Edit part of a large catalog

[adamh9472359]

I have about 200k images in my lightroom Classic catalog. It is about 4TB. My laptop is "just a little" smaller. I'd like to be able to take a portion of that catalog with me when I travel, do some editing, then update the master catalog at home when I return. I would want the edited versions to overwrite the older versions rather than just importing them again, giving rise to more duplicates. (I'm down to 200k from about 1.2 M by finding and eliminating duplicates)

Seems as if this should be a straightforward process, but I don't see it. I need some help on both exporting to the laptop and re-importing on return.

Thanks,

Adam

[KR Seals · Accepted solution]

1. Select the folders you want to take with you.

2. In the File Menu -> Export as a catalog

3. In the next screen, Choose the location and name of the catalog your are exporting. If you can get by with out all the full size original files, do not check Export Negative Files, but check Build/Include Smart Previews. Also check Include available previews.

4. Take the resulting set of files to the laptop and in the File Menu - Import From Another Catalog.

When you return, you can reimport the travel catalog back into the desktop machine.

Note: Unless you will be doing Exporting or Printing, smart previews will work just fine for processing. If Exporting or Printing, you will need the original files.

[adamh9472359]

Thank you!. One follow up question. Part of my usual editing is to zoom way in to be sure that an image is in focus. It would seem that I can't do that with the smart previews, or can I?

Adam

[KR Seals]

I'm sure you can, but you would be zooming in to a ~2500 pixel wide image (the size of the smart preview). 100% of that will not be the same as 100% of a larger image, ~8500 pixels in a 45MP image for example.

[adamh9472359]

I am probably doing something simple and stupid, but I tried the technique you outlined on a small file of images. When I added some to this catelog, and updated some others, then re-imported, I got duplicates of all images with the modified ones included as well as the added. What setting do I have wrong? I dis not import the negative files.

[adamh9472359]

Never mind. Missed what I did. I got it now. 1000 thanks!

Adam