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A
Andrew Adams Photography
Known Participant
May 19, 2017
Question

Keeping LR Cat files on Google drive

  • May 19, 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 13404 views

I am trying to store my LR Cat file including the Previews file on my Google drive.

The Cat file is 1.3GB and the Previews file is 55GB.

Along with some other files the total size of the folder being backed up is 74GB.

Yet in the Google drive progress bar it is showing 79 GB of 268GB backed up. (and counting)

The progress window also shows the individual .lrprev files backing up.

Is it not possible to store the LR files in Google drive?

Why does it show the total backup size of 268GB when the total size of the folder is only 79GB?

This topic has been closed for replies.

4 replies

F. McLion
Community Expert
F. McLionCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 19, 2017

All the responses so far are mostly technically correct. However, they do not really show up the options you have.

The solution you are trying to achieve works with Dropbox - many have confirmed this and there are also guides on the web.

Since a similar setup is also possible with Google Drive this might work as well. I actually have plans to test this within the next few days.

If you install Google Drive locally, it mirrors a folder with it's sub-folder to the cloud and from there to any attached other client. You are actually working on normal, local files and not 'in the cloud'.

You can not select any folder to have it synced. It is one dedicated folder (and all sub-folder) that acts as the local copy. That said, also the preview folder is forced to be synced to the cloud since it always sits next to the catalog.

I'll keep you posted once I have found the time to really test this setup.

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    A
    Andrew Adams PhotographyAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 19, 2017

    I look forward to hearing how it goes F. Mclion!

    3DTechnik_Com
    3DTechnik_Com
    Participant
    May 19, 2017

    Hi Andrew,

    what you CAN do is to keep your photos in a synched folder of Google Drive. The lightroom catalog does not work with Google drive since it constantly changes. Solution for that is to enable the catalog backup function with the backup target directory somewhere in your synched Google Drive folder.

    This way you have your photos always backed up and your catalog is in an acceptable backup state.

    Best regards,

    Timo

      A
      Andrew Adams PhotographyAuthor
      Known Participant
      May 19, 2017

      Thanks #DTehchnik.

      Actually I do not want to store all my raw files on my HD.

      For now I store them on an external drive.

      To sync with google drive I have to keep all my files on a HD. Which has worked in the past.

      But I am transitioning to a workflow that will allow me to work from my ipad only!

      Now using lightroom Mobile. and love it.

      Still tied to my laptop.

      but eventually I would like to store all my raw files in the cloud and work with LR mobile on the IPAD Pro. Only!

      As I travel a lot I often do not want to carry a laptop with me.

      So any suggestions?

      Akash Sharma
      Akash Sharma
      Legend
      May 19, 2017

      Hi andrewa,

      Lightroom catalog and the preview must be stored on a local drive(Internal/external).

      Keeping the catalog on the cloud or a network drive is not recommended. See Photoshop Lightroom catalog FAQ

      Thanks,

      Akash

        dj_paige
        dj_paige
        Legend
        May 19, 2017

        Lightroom expects the catalog file to be on a local drive (internal or external)

        Lightroom expects the photos to be on a local or networked drive.

        Google drive does not meet these conditions.

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