Multiple LR catalogs versions showing on hard drive, why

[dono8857855]

I have multiple versions (editions) of a Lightroom catalog appearing on my hard drive - (not sure how to make the following smaller)

what is going on????

[Just Shoot Me]

What OS are you using?

What exact version  of LR are you using, please be specific?

LR creates a backup of the catalog file once a week by default. Could be what you are seeing are those backups of the catalog. They are not auto deleted. So over time you can end up with many backup folders and files.

[JP Hess]

You're not sure how to make what smaller? If you recently upgraded to a newer version of Lightroom, such as Lightroom Classic CC, then your catalog was converted/upgraded and that meant there was a new copy of your catalog created. The old catalog was left intact and in place.

[dono8857855]

I am using Mac OS High Sierra (10.13.1) and Lightroom CC Classic. 

So my Lightroom file shows Travel Cat.Ircat and then other files such as Travel Cat 2 lrcat.; Travel Cat 2-2 lrcat; Travel Cat 3-2 lrcat; Travel catalog 3-3-2 lrcat; Travel catalog 3-3-2-2; Travel catalog 3-4 lrcat and so on.  Are these all just back ups of my Travel Catalog and I should access the file with the highest number?

[Just Shoot Me]

You are probably opening your original LR 6/CC catalog and LR Classic CC is converting it and when that happens it will get a number added to the name. That number will keep increasing, 2, 2-2, 2-3, 3-2, and so on every time that original catalog is converted to work with LR Classic CC.

[dono8857855]

The additional catalogs have been appearing long before I was using LR Classic CC. Are those backups of my LR or something else?

[Just Shoot Me]

No they are not.

What version of LR did you start with when you originally started using LR.

The only time LR creates a catalog all by itself and adds a number to the end of the file name is when it is upgrading an older versions catalog to work with a newer version of LR. If you do that over and over you will get what you are seeing.

[dono8857855]

Interesting question. I think I started with LR 2, maybe 3. If what you say is true (I don’t doubt it is), then what should the file for the current LR CC Classic look like? The highest number I show in my folder is “Travel Catalog-4-2.lrcat”.

I really appreciate your time to provide feedback.

[Just Shoot Me]

Go into the "Preferences" on the General Tab and see what the Default Catalog is set to. It should be set to either "Load most recent catalog" or point to one specific catalog and that catalog should be the most recent.

[dono8857855]

I checked Preferences>General Tab and it does show “Load most recent catalog”.

[Rob_Cullen]

it does show “Load most recent catalog”.

Then open Lightroom, and the "most recent catalog" filename will be shown at the very top of screen, or go to the menu for Edit>Catalog Settings...  and your current open catalog location and filename will be shown there.

Having established the filename of your current working catalog (being sure of this) you can then use the operating system to delete all the others that have been superseded.

You are making backups frequently I hope?  (Backups are saved in dated compressed ZIP folders)

[dono8857855]

I will give this a try and isolate the most recent catalog and “delete” the others and see if new catalogs continue to be created or not.

Yes, I do back up both LR and with Time Machine on my Mac.

[JP Hess]

When Lightroom is upgraded from one major version to another the database engine is always upgraded as well, and that necessitates creating a new upgraded copy of the catalog. When this happens, those extra numbers are always appended to the end of the name of the catalog. Could this possibly be what has happened in this case? Have you not noticed these extra catalogs previously?

[dono8857855]

I have noticed them but wasn't' sure what was going on.  I guess what I need to do is simply look for the LR catalog with the highest number and assume that is the working catalog until it changes in the future.  Maybe to clean up the look of LR is to create a folder and move the old catalogs into it.

[sidlinger]

Be careful, in my case the highest number was not the largest or most recent. I have the original set, a "-2" set, and a "-3" set. (No "-1" set.)

My active set turned out to be "-2". My guess is that maybe "-3" was from an upgrade attempt that failed. It's weird.

Incidentally, by "set" I mean:

Lightroom Catalog-2.lrcat

Lightroom Catalog-2 Previews.lrdata

Lightroom Catalog-2 Smart Previews.lrdata

[Todd Shaner]

dono8857855  wrote

I guess what I need to do is simply look for the LR catalog with the highest number and assume that is the working catalog until it changes in the future.  Maybe to clean up the look of LR is to create a folder and move the old catalogs into it.

The latest catalog file will most likely be the "largest" file. Open it and check for the most recent pictures you imported into LR. If confident that's the latest catalog the other .lrcat catalog files can be placed onto to your backup drive in a separate folder. Next close LR and "rename" the remaining catalog folder and its contents as shown below for easy identification going forward.

Make sure to periodically backup your image files and catalog file to a separate external backup drive after each major editing session or file import.

[Lorinda30199924tmno]

Hi - this is a great string of replies - thanks to everyone.  I do have one question about backups.  Is it safe to delete old backups?  I have 54.4 gb of backups and I'm lean on disk space.  

[Lorinda30199924tmno]

Never mind the above question - I see someone else already answered it and I missed it.

thanks, Lorinda

[jessicaa28745398]

I'm having issues with this since updating to the most recent LR. From LR 6 to LR 7. Not only do I have multiple LR catalogs, but I have 2 LR programs. I thought i had updated and that got rid of the old one but it doesn't seem to be the case. Is it safe to delete the old LR? is it safe to delete one of the catalogs? Will it delete my pictures? I'm still learning!

[Just Shoot Me]

jessicaa28745398  wrote

Is it safe to delete the old LR? is it safe to delete one of the catalogs? Will it delete my pictures? I'm still learning!

Yes it is safe to uninstall the older LR version.

Yes it is safe to delete old catalogs and old backups of your current catalog and all backups for the catalog from the older version of LR.

[dj_paige]

jessicaa28745398  wrote

Is it safe to delete the old LR?

You uninstall programs, not delete them.

is it safe to delete one of the catalogs? Will it delete my pictures?

That depends on what is in the catalogs, which contain your work (but not your photos). You need to look inside the catalog and see what is in there before you delete it. To look inside, you can (from your operating system) double-click on them, or from within Lightroom, use File->Open Catalog. In no case will deleting a catalog delete your photo files.