.lrcat file probably contains two catalog versions?

[bjorne36520466]

MacOS 10.15.7 (Catalina). Lightroom Classic 11.2.

Does my .lrcat-file contain two LrC catalog versions?

Lightroom tells me that some files are missing, that is to say, cannot be found on the appropriate harddrive. But the files in question are absolutely not missing, they are quite visible under the appropriate harddrive in the LrC window.

In my current LrC folder the .lrcat file is called: Lightroom Catalog - v10-v11. This looks faulty, as Lightroom info says: Lightroom Classic 11.x is not compatible with Lightroom Classic 10.x ..... 

I should appreciate some good advice to correct this issue.

[DdeGannes]

Quote "In my current LrC folder the .lrcat file is called: Lightroom Catalog - v10-v11."

That simply indicates that when you upgraded from LrC 10 to LrC 11 during the installation process a copy of your LrC catalog was converted to the LrC 11 compatible catalog.

If you have not removed the V 10 Catalog it should also be in the  Lightroom sub folder  which you can  use in the event you need to revert to version 10.

What you experienced is normal.

[bjorne36520466]

Thank you for your comforting reply. I did not know that accumulative numbering of .lrcat files (v-10v-11 and so forth) was normal. After some fiddling I have now got slimmer and better looking .lrcat files and LrC is back to "normal" again! And I am keeping both versions in the Lightroom folder, v10 and v11.

[Rob_Cullen]

Does my .lrcat-file contain two LrC catalog versions

No.  But Catalogs are like the old address book- they only reference the data about images that you put into them- and that data CAN be different.

Lightroom tells me that some files are missing, that is to say, cannot be found on the appropriate harddrive. But the files in question are absolutely not missing, they are quite visible under the appropriate harddrive in the LrC window.

Visible in the Catalog means you are looking at a 'Preview' of an image, but if LrC is telling you it is "Missing" (!) then the original file on the Hard-drive is NOT where, this specific catalog, believes the image file to be stored. (It may have been -Moved, Deleted, Renamed.)

In my current LrC folder the .lrcat file is called: Lightroom Catalog - v10-v11. This looks faulty, as Lightroom info says: Lightroom Classic 11.x is not compatible with Lightroom Classic 10.x ..... 

If you watched the Catalog upgrade dialog (v10 > v11) carefully you might have noticed that the dialog allows YOU to name the new v11 catalog in any way you wish.

The "-v10-v11" suffix is the default rename when you upgrade a Catalog. In the past an upgrade added "-2" and we still see people using catalogs named like " Lightroom Catalog-2-2-2-2-v10-v11.lrcat"

The Catalog upgrade function DOES leave you with two catalogs- 1) The new "-v10-v11.LRCAT" and the old "-v10.LRCAT". You can delete the 'old' catalog IF you have been making regular Catalog Backups.

RENAME A CATALOG

CATALOG-FIND MOVE RENAME

[bjorne36520466]

Thank you for your informative and adequate reply. I did not know that it was so easy and not at all risky to rename and tidy up .lrcat files. But to activate LrC again with the renamed files (just -v11) I also had to choose the right version in LrC Preferences and everything became familiar and normal again. Thank you also for your two links. I have read this earlier, but such information is much easier to understand in the real world, ie. when you are facing the problem and not just reading to get an overview.

[GoldingD]

Sounds like you need to see:

https://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm

[bjorne36520466]

Yes, you are absolutely right. Very informative. Thank you for taking your time to help me using LrC in a better way.