How to backup via dropbox and save 1:1 previews in a seperate directory

[jj_345]

I'd like to store my main lightroom catalogue and smart previews in dropbox to sync/backup across two machines (desktop/laptop).

I'd also like to save my 1:1 previews in a different structure that's not backed up to dropbox (my previews are 300GB).

How can I do this?

[JohanElzenga]

What you call '1:1 previews' are not just 1:1 previews but all standard previews. They are what Lightroom uses to show you images in the grid, in loupe view, etcetera. The best way to sync a catalog between two computers is to sync these previews as well, because otherwise Lightroom will need to rebuild them (or at least the ones that changed) each time you switched and that will slow you down. A Dropbox Pro account with 1 TB space is not that expensive. Don't worry about the sync time. Your previews.lrdata is not a massive 300 GB file that needs to be synced in full each time. It's a folder (on Windows) or a 'package' (on Macintosh). A package is a folder disguised as a file. Because it's a folder, only those previews that have changed or are new will sync.

If you don't mind that rebuilding and really don't want to sync the previews, then you could do the following. Place the Lightroom catalog folder in Dropbox. Then use 'Selective Sync' in Dropbox to exclude the standard previews. Dropbox will probably delete those previews when you turn on selective sync, but if you start Lightroom it will rebuild them and then Dropbox should leave them alone. Do this on both machines.

[jona_9]

Is there any way to disable syncing on icloud?  I have the 200GB option and would prefer not to sync my previews and at least be able to backup my catalogue

[JohanElzenga]

jona_9  wrote

Is there any way to disable syncing on icloud?  I have the 200GB option and would prefer not to sync my previews and at least be able to backup my catalogue

AFAIK, iCloud does not have a selective sync option like Dropbox. Lightroom has a built-in catalog backup function however, so only backing up the catalog to iCloud should be easy. In the dialog when Lightroom asks to backup the catalog you can change the destination of that backup. Set your Documents folder as destination and in the iCloud Drive settings check the option to include the Desktop and Documents folder. You can probably also select the iCloud Drive directly (if enabled) in the dialog.