LR Classic 13.5 not creating folder on import

[xyz092114]

Using Lightroom Classic 13.5 on Macbook Pro 2018 running macOS 12.7.5. Possibly because of a recent update, LR has not been creating a folder on import. I use a YYYMMDD_Location_Subinfo folder structure within folders for Projects. Ex: 20240802_Maine_Camden-Harbor_Day-06. This folder would be under encompassing folder 20240727-0821_Maine. In the past, when naming and creating a folder on import, the folder would show in the proper place italicized before pressing the Import button. That now does not occur. When I click on an imported photo and hover over the folder field, it shows it to be in the proper folder, but does not show up in the folder list on the left side. When I look at the drive, the folders show under the top folder, but not in any date-specific folder. To organize, I then manually, thru LR, create a folder under the top folder and then drag the files into this new folder. Then all appears correct both in LR and in Finder.  This has happened multiple times and is repeatable. I had updated to LR Classic 13.5 two days ago. 

Performing a similar import on my wife's newer M1 MacBook Pro (2021) but with same OS and LR Classic 13.4 the folders were created correctly.

[xyz092114]

Correction: When I look at the drive in finder the photos show under the top folder, but not in any date-specific folder.

[JohanElzenga]

In the import dialog, at the top of the Destination panel, you can select if Lightroom should create dated folders or not. Clearly you did not select that, but selected 'Into one folder' instead. 

[xyz092114]

Thank you, Johan, for this information. Yes, I do use "Into one folder" and manually create a folder name that includes the date, ie: 20240823_VA_Test. I was not aware of the drop-down and had often thought it would be great if the software could pick up the date from the file as it does in the file naming section.

However, when I used this method, the folder that was created only had the date, not the additional location info, etc. that I need the folder name to have. This has worked consistently in all versions of LR that I have used since about 2012, and still works that way in 13.4. It seems to me that something broke in the change to 13.5. Since I had not selected "By Date" it ignored the folder name put in the Destination field, just as it does when opting for "By Date." 

-- Robert Pettit

[JohanElzenga]

'By Date' always just creates a dated folder structure. It does not add location info like 'Paris 2024-08-25' if the parent folder is called 'Paris'. I understand that you did that manually in the option above the dated structure option, and that is indeed the only way if you want such folder names. I'll try later if that still works, but I have not seen any reports suggesting that it does not.

[JohanElzenga]

So is this not working for you? As you can see it works for me, and after I hit 'Import' the new folder is indeed created and the imported images are in that folder... You did check the box, did you?

[xyz092114]

Yes, it is workiing. Thanks.

[richardplondon]

AFAIK the Destination if presented - it will not be with an Add import - would never be altogether ignored.

Just, any Subfolder asked for is first created directly inside the chosen Destination, and only then will the Organise By options kick in. So those will either be applying inside a new Subfolder that is inside the Destination, or else directly inside the Destination, depending on the 'Into Subfolder' checkbox.

The auto naming of an auto-created folder (by date) is to some extent controllable, but only by drawing date information from the photos themselves. 

If you are going to be intervening anyway (to supply a meaningful folder name from your own separate knowledge) - one approach could be to tell LrC to go ahead and distribute the incoming images into different dated folders all by itself, accepting that initially these will just show the 'bare' date. Then, working from within the Catalog, rename those folders appending your descriptive text.

If your next import happens to include some photos from the same day, you might either delay renaming (so that the second batch can merge with the first) or else rename in between these two imports (so that the second batch will arrive separated from the first) depending what result you want. 

To me this approach is a) more evident, and b) no more work overall, than individualising things within the Import screen.