutely there.

2. LRC duplicates folders using same names when locating files from these folders.

LRC in current version (13.1).

Win11Pro in current version.

Mac OS Sonoma

[GoldingD]

Not sure how MACOS then WINOS enters in on this, or how using a NAS (for images, not catalog) on both MAC and WIN enters in. 

BUT PERHAPS see:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/capitalization-catalog-error/

[Michał350566426a8w]

Thanks, but I dont think this is filename case issue.

I don't see how the case of the name could change in 5 minutes it takes me to shut down LR on Mac, copy it over to PC and open LR on PC.

This is exactly as it started: I worked on my PC. Never had this LR collection on Mac before. Got a Macbook and copied this collection to the Mac. Did some work on a new pictures (new folder in collection). Then copied this collection back to PC. And boom - some folders are marked as missing. Folders which I didn't touch on Mac.

Images are where they were all the time - on the NAS.

[Sean McCormack]

It can still be the same issue. 

To force Lightroom to figure out that it's the same set you need to right click on each top level folder and choose Show Parent Folder until they merge. Then use Hide Parent folder to tidy it up again after. 

[Michał350566426a8w]

Thanks, but:

1. Their parent folder is in LR.

2. This is happening randomly to folders nobody touches. I don't see how folder names could be randomly changing on it's own. Anyway, even in LR it is clearly visible that there is no difference in the in the case.

[JohanElzenga]

Thanks, but:

1. Their parent folder is in LR.

2. This is happening randomly to folders nobody touches. I don't see how folder names could be randomly changing on it's own. Anyway, even in LR it is clearly visible that there is no difference in the in the case.

By @Michał350566426a8w

The fact that the capitalization of the folder names is the same does not mean this could not be (it probably is) the capitalization error. You have to consider the whole path, not just the folder name that Lightroom shows you. The capitalization difference is most likely higher up in that path, and could be as high as the sharename.

[Michał350566426a8w]

If issue were in some parent folder, LR would mark that folder as missing.

[JohanElzenga]

If issue were in some parent folder, LR would mark that folder as missing.

By @Michał350566426a8w

Sigh. No it would not. The capitalization error does not result in missing folders. I'm done here. If you don't want to believe this is the capitalization error, then don't. It's your problem, not mine.