How do I regain my well organized catalog?

[richardg52861327]

I am responsible for losing my LRC catalog. I somehow added the dates of all my picture folders

and the file names in a separate list in the catalog. In the process of deleting them from the catalog since the lists were redundant, I proceeded to lose the organized catalog. The dates and folder names are still present but I have no way to send the photos anywhere. No longer are there any choices on the top of the screen such as Photo with which I could send the images to be edited in PS. 

First, how do I slowly reenter the file names by year and date which is how they were organized before this mess. Second, how do I send the photos in the remaining lists up to PS? I am assuming that there is no chance to find my catalog anywhere.

Thanks,  Photodoc16

[dj_paige]

How do I regain my well organized catalog?

Do you have a recent backup of your catalog file?

I somehow added the dates of all my picture folders and the file names in a separate list in the catalog.

I am not understanding what "separate list" means in the context of Lightroom Classic.

First, how do I slowly reenter the file names by year and date which is how they were organized before this mess.

I am not understanding why you want to change file names. What are the file names now? (please give an example). Do you mean Folder Names?

No longer are there any choices on the top of the screen such as Photo with which I could send the images to be edited in PS.

Shift-F

[richardg52861327]

dj_paige,
I contacted Adobe today and asked for their help.
'Himanshi' took over and found out that the previous versions of my catalog
were 'not writable and cannot be opened.' I had definitely lost my prior
catalog. We ended up reloading years 2021 - 2024 (without edits) and all
the photos for those years were populated waiting for me to cull all of the
images I weeded out before. All of my edits would be preserved in the
folders that hold the originals and their edits.
So, I am back in business a little wiser and continually grateful to the
forum and Adobe for their help line.
Thanks,
Richard

[dj_paige]

@richardg52861327 

Make regular and automated backups of your catalog file and photos. Make sure the backups are on a different physical disk than the originals. Do not wait and do this later. Do it now and on a regular basis.