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violentchalupa
violentchalupa
Participating Frequently
February 2, 2019
Question

Making second duplicate copies of DNG's

  • February 2, 2019
  • 5 replies
  • 1085 views

Hi,

When uploading raw photos from an SD card to an external hard drive with LR, I like to convert to dng and also make second duplicate copies to another external hard drive.  I then usually disconnect this 2nd external hard drive and start deleting files with LR on the first external hard drive.

At the end of the editing day my 2nd external hard drive clearly has all of the original undeleted files..and my first external hard drive is polished and cleaned up.

How do I delete all of those same files I deleted with LR on my first external hard drive on my second external hard drive?

Can this only be done with a third party service? and if so, what is your favorite? chronosync?

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    5 replies

    Scott Masterton
    Scott Masterton
    Inspiring
    February 3, 2019

    I use FreeFileSync to do what you want to do, It offers several sync options such as a two way sync, mirror sync, update sync or a custom sync. It can also run from batch files etc to run in the background and sync backup drives, even to the cloud with the latest versions.

    elie_dinur
    elie_dinur
    Participating Frequently
    February 3, 2019

    richardplondon

    "Finally, if what you really want is to "cull" obviously unwanted photos quite promptly, such that they are then retained neither in your main library nor in the second location, you can simply omit those photos from being taken off the camera card in the first place.

    The import screen allows you to view images larger, to pick / reject, etc. And then to only import what is wanted."

    This is what I do, but by viewing and judging the contents of each card first in FastRawViewer which provides better data for an informed and intelligent judgement than merely viewing embedded jpgs on the Import page.

    Just Shoot Me
    Just Shoot Me
    Legend
    February 2, 2019

    Let me add one more option which is what I do.

    After I copy my images to my main drive and into the LR catalog I just Copy those images to another drive (Actually 2 other drives) doing that manually or using the File Sync utility that I mentioned in my first reply.

    I don't bother with the Second Copy option in LR. YMMV.

    R
    Community Expert
    richardplondonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 2, 2019

    Like JustShootMe, I don't use the additional copy option at import. At that moment, I have got the comfort of a duplicate of all the photos, still remaining on the SD camera card - which I write-protect Lock with the little tab, immediately it comes out of the camera. So nothing unfortunate can happen within the card reader. After a (selective) import of those photos (by Copy) the files newly added to the computer will get naturally included into the next regular backup to portable external disk.

    That backup uses a simple file-sync utility, set to operate one-way - from the computer to the external drive ("Contribute")  Deletions are not replicated, only additions and changes.

    Because I use proprietary Raw not DNG, ongoing change is backed up solely in the form of the Catalog, plus small XMP metadata files which are rapid to sync, plus any newly added files whether generated by fresh import, or by external editing in PS. There's little churn of the picture data itself since the Raw files themselves are not getting rewritten or modified in the computer while I work (as DNGs could be). Once this library-focused backup has happened, the photos now exist in two places besides the camera card - so that card can be write-protect unlocked, then put back into the camera for re-format and re-use.

    Just Shoot Me
    Just Shoot Me
    Legend
    February 2, 2019

    Are the files on the second, backup, external drive DNG files or are they the original RAW files. It seems to me, although I never use that function of LR, that the second copy would be the original RAW files. As what LR does is actually Copy the original RAW files to your drive, and to the second copy drive, first then converts them, on the primary drive, to DNG's and then Deletes the originals (If you have chosen to do that) on the primary drive. I don't think LR then goes to the Second Copy drive and does the same. That second copy drive is to have a backup of the actual image files and those are not imported into the LR catalog.

    So it is my opinion that once LR makes that second copy of the files on the second external they are the original RAW files.

    Have you actually looked at them with the option in the File managers of either Windows or OS X with the "Show File Extensions for all files turned on (and or with the Option to Hide Known file type extensions turned OFF. Which in my opinion is the dumbest default option in both File Manager program) as it is the Default option to hide them.

    Having said all that I don't know of any software that you could use to find and remove missing files on the backup external as the files names are different, one drive having the DNG extension and the other drive having the extension of whatever your camera uses as the RAW file extension.

    But if they are the same there are several programs for finding, deleting or copying (Synchronizing files) files between the 2 drives.

    I use just such a program but it is old and only comes in a package with other programs and utilities.

    JoeKostoss
    Community Expert
    JoeKostossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 4, 2019

    https://forums.adobe.com/people/Just+Shoot+Me  wrote

    Having said all that I don't know of any software that you could use to find and remove missing files on the backup external as the files names are different, one drive having the DNG extension and the other drive having the extension of whatever your camera uses as the RAW file extension.

    I performed a test by Importing new files from my SD card using COPY as DNG to my usual EHD.  I also made a second copy to a folder on my Mac hard drive.  When all was complete, I tried to import using ADD the NEF files that were in the folder on my computer drive.  Lightroom recognized these as already imported and would not allow me to import them again.  This even though the extensions were different, DNG vs NEF.  So, my post #1 was correct, at least for a Mac.  I don't know for sure if it would be the same on a PC.

    Just Shoot Me
    Just Shoot Me
    Legend
    February 4, 2019

    The reason LR won't import those NEF files (and or whatever the RAW file extension is for the files you are working with) is because LR already has a record of them in the database. It has a record that they were imported and then converted to DNG. LR does that so you don't end up with duplicates of the same image.

    It works the same for both Windows and OS X.

    JoeKostoss
    Community Expert
    JoeKostossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 2, 2019

    The whole purpose of making a second copy during import is so that you have an EHD with all your original photos, so I am not sure why anyone would want to delete them later. 

    However, since you asked:

    From Lightroom, reimport all the recent files from the 2nd EHD.  Those that are already in Lightroom will show as grayed out and will not be imported.  Those that were deleted previously will be available for import.  Import these and then delete them from Lightroom AND the EHD.

    But if you do this, my opinion is to use a third party clone software and rely on that rather than making a second copy during import at all.  I use Super-Duper by ShirtPocket, for my Mac.  It is only available for a Mac, so if you are on a PC, there are several others available.  I do not know which is better; perhaps someone using Clone software will chime in.

    violentchalupa
    violentchalupaAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    February 2, 2019

    Yeah. I think I will reply on 3rd party software, as I don't want to deal with reimporting.  But that seems like the best option without third party software. 

    I basically just want two EHD's that will always remain twins, mirroring each other.

    Im wondering if I could just avoid all together selecting to make second duplicate copies.

    And instead use time machine to make my 2nd EHD match my 1st EHD after all of my LR edits have been made for the day?

    JoeKostoss
    Community Expert
    JoeKostossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 2, 2019

    Time Machine is designed to backup your Mac.  It is not really clone software, but rather a backup system that saves files going back several years depending on the size of your EHD; the 2nd EHD would not be a clone. 

    I suggest that you forget about making a 2nd copy altogether and purchase Clone software.  It will do exactly what you are looking for.

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