LR Catalog folder a mess

[SRPcashie]

I place my LR catalog in a folder.  Every once in a while I open that folder to launch that catalog and it is a mess with new backup files and whatnot.  If I accidentally open the wrong catalog and make edits, then the edits won't show up in the more current catalog.  Is there any way to have the 'new' backup catalog overwrite the original catalog?  How does one get this sorted out? 

[dj_paige]

Is there any way to have the 'new' backup catalog overwrite the original catalog?

I don't think this is possible, and it is a terrible idea anyway.

Backups MUST go on a different disk (this is not optional). If you are seeing backups in the folder where your working catalog is stored, please change the location where the backups will be stored. Next time the backup dialog box appears, click on "Choose" and select a folder on some other disk.

[SRPcashie]

I don't think you understood me.  I'm not trying to eliminate the backups process or put it on a different disk.  The problem is that they all show up in the same LR folder with a very strange naming convention like '-1' or '-1.2' etc.  It makes it difficult to see which one is the catalog you should click on to open.  I'm just trying to clean it up so it's obvious which catalog to click on.

[dj_paige]

If the catalog names have -1 or -1.2 then they probably aren't backups, they most likely happen when you upgrade LR from one integer version (like 5.x) to the next integer version (like 6.X).

And so despite you referring to these as backups twice, these are not backup and you shouldn't think of them as backups. You still need to be making regular and automated backups to a different disk (this is mandatory, not optional).

If you want to clear out this folder, we can't really help you, because YOU have to look inside each catalog (by double-clicking on it to open it in Lightroom) and deciding if you need it, or if you need some of the photos and then merging the desired photos into a "master" catalog. And then after that, use the desktop icon to open Lightroom rather than double-clicking on catalog files.

[Per Berntsen]

Catalog backups are only meant to be used if the original catalog is lost or corrupted.

And backups should not be kept on the same physical drive as the original catalog. If you keep them on the same drive, and that drive fails, you have lost everything.

The only way to set the backup location is in the Back up catalog dialog. If you don't see that dialog when closing Lightroom, go to Edit > Catalog settings, and set Lightroom to back up every time you exit the program.

You can also set Lightroom to launch the most recent catalog every time you start it in  Preferences, which eliminates the need to double-click the catalog to launch Lightroom.

[SRPcashie]

Ok, so my apologies for referring to them as backups.  They must be some kind of upgrade.  They make my folder look like a mess, and if I click on the wrong one and make edits they aren't all in the same place.  How do I fix this?  How do I merge to make one master catalog?  AND how can I set the preferences so that the most recent catalog opens every time.

[dj_paige]

If you open a catalog and decide you only want to keep certain photos by merging them into a master catalog, select the desired photos and then File->Export as Catalog (uncheck "Include Negatives"). Then open whatever catalog you want to be the Master catalog, and select File->import from Another Catalog, and select the catalog you just exported. You may have to do this for each catalog in the folder that is not the one you want to be the master.

NOTE: This is not exporting and importing photos. DO NOT export and import photos.

AND how can I set the preferences so that the most recent catalog opens every time.

Use the Lr icon on your desktop to launch Lightroom. Go to Preferences ... and well from there it should be obvious.

[SRPcashie]

So then I gather it's fine to delete the original catalog and just keep the '-1' updated version.  If this is the case, can you then rename the catalog you keep (with the '-1'), to the original name of the catalog without the '-1'?

[JP Hess]

It's possible to rename the catalog to any name you want it to be. After doing so, all that's necessary is to double-click on it to have Lightroom open that catalog. You can configure Lightroom to always open the most recent catalog.