How to flag a photo in a catalog to publish/republish to an HD if the photo is new or modified.

[Long298056828yqn]

Hello, I need help from the experts.

I have set up Lightroom on a MacBook Pro so that whenever I import a new photo or make any changes to an existing image it flags it to publish/republish it to a Hard Drive found under "Publish Services. I  transferred the entire catalog to my Windows PC and I'm having a hard time setting this up. Any idea how I can accomplish this same task under Windows? I've attached a couple screenshots for your reference. 

Thanks in advanced

[dj_paige]

Should be no difference at all under Windows. In fact, if you transferred the catalog properly, that publish service should be available without you having to set it up at all, you might have to change the folder where the files get published to.

So, maybe you didn't transfer the catalog properly. How did you do this transfer? Please tell us step-by-step, leaving nothing out.

PS: I can't open your file attachments (or anyone's file attachments), please use the "Insert Photos" icon to include your screen captures in your reply.

 

[JohanElzenga]

I'm typing this on my iPad, so I can't check it right now, but I believe you cannot transfer a publishing service like that. I think you cannot change the destination folder once the publishing service has been set-up, so you'll have to recreate it. But indeed, that should not be a problem. The flagging to publish/republish is done by Lightroom, you do not have to do anything for that. The only thing you have to do is define which photos are selected for publishing (often done with a smart collection) and define the location and the export settings.

[Long298056828yqn]

Hi Johan, 

You are correct once, you set the publishing service, you can't edit it. That's why I had to create a new publish service to hard drive and point to a specific folder when I want the photos to export. Unfortunately this is not working. I tested importing a new photo to the catalog, and is not found to publish it under publish services. Also I modified an exising photo and it doesn't flag it to republish it. I copied the same publish service settings from the Mac that currently does just this, it flags a new photo or modified photo to publish or republished. I'm not an expert in Lightroom and thought I reachout to the forums to see if I'm missing something to make this work in Windows. 

[Long298056828yqn]

I did a catalog backup on the MacBook Pro and that same backup file I opened in Lightroom in Windows. All the files are there. But this setting to flag new or modified photos to publish or republish to a hard drive is not working in Windows as it is on the MacBook Pro. 

[JohanElzenga]

You have an active filter in the filter bar, which apparently filters out all photos.

[Long298056828yqn]

Thank you Johan, 

When you get a chance, can you pin point me what filter? maybe a screenshot?

Thanks

[Long298056828yqn]

So I was able to partially make it work, but I had to manually drag the photo/s from the main catalog (arrow 1) to the hard drive (arrow 2) then I can publish. But I'll like to have this automated by Lightroom, that when I import or modify a photo it should automatically show in the hard drive. All I would have to do is click the publish button. This is how is set in the MacBook Pro. I don't need to drag the photos from the catalog to the hard drive. 

[JohanElzenga]

Look at your own screenshot! At the top of the photo grid you see the filter bar. It's difficult to see what the current filter does (if it does anything), but it's better to disable it just to make sure. Press 'None' to remove the filter.

Also check your smart collection. You seem to have deleted that, but without a smart collection only manual drag and drop will work. You need a smart collection to automatically add images. Are the images still in this folder called 'Original Images'?

[JohanElzenga]

OK, I took a better look at that filter. You were filtering on "No color label", so if you always give photos a color label on import and then change the label during the workflow (quite a few photographers use that kind of workflow), then this filter would stop your images from showing up. If not, then this filter did not cause the problem, but it is wise not to activate a filter without any reason.

Like I said, if you want images to appear automatically in a publishing service, then you will have to create one or more smart collections inside that service. These collections will create subfolders inside the destination folder of the service. Initially you showed a simple smart collection with only one criterion: the image must be stored in a folder with "Original Images" in its name. So, an obvious question: Are your images still located in such a folder, or did you perhaps use another name on the new computer? That would explain why your smart collection does not come up with any images.

[richardplondon · Accepted solution]

Another consideration: when a Smart (Publish) Collection rule states a particular folder name, in the way shown, this means the images' direct folder name needs to match the rule. Images within other (sub)folders, called something else, are not included.

If you want to systematically publish copies of images elsewhere according to  the same folder arrangement as the originals: there is a LrC plugin (donationware IIRC) called Folder Publisher, which may be worth a search. There is also a Collection Publisher which works according to the virtual rather than 'real' organisation of the image library. Both can be carried out selectively.

[Long298056828yqn]

Thank you both, Johan and Richard for the information provided. I learned a little more of Lightroom. 
I used the LrC plugin that Richard suggested and it worked as expected.  https://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/folder-publisher

Thank you again