Missing pages in Book

[jakher1927]

I worked on putting together a book using the Book Module and then saved it.  When I went to open it later I found that my book was only 23 pages long not the 107 pages I had made.  At the same time photos in the filmstrip showed the number of times I had used each photo in the book while in the main screen Grid View I saw only the first 23 pages photos.  The filmstrip showed the hundreds of photos we had used in the book.  How can this be?  What can I do to recover the missing pages?  I am using LR Classic and running Windows 10.

[99jon]

Do you have the correct saved book selected in the collections panel?

[Akash Sharma]

Hi jakher1927,

Sorry that you're missing some Book pages in Lightroom Classic CC. Could you please take a look at this discussion Lightroom Book module missing photos and let us know if that helps.

Also, If you look in the Collections panel, do you see your "Saved Book" Collection? (It will have a small icon that looks like a book)

Thanks,

Akash

[jakher1927]

Yes I have the correct saved book selected in the collections pane!  I have done this before many times and never had a similar problem.  In fact I just got a book I made a few weeks ago from Blurb and had no problems.

Another thing that makes no sense is that if I try and continue working on my book and move a photo from the filmstrip to a page the number of the photo used changes from 1 to 2 but I am not showing the page the original photo was used on. 

[Rob_Cullen · Accepted solution]

not showing the page the original photo was used on.

Normally (in Multi-page View) -If you click on the [2] badge on the filmstrip photo LR will highlight (orange) the pages that are using that photo. (You may need to scroll down)

The filmstrip showed the hundreds of photos we had used in the book

Do the filmstrip thumbnails ALL show the number [1] to indicate their use on a page? Yet the pages are missing?

What can I do to recover the missing pages?

You could try opening a Backup Catalog that might have the Book editing as it was before the pages vanished.

Then from the Backup Catalog "Export the Book Collection as a CATALOG" , Next re-open the current working catalog and "Import from Another Catalog" to bring in the 'old' book editing as it was at backup.

Another hint- I occasionally create a "Duplicate Book" Collection so I have 'copies' in the Collection panel should one suffer problems (like you)

[jakher1927]

Thank you for the suggestion but that did not work.  I guess I have lost all of my work and need to start again.

[99jon]

Sorry. That’s a bit of a bummer. If all the photos are still in the collection and you are using a fixed page preset try using the auto-layout button.

It’s a good idea to save each subsequent iteration.

There have been some changes to the book module in LR Classic 7.5 and whilst not of immediate help my blog post highlighting custom layouts, could be of interest for the future.

A short video demo is also available:

Make Custom Layouts in the Book Module

[jakher1927]

I wanted to share my latest experience with the Book Module as I do believe there is something wrong in the program since the last update. 

I decided to try and make a test book and used auto fill to create a book of 68 photos which I then saved. 

I then deleted that book and then created a book of only 3 photos using the same folder but this time I manually selected only 3 photos which I then save.  The book appeared as a book with 3 photos but on the left side collections panel it said I had used 68 photos not the 3 that I actually used.  Further in the filmstrip only those 3 photos I had in the book were noted with a 1 as being included.

I then delete this book and when I click on the left panel collection with the 68 photos in the book module the 68 photos book comes up even after I had deleted it.

What is going on here?

[Akash Sharma]

Sorry to hear about this. I'd recommend that you post this as a new discussion on our Lightroom feedback community here: Lightroom Classic CC | Photoshop Family Customer Community

Our Engineers do monitor this space and look for major feature requests/reported issues from our valuable users like you. This will help them to track and reproduce this particular issue.

Thanks,

Akash

[Laura Shoe]

Hi Herman,

You write:

"...  then created a book of only 3 photos using the same folder but this time I manually selected only 3 photos which I then save.  The book appeared as a book with 3 photos but on the left side collections panel it said I had used 68 photos not the 3 that I actually used.  Further in the filmstrip only those 3 photos I had in the book were noted with a 1 as being included."

When you saved your book, you most likely did not check the option to "include only used photos". Therefore the saved book collection still has 68 photos, even though only three are used.  (The Collections panel, for saved books, doesn't indicate how many photos are used in the book, just how many are in the collection, available to make the book with.) I don't see a problem with this.

In your description you mention folders and collections as the source for your book, so I'm not sure I'm sorting this out correctly, but: when you initially start a book using a collection or folder as the source, LR remembers that book as being associated with that folder or collection - regardless of whether you then create a special "saved book" collection.  I assume that you saved the book as a book collection, and then deleted this - but LR still has a "memory" of that 68 page book associated with your original collection or folder. Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't see a problem with this either. 

Please add more details and/or screenshots if you believe that I'm not understanding something here.

[jakher1927]

Akash how do I post this on the site you recommend I post it to?

Herman

[Akash Sharma]

Hi Herman,

You may post the same issue description you provided initially with additional details that you'd like to share.

Thanks,

Akash