How do I find images whose originals are missing?

[Steve Gandy]

I recently did an export of some archival images to jpgs for a web display and Lr told me that some of the chosen images were had missing originals and that it would use the Smart Preview if possible. So, far so good, but I'd like to be able to search the entire catalog for images whose originals are missing. I'm sure I could find the originals if I knew which ones needed finding. I don't see this choice in the smart collection criteria. Hopefully there is a way.

BTW, none of the images from my group had the question mark. So, I don't know what the message was referring to.

[LauraMacky]

Missing originals with a ! mean either:

1.  You moved the photo outside LR and the catalog can’t find the photo.  (All moving and deleting of photos need to be done within LR.). 

2.   Your photos are on an external drive which needs to be plugged in.

[Steve Gandy]

Yes, I know what it means. I teach Lr. My question is whether there is a search feature that will pull all/any missing originals from the the entire catalog.

[LauraMacky]

Ah sorry.

[John R Ellis · Accepted solution]

Do the menu command Library > Find All Missing Photos.

[Steve Gandy]

Ah, john, thank you. I never saw that menu item before!

[GoldingD]

Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

[Boris2016]

It crazy you can't search a selection for missing images (rather than whole catalouge) and equally cannot opt to skip missing images at export rather than use smart previews.

[dj_paige]

I think Lightroom Classic does use smart previews for export if the original image is missing.

I think it's crazy to have missing images (I haven't had a missing image in the 10 years I have been using Lightroom/Lightroom Classic, and many other people will tell you the same). It indicates, to me, an error in your workflow somehow rather than a problem with Lightroom Classic.

[Boris2016]

You’re right, sheer lunacy, utter depravity to have missing images. But just say you do have one image in a selection of a hundreds in a catalogue of millions and you want to export and quickly identify the single missing image. Might it not be better to have some basic functionality for LR to tell you the missing image or allow you to quickly search a selection rather than the whole catalouge?

Regarding the smart previews please read my original post.

[Just Shoot Me]

Missing images are visible all the time. They have a Exclamation Mark on them.

[Boris2016]

Dear Adobe Community Professional,

Helfpful tip, try reading peoples messages before responding.

[Just Shoot Me]

Helpful Tip.

Try not posting to an Old thread and create your own.

[John R Ellis]

"It's crazy you can't search a selection for missing images (rather than whole catalouge)"

1. Clear the Quick Collection if necessary by right-clicking it and doing Clear.

2. Add the selected photos to the Quick Collection by doing Photo > Add To Quick Collection.

3. Do Library > Find All Missing Photos and select all the resulting photos.

4. In the Catalog panel, click on Quick Collection. The missing photos in the Quick Collection (the original selection) will be selected.

5. If the number of photos in Quick Collection is very large (making it hard to see the selected photos), do Library > Next Selected Photo to scroll the grid view to the next selected (missing) photo.

As usual, keyboard shortcuts for these commands are shown in the menus, so it's not necessary for someone else to chime in with them.

[Use the blue reply button under the first post to ensure replies sort properly.]

[Boris2016]

Hi John, This doesn't address the issue. I'm aware you can search a whole catalouge for missing images and apply that search to a sub selection. My point is why do you need to. Would it not make more sense for a 'Find missing images in selection option' or even better LR could list them at export telling you which images are missing as it clearly knows.

[John R Ellis]

I agree that the workaround is much less convenient than having a more direct feature built-in, but it gets the job done (albeit more slowly).  In general, LR's search features are rudimentary at best. You can submit a feature request in the offiical Adobe feedback forum, where Adobe wants all product suggestions and bug reports:
https://www.lightroomqueen.com/send-bug-report-feature-request-adobe/

Product developers read everything posted there, but rarely participate here, which is primarily a user-to-user forum. The forum is currently being upgraded and should be available again in a day or two.

[Use the blue reply button under the first post to ensure replies sort properly.]

[Boris2016]

"Product developers .... rarely participate here"

Sure it would be beneath Adobe to look on their own forums for feedback and devlopment ideas.