Lightroom Classic not finding photos in closed stacks

[chrilu_SOAS]

I use the stacking function of Lightroom Classic (version 13.4 on MacOS Sonoma 14.5) to collect different views and versions of the same art object. Collect objects of the same place in folders and subfolders by type. I may have older photographs stacked with newer ones, one of the newer one on top of the stack, but references in my notes may still refer to the older photograph.

Now if I search the photo number of the older photograph within a certain place with all photos in subfolders shown. The photo numbers within stacks are only found if I first make sure that all stacks are expanded. This is valid if I search from "all photographs" (the entire catlaogue) or any of the subfolders with all photographs within that shown (the full number apparent in the folder section).

Since classic shows the full number of photographs contained in the catalogue or the respective folder (including its subfolders) in the folder section, but then does not consider all those in stacks when I do a text search, I consider this a bug.

It cost me a few hours (and some panic) to relalize that I have not lost those photographs I was looking for ...

[Moved from ‘Bugs’ to ‘Discussions’ by moderator, according to forum rules.]

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

I believe this is the expected behavior of LrC. Search will not find photos other than the top one in a closed stack. So definitely not a bug.

[Bob Somrak]

@chrilu_SOAS 

I use an easy work around for this. 

Create a Smart Collection like this.  Smart Collections show photos inside of Collapsed Stacks so it will show ALL your photos.

Select this Smart Collection and then you can use the TOP filter bar to to search this collection.

[Califdan2]

Another easier trick is to create a regular collection with nothing in it.  Then with whatever folder or folders you have selected <ctrl>+click  (win) or <Cmd>+click (mac) this empty collection so that it is also selected.  This will then ignore stacking for images in the grid and filmstrip so your filter will then find those images buried in stacks.   De-select the empty collection to go back to what you had before (images buried in collapsed stack are not shown).  You can see a full write up of this as here (solution #3).

https://www.danhartfordphoto.com/blog/2022/4/lr014-lrc-tip01-all-photos-really

[Bob Somrak]

Thanks for the great tip @Califdan2 and your great write up on your blog.  I never knew it worked that way.  Its always fun to learn a new trick in LrC.  

[stephens5620844]

Wow, I tried that and it worked. Thanks a lot, Califdan2!  It seems ridiculous that we have to do that.  The default behavior should be that filters find all photos, including in collapsed stacks.  Maybe a checkbox somewhere to turn that off if you don't want it.

[stephens5620844]

I agree with you, chrilu_SOAS.  When I use a filter to find, for example, "all photos rated greater than 4 stars", I don't want to have to worry about whether the photos I'm looking for happen to be in a collapsed stack at the moment.  It may not be a bug, that is, it may have been intentionally designed this way, but I think that should NOT be the default behavior of Lightroom.