Lightroom not finding missing photos that I know are there

[ultrachrome]

I know this question has been asked repeatedly but I'm asking it again because it's endlessly frustrating. 

A couple of weeks ago I imported some photos into Lightroom for printing with custom borders which is something Lightroom does really well. I went back today to do some additional prints of this same order. I can see all of the picture, nothing is grayed out and there is no indication that anything is wrong until I go to print and it says the source files are missing...but they're not, nothing has been renamed, nothing has been moved. 

I tried using the find missing folder and then go to the folder that LR should be finding anyway and select it and this creates another path to the images but I still get the same message when I go to print.

I can see the images in the proper folder in both Bridge and File Explorer.

In the end my work around I use and have used many times is to create a new folder, copy all of the images into the new folder, rename all the images and import again. 

I know I'm missing something but for the life of me can't figure it out. litterally years of working with LR this way. I want to get to the bottom of it. Sorry...I'm an idiot.  I don't understand keeping track of source files in LR.

[GoldingD]

How about a screen shot if your Library module, grid view, with Folders Panel shown.

[ultrachrome]

Thanks GoldingD - Gary sc had a solution for me.

[gary_sc · Accepted solution]

If you've verfied that the images are there in Bridge and Explorer, have you tried going back into LR, Library mode, click on folder in the folder in Question, right-click and select Synchronize folder. 

If, for whatever reason they slipped out, this should get them back in. 

Let us know...

[ultrachrome]

Hmm....yes, that worked. Thank you so much...do have any idea why I have this problem over and over again...like more often than not once I navigate away from the folder in Lightroom? Your suggestion is going to save me a lot of time in the future...also a lot of cursing. Both on Mac and PC computers

[gary_sc]

Hi Ultrachrome,

Typically the thing that causes this most often is when the user is doing things in the Finder/Explorer that should be done within Lightroom Classic. However, according to your process, all you are doing is setting a border IN LRC and not doing anything in the Finder.

Let me interject here that you are doing something that I've never done. So, I looked up the process and found this YouTube video <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHnG6xEnsrY> and I think I may have an idea what the problem is. At about 2'50", the presenter takes what he's created and does a Print to File. He sends the file to his Desktop. I have a hunch that you are sending it back to the folder where the original was.

Now, one would assume (I sure would) that since LRC has made this copy and you are telling LRC IN LRC that you want the file to go to that folder that LRC would know all about this. 

But I think it doesn't, it's oblivious as to where you saved it.

To give this idea some validity, can you please tell me if after doing the Syncronize, did a new image show up in that folder which is the image that you created when adding a frame? If so, than my guess is correct. 

And if I am correct, than this is either a bug or a feature, I do not know. But in the future, you now know how to get these photos to show up and/or store them in a separate folder on your computer. 

Let me know,