How to locate a Lightroom image that I unintentionally stored outside my usual folder

[avacto]

I created a folder that I named _Lightroom_ and have been storing all my Lightroom under this folder for years.  I unintentionally stored one folder "somewhere" on my computer, outside of this folder.

The result of this appears to be that when I'm importing images, the right pane for where the location will be no longer is my _Lightroom_ folder, but now is my MacBook Pro drive.

I'm using Lightroom Classic CC, on a 13" 2015 MacBook Pro running Catalina.

Is there any way to find this file, or if not, is there a way to "tell Lightroom" to always start at my Pictures/_Lightroom_ folder, or even to tell it to start at the last location I used?  It's a waste of time to need to drill all the way down from the top to locate the folder I'd like to store my next photos in.  I can deal with it, but for so many years, this wasn't necessary.

[Rob_Cullen]

TBMK The 'last used' settings in the Import dialog are "Sticky". ie. you will only need to "Drill down" to locate the {Pictures/Lightroom} folder and do one import. Then the next import should default to 'last used' {Lightroom} folder.

You could also save a Preset (from the drop-down menu below the Import window), then you can always easily restore you desired options for Destination  from an Import Preset.

[avacto]

Thank you - will try this today.

That should completely solve my issue.

Does "last used" also default to the last used setting for where the image is coming FROM ?

That isn't as big a deal for me, but could also be handy if I'm using a thumb drive very often.

Again, THANKS!

I'm watching Lightroom "How To" videos ever day - mostly from Anthony Morganti.  It's been a huge help.

[avacto]

Where do I find "The 'last used' settings in the Import dialog" ?

I went to import some photos, and maybe it's hiding some place I didn't know to check?

I also checked "preferences", but no luck there.

[elie_dinur]

Where do I find "The 'last used' settings in the Import dialog" ?

I went to import some photos, and maybe it's hiding some place I didn't know to check?

I also checked "preferences", but no luck there.

[elie_dinur]

Where do I find "The 'last used' settings in the Import dialog" ?

I went to import some photos, and maybe it's hiding some place I didn't know to check?

I also checked "preferences", but no luck there.

[avacto]

I tried this:    

"TBMK The 'last used' settings in the Import dialog are "Sticky". ie. you will only need to "Drill down" to locate the {Pictures/Lightroom} folder and do one import. Then the next import should default to 'last used' {Lightroom} folder.

You could also save a Preset (from the drop-down menu below the Import window), then you can always easily restore you desired options for Destination  from an Import Preset."

..........but it didn't work.

I'll be home in three weeks, and will compare my MacBook Pro with my iMac, which works fine, and try to find what is different between them.  I'm learning a lot about importing images that I never knew before, so this issue has been useful in some ways, but it was so much easier when the whole folder structure used to show up in the right panel without my needing to do anything.

In the "location" tab during import, there is a + sign, and a small "thingy" to ther right of the + sign,  I'm trying to find out what they do.

[dj_paige]

You also need to learn how to use Lightroom to find photos after they are imported. This is a key piece of knowledge which greatly makes your life easier. There are many tools that apply here, such as keywords and other metadata, but you have to apply these to your photos and then learn how to search for the photos using keywords and other metadata. If all you do is import photos and never use these organizing tools in Lightroom, you are stuck with the problem of not knowing how to find your photos, which is where you are now.

In the "location" tab during import, there is a + sign, and a small "thingy" to ther right of the + sign, I'm trying to find out what they do.

If you click on it, you will see what it does.

[avacto]

I do use keywords, and my folders are organized in a way that I rarely struggle to find photos.  

I thought my problem was that some unidentified photo had gotten stored completely outside my normal folder for saving my photos in, _Lightroom_ , and I wasn't sure how to find it, having no idea when this happened, or why.  Then, thanks to help here, I found where at least two of those images used to be, even though apparently the image itself was no longer there.  I deleted the folders from the folder list on the left, and all that's left is what is under my _Lightroom_ folder.  

You're right about me needing to figure more stuff out - I have my old Windows laptop at home, with many years worth of photos in a _Lightroom_ folder there, and a similar collection on my iMac which stays home when I travel.  One of these years I'll find a way to organize everything, maybe in "the cloud".  But that's for later, not now.  Gee, and I also have another Lightroom system on my work computer, here in India......

[Rob_Cullen]

"Does "last used" also default to the last used setting for where the image is coming FROM ?"

If you are Importing from the Hard-drive, then- yes. I see the same folder highlighted when opening the Import dialog a second time. ('Sticky' but not 'Default')

OTOH Your camera card is not permanently connected, and Lr-Classic would need to detect it to show it in the 'Source' panel. You might also have several cameras that appear differently in the Source. Even an Import Preset does not seem to 'save' the Source in the Preset (The Source may be constantly changing!).

[avacto]

WobertC, I have no issues with where photos are coming FROM.   All I'm trying to do is get the right pane to expand my _Lightroom_ list in that right pane, so I can quickly go to where I want to store new photos.   Everything else is OK.

I don't want to have to click on "Mac Drive", then "Users", then "my name", then "pictures", then _Lightroom_, and so on.  That's a waste of time.  I'd like everything to be opened up when I'm importing.  I'm not (intentionally) saving photos any place other than in than under the _Lightroom_ folder.  Why should I have to open everything up first?  It didn't work like this a month ago....

[dj_paige]

I created a folder that I named _Lightroom_ and have been storing all my Lightroom under this folder for years. I unintentionally stored one folder "somewhere" on my computer, outside of this folder.

The result of this appears to be that when I'm importing images, the right pane for where the location will be no longer is my _Lightroom_ folder, but now is my MacBook Pro drive.

I'm using Lightroom Classic CC, on a 13" 2015 MacBook Pro running Catalina.

Is there any way to find this file, or if not, is there a way to "tell Lightroom" to always start at my Pictures/_Lightroom_ folder, or even to tell it to start at the last location I used?

Lightroom has lots of features that allow you to find files in its catalog, and from there you can find what folder the actual photo is stored in. Click on All Photographs, and then use the Filter Bar to search for this photo by File Name. Then, you can find what folder it is in by right-clicking on it and select Show in Explorer (Windows) or Show in Finder (Mac).

When you import, you always have the option to specify which folder the imports should go into, and this should remain unchanged the next time you do the import, unless you chooose to change it.

[avacto]

If I knew the file name, I'd already have fixed the problem.  I don't.  All I remember is one time I unintentionally imported a file to some place on my computer, no idea where.  If I were smarter, I'd have found it again and deleted it, but I didn't.

I think my problem will be solved once someone tells me this:

Where do I find "The 'last used' settings in the Import dialog" ?

[dj_paige]

If I knew the file name, I'd already have fixed the problem. I don't. All I remember is one time I unintentionally imported a file to some place on my computer, no idea where. If I were smarter, I'd have found it again and deleted it, but I didn't.

Look in the Folder Panel in the Lightroom Classic Library Module for folders not under your preferred folder _Lightroom_

[Rob_Cullen]

Where do I find "The 'last used' settings in the Import dialog" ?

Open the Import Dialog and it will be at the settings when you last used it. The settings are not recorded permanently unless you make an Import Preset. BUT if you change any of the options- this now becomes the 'last used'. I really should be just using the word- "Sticky". ie. the Import settings "stick the same" until you change them. Because my method of Import is always the same- I open the Import dialog and [Import]- the last used settings have "stuck" 🙂

Finding your errant photo is done as suggested in the post by DJ_Paige. If the photo was Imported then it must be searchable in the Catalog.

[avacto]

WobertC, I think I found the two photos that were done incorrectly, and deleted them from within Lightroom.  They're gone.  I thought that would fix my issue, but it didn't, so apparently I was looking for the wrong thing - but the system is cleaner now.  Everything left is where it should be.

I forget who to thank for the hint of looking down the list of folders in the LEFT pane for something that didn't belong.  That made it easy to find and remove the links to them, but in both cases, the images had already been removed, probably because of my organizing folders that I did NOT expect to have any Lightroom photos in them.  My fault.