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megans94506642
Participant
July 25, 2018
Answered

Lightroom won't "find" missing files

  • July 25, 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 1050 views

400ish photos out of 800 in a folder are missing in Lightroom but all photos are intact on my desktop with the other files that are showing up in Lightroom. What gives?!

When I click the ! icon and search for the file it is telling me that the "file is associated with another photo in the catalog". That process keeps repeating if I attempt to show Lightroom where the file is. I have attempted to point Lightroom to the correct folder and also the correct file and it just keeps telling me the above message.

Someone help! I'm in the middle of a huge job and all the files I have editing won't "connect" so I can export them.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer dj_paige

    megans94506642  wrote

    I've realized that every time I edit a photo it goes missing once I exit Lightroom and restart it. So basically every photo I have touched Lightroom won't "find" anymore.

    This indicates that the photos were on the camera card and were (accidentally?) imported via using ADD. Which option do you use when importing, COPY, ADD, MOVE, COPY as DNG?

    Are the photos on a camera card? What is the full path name for one of these photos, as shown in the Lightroom Metadata panel on the right?

    Regarding this:

    "file is associated with another photo in the catalog"

    This means the photo has been previously imported, and you can't import it again and you can't associate another photo in the catalog with this photo. You need to find the photo in the Lightroom Library module by following all four of these steps (not one or two or three, but all four)

    1. Click on All Photographs on the left hand side of the Library Module (it's under Catalog)
    2. Turn off all Filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)
    3. Expand all stacks (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)
    4. Search for one of these files by File Name using the Filter Bar in the Library Module

    I suspect you will find you have two copies of the photo in Lightroom, the one with the ! icon, and one other one. Then you will have to decide which one you want to keep, you probably want to keep the one with the edits (if there is one).

    4 replies

    B
    brenda_lh81925114
    Participating Frequently
    September 3, 2018

    I did that and shows both, original and edited, both with the different names. But the one with the edits is the one that shows as missing....Is there a way to recover the photo WITH the edits done?

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    September 3, 2018

    Yes, you select the one with no edits, and then remove it from Lightroom, but not from the hard disk. Then you connect the version with the edits to the original photo file via these instructions: Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders You can reconnect entire folders or trees of folders, see Figure 4.

    B
    brenda_lh81925114
    Participating Frequently
    September 4, 2018

    Thanks a lot!!!!! It is ok now!!

    JohanElzenga
    Community Expert
    JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 25, 2018

    That error message normally appears if you try to ‘reconnect’ a photo, but select the wrong file. So you try to reconnect Photo A, but in the dialog you select Photo B (which may have the same file name so you don’t realise it’s the wrong one). If Photo B is also in the catalog, you will get this error.

    -- Johan W. Elzenga
    M
    megans94506642Author
    Participant
    July 25, 2018

    Also, is there some way to talk to support not through the forum or is this my only option??

    M
    megans94506642Author
    Participant
    July 25, 2018

    I've realized that every time I edit a photo it goes missing once I exit Lightroom and restart it. So basically every photo I have touched Lightroom won't "find" anymore.

    dj_paige
    dj_paigeCorrect answer
    Legend
    July 25, 2018

    megans94506642  wrote

    I've realized that every time I edit a photo it goes missing once I exit Lightroom and restart it. So basically every photo I have touched Lightroom won't "find" anymore.

    This indicates that the photos were on the camera card and were (accidentally?) imported via using ADD. Which option do you use when importing, COPY, ADD, MOVE, COPY as DNG?

    Are the photos on a camera card? What is the full path name for one of these photos, as shown in the Lightroom Metadata panel on the right?

    Regarding this:

    "file is associated with another photo in the catalog"

    This means the photo has been previously imported, and you can't import it again and you can't associate another photo in the catalog with this photo. You need to find the photo in the Lightroom Library module by following all four of these steps (not one or two or three, but all four)

    1. Click on All Photographs on the left hand side of the Library Module (it's under Catalog)
    2. Turn off all Filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)
    3. Expand all stacks (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)
    4. Search for one of these files by File Name using the Filter Bar in the Library Module

    I suspect you will find you have two copies of the photo in Lightroom, the one with the ! icon, and one other one. Then you will have to decide which one you want to keep, you probably want to keep the one with the edits (if there is one).

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