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folders are both present and missing in Source panel

Advisor ,
Nov 21, 2021 Nov 21, 2021

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(1) In the screenshot below, the 1st 5 folders are missing, but they are also present.  The 2nd and 3rd of these "missing" folders ("street_photography" and "2019-11-16") can be seen in the file structure below the missing folders.  At the end of the folders named by date, there is another instance of "street_photography," also shown with a ?.  What does it mean when a folder is both present and missing?  Is it safe to remove the missing ones?  I don't want to select "Remove" without being sure I will be prompted to remove the images from Lightroom, as opposed to also deleting them from my drive.   

 

(2) When right-clicking on the missing folder named "2019-11-16," Lightroom is bringing up a folder which is in a different parent folder than "street_photography" and which is a differently-namd folder ("2021-04-08"), as shown in the screenshot.  Why is this happening? 

 

I keep my files on an external hard drive, and it failed, but the files were able to be moved to a new drive.  I did not change the file structure, but simply have a new drive, if this information helps.  (Also, I am watching Laura Shoe's excellent videos to try and educate myself about these issues, but can't troubleshoot of my issues.)  Thank you.  

 

bartonlew_2-1637544086055.png

 

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Nov 21, 2021 Nov 21, 2021

In the folders panel, in the part that is Ok, that folder street_photography, what is the parent folder? Right click, select show parent.

 

and see:

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

 

and, if a folder has no actual photos in it, then in the folders panel, you can remove it. Make sure via Windows File Explorer that their are no photos.

 

 

 

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LEGEND ,
Nov 21, 2021 Nov 21, 2021

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In the folders panel, in the part that is Ok, that folder street_photography, what is the parent folder? Right click, select show parent.

 

and see:

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

 

and, if a folder has no actual photos in it, then in the folders panel, you can remove it. Make sure via Windows File Explorer that their are no photos.

 

 

 

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Advisor ,
Nov 21, 2021 Nov 21, 2021

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When right-clicking on "street_photography" and selecting Show Parent Folder as you directed, the "street_photography" remained selected while collapsing all of its subfolders.  When I then right-clicked on "street_photography" again, a dialog box came up which does not contain the Show Parent Folder option.

 

bartonlew_0-1637549894910.png

 

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LEGEND ,
Nov 21, 2021 Nov 21, 2021

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Ok, so raw_archive may not be the parent folder for that part.

In the first misbehaving folder, raw_archive, right click, select update folder location, select the folder, see what happens, you might get a response about merging. Maybe at one time you moved street_photography outside of LrC.

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Advisor ,
Nov 21, 2021 Nov 21, 2021

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Thank you.  I think in the process of replacing and also swapping the contents of drives (without changing file structure) these "duplicate" missing folders are showing up, but can be safely removed, and I have done so.  

 

Just one final question:  My 2 main folders ("street_photography" and "wall_cuts") don't have any missing folders anymore, as I have imported files into the ones that showed a "?", but these 2 main folders are showing only about half of their subfolders (that are on my external hard drive).  If I right-click on my "E:" drive and choose Synchronize Folder, will that add the remaining missing folders and their files in one fell swoop?

 

Also, in the screenshot, there is an "E:" showing as the parent of "raw_archive."  Above it is the name of the drive followed by "(E:)".  Is this the usual way the drive appears in Folders panel?  Thank you. 

 

bartonlew_1-1637552420387.png

 

 

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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Yes you could try that sync

 

Windows lists drives as letters, MAC as names, so working all the way to the root of whete a folder is will be the drive letter, in this case E.

 

One important issue with Windows, if that drive E is external, make sure that drive is assigned as E permanently. .

 

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Community Expert ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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As a tip, for an external drive, it will probably appear as E as an auto-assignment because your computer already has a C and a D drive, and Windows has selected the next free letter. That would not be a good choice for a permanent drive letter. There is a high probability than on another occasion, E: may already be in use by something else. In that case Windows cannot respect your requested preference of E, so will fall back to some higher unoccupied letter, maybe F or G.

 

So whenever a drive needs to have stable addressing, choose a drive letter further on in the alphabet. You can go all the way up to Z: And if you own several external drives - for backup or whatever - assign them different letters. Just want to avoid any potential conflict.

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Advisor ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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Thank you.  So what should I do here?  Rename the "E:" drive to another letter ("F:")?  How does one do that?  And doing that won't confuse Lightroom?

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Community Expert ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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Changing any "real" location will always confuse Lightroom in that it will have to update its location information in the Catalog, for the affected items. To the extent (which I advise) this is a question of one top level folder with a whole "tree" of folders and subfolders nested inside, then it is quick and easy to readdress just that parent folder. Once done, at least this drive letter and folder path for that parent and everything inside, will thereafter stay reliably the same.

 

As far as changing the drive letter, this is Microsoft's step by step - 

Follow the steps to change the drive letter:
  1. Press Windows + X keys and click on Disk Management.
  2. Right click on the external drive and click on Change Drive letter and paths.
  3. Click on Change the button.
  4. Under Assign the following Drive letter, select the desired drive letter.
  5. Click Ok to save changes.

 

If you, as I do, normally run Windows under a standard user account for safety - you will need to log in under an admin user account to make that change.

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Advisor ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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Thanks.  And just to be doubly sure, once I have given the drive a new letter, when I go back into Lightroom - it will automatically detect that, and reflect that?  Or will I have to do something?  Doing this makes me somewhat nervous, given the issues I have been having with missing or undetected files ansd folders.  Thanks.  

 

Also, what is the significance/importance of having a permanent letter associated with a drive, anyway?  

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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Catalog location or photo location?

 

If you changed the drive letter for the drive the catalog is on, reccomend you bring up the catalog in Windows File Explorer and double click on it, should be fine.

 

If both the catalog and the photos are on that drive, it should be fine.

 

At worst, you msy need to correct folder location(s)

 

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Advisor ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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My catalog is (and always has been) in the default location on my C: drive.  Only my files are on external hard drives.

 

I am going to assume that if I follow the steps outlined above for reassigning the drive letter, that I will then go to Lightroom, and - voila! - the new drive letter will appear with all of the file and folders unchanged.  It does make me somewhat nervous since in Laura Shoe's videos, she says to do moving and remaning within Lightroom, so Lightroom *knows* what you are doing.  But assigning the new drive letter can only be done through Disk Management in Windows (or that's one of the ways - all within Windows).

 

Wish me luck!

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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If the photos are in a different dribe than the catalog, then no, they will go missing in LrC and you will need to correct the location of the folder they are in

 

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

 

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Advisor ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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LATEST

This appears to have worked.  Now the drive is showing as "Z:" after changing it and selecting Locate Folder.  Now above the Z: dive is the old "E:" drive grayed out as well as a new, mysterious "F:" drive which I have no idea how it got there.  Anyway, I assume it's okay to "Remove" both those drives as shown in screenshot #2, right?  

 

bartonlew_0-1637635172463.png

 

bartonlew_1-1637635207408.png

 

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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Actually in Windows you can manage the drives and assign a drive letter to any drive via disk management. Once assigned, that drive letter is reserved for that specific hard drive. Should yo unplug that drive, and plug in something new, that drive letter will not get assigned. But, if you do not permanently assign the drive letter, then it could.

 

Windows OS 101

 

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-assign-permanent-drive-letter-windows-10

 

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Community Expert ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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I am not certain if associating a letter to a particular removable device will reserve ir from being auto-assigned to something else, when in this device's absence. But it makes sense anyway, to choose something distinct and memorable.

 

From the linked article:

  • Quick tip: To avoid the system trying to assign the same letter to another drive, it's a good idea to start adding letters in backward order. For instance, instead of using D, E or F, it better to start with Z, Y or X when assigning a new letter. 

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LEGEND ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

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L would be nice, as in LrC

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