Lightroom Classic not returning to last edited image after restart.

[kbarre]

After upgrading to Lightroom Classic 13.1, the app is not returning to the last edited image after restarting a catalog. In previous versions, I could work on a catalog containing thousands of images, shut down the app for the night, and then return exactly where I left off the next morning.

With 13.1, when I restart, the image chosen is one I edited last a few days ago, rather than the image I finished with in my last session.

Using LR Classic 13.1 on MacOS Sonoma 14.2, with a Lightroom catalog containing a single wedding's images, that was updated from a version 12 catalog. 

[GoldingD]

First up, no I do not have this issue. Mind you on Windows, but my LrC v13.1 is behaving. And I just tested it to see if I could replicate your issue.

Moving on, I suspect this is a corrupted preference file issue. The preferences file can get corrupt leading to all sorts of oddities.

Carefully read:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-do-i-reset-lightrooms-preferences/

Please remember, your fellow members in this community are not Adobe employees (Oh a few Adobe employees will occasionally enter in discussion, but not often)

[kbarre · Accepted solution]

Before taking the blunt force route of deleting all of Lightroom's preferences, I suspected that having the old files from before the catalog was updated to version 13 still in the same folder with the new catalog might be causing troubles:

Catalog-Name.lrcat

Catalog-Name Helper.lrdata

Catalog-Name.lrcat-data

All of these files were updated with versions containing "-v13" added before the file extension, but the previous versions were kept in the same folder. Removing all three of the old files after shutting down the app seems to have fixed the issue—for now. I'll report back tomorrow to confirm.

[kbarre]

I had the issue happen again (not returning to the last-edited image after restart) when opening a different catalog upgraded to version 13. I have confirmed that removing the previous version 12 files from the catalog folder fixes the issue.

[drtonyb]

The Preferences have nothing to do with which photo/module is shown after LrC starts; that is stored in the catalog, so each catalog has its own last state on closing which is returned to on opening.

The old catalog folders/files should have no effect of the catalog that is being opened.

I have multiple catalogs in the same folder and have never had a problem in almost 17 years of using Lr prior to version 7 and LrC since, but I'm on a PC with Windows 10.

[GoldingD]

The Preferences have nothing to do with which photo/module is shown after LrC starts;

By @drtonyb

Actually while the preferences file does containing what settings you set in preferences, that is not all the preferences file contains.

Resetting the preference file is one of the steps recommended in various Adobe Troubleshooting documents. And odd behavior as the author has is an indication that the preference file could be corrupt. Not that it is absolutely corrupt, other causes can exist. Sometimes this can be seen as a version of "Have you restarted your computer" a magic bullet, but it is not.

If you read the link I provided, and I will include that below, you will see

"What’s Stored in Preferences?

If you reset your Preferences file, the obvious settings that you lose are those in the Preferences dialog. But it also includes other details such as your View Options settings, last used settings, FTP server details, some plug-in settings, your country, etc. Your original photos, Develop settings, Develop defaults, collections, presets and other important settings aren’t affected by deleting the Preferences file."

REF (1): How do I reset Lightroom’s Preferences? | The Lightroom Queen

Note that the above article also states:

"On Lightroom Classic or Lightroom 6 (or earlier), there are also separate startup preferences which don’t usually need resetting. These include the last used catalog path, the recent catalog list, which catalog to load on startup and the catalog upgrade history."

So, yes, not all settings not contained in the actual catalogs are in this one file.

Another source on this issue is from Adobe:

REF (2): Set preferences for working in Lightroom Classic | Adobe

That document basically tells you the how, and gives cautions and recommendations on steps to take before accomplishing the reset.

Both REF (1) and REF (2) state cautions, and steps to take prior to the reset. Read them. I remember one member not reading them then getting all mad about loosing his preference settings. Oh and the terms reset, restore, remove, replace, delete, are all used in various documents on this subject)

I stated that some Adobe troubleshooting documents mention resetting the preference file, So bellow is the main one:

Ref (3): Basic troubleshooting steps to fix issues in Lightroom Classic | Adobe

That references states:

"You can solve many abnormal and intermittent behavior issues by resetting the Lightroom Classic preferences to their factory-fresh state. "

And that document should be a start point for trying to figure out what the heck is wrong.

[drtonyb]

@GoldingD 

I'm well aware of what is in the LrC Preference files.

Whilst I agree that Resetting Preferences is sometimes required to resolve weird issues, I stand by my statement that the last state of LrC is not stored in the Preferences file, meaning the "Lightroom Classic CC 7 Preferences.agprefs" file. This can be easily established by a simple test.

The "Lightroom Classic CC 7 Startup Preferences.agprefs" file only contains information about previously upgraded catalogs, recently opened catalogs and missing catalogs. This information is also saved in the "Lightroom Classic CC 7 Preferences.agprefs" file, but the startup file overrides the main file for these settings. By editing the startup file, any changes made will take precedence over the main file.

So, yes, only the main file needs resetting if a reset is to be done. Before resetting, I recommend making a copy of the current preferences main file so that it can be restored if the reset doesn't work, which it often doesn't.

[drtonyb]

Following up with some more information:

On closing LrC, the Preferences file saves the currently active Module , so that the last active Module is reactivated on the next startup.

The catalog stores both the active photo and a list of selected photos when LrC is closed so that the active photo and any selected photos can be restored on the next startup using that catalog.

[almostrad]

I have been experiencing this same issue and have tried both resetting my preferences as well as moving the "-v12" files out of the same folder as the "-v13" files, to no avail. Any other ideas out there?