Error message "the file [x] is associated with another photo in the catalog"

[Kenneth31553285hpeb]

I have several photos in a Lightroom folder. The folder icon has a ? mark on it. Some of the photos in the folder have the ! icon indicating that the "Photo is missing". I right click to try to Locate the file. LR navigates to where it thinks the file was last. The file IS THERE, but when I click on it to relink it, I get the error message "error message "the file [x] is associated with another photo in the catalog".

I've seen this problem elsewhere on this forum, but my situation does not match exactly, so I'm asking for help here. So let me continue with more information and what I've tried.

If I right click on one of the images in the folder where the "photo is missing" and select "Show in Finder" it goes right to the photo in the same location as doing the "Locate" function. The file is there and intact.

If I go to "All Photographs" in the Catalog module, and search for one of the missing files, it returns only one entry, the same entry with the missing file. (I expanded all stacks, and cleared all filters).

The missing photo I'm working with (and the others) are part of a collection that is synced to Lightroom (so I can see the collection on my iPhone running the LR app.

So at this time I am stuck. I can find no way of relinking the only file I seem to have and clearing the ! icon.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[dj_paige]

You have imported (accidentally?) the same photo into LrC more than once.

You need to find these photos in Lightroom Classic. 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

Assuming you find more than one version of the photo(s) after following all 4 of these steps, let us know and we can describe how to fix this.

[Kenneth31553285hpeb]

Hello dj_paige. Thank you for your reply. 

Yes, as I believe I mentioned in my original post, I tried these four steps and I only find ONE VERSION of the photo.

This is what I believe makes my post different from others.

Stuck and would appreciate any further advice.

[JohanElzenga]

If a folder has a question mark indicating it is missing, then it makes a lot more sense to relink this folder rather than trying to relink the individual images inside it. Right-click on the folder, choose 'Find Missing Folder' and select the folder in the dialog that comes up. Does that work?

[Kenneth31553285hpeb]

Thank you for your reply. I should have mentioned in my original post that I tried that. After right-clicking and choosing "Find Missing Folder..." the dialog navigates right to the folder that contains files that are not missing, and the files that are. When I say "Choose" from the dialog, the ? mark on the folder icon remains, as do the ! marks on the images that are "missing".

Very peculiar. 

[Kenneth31553285hpeb]

This problem solved itself when I quit Lightroom and restarted.

Baffling, but at least I'm back in business.

[dj_paige]

Yes, I was baffled too ... but good to know another solution.

[GoldingD]

see:

https://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm