Needing to move Lightroom Classic catalog to external SSD

[tac1865]

I have been using my MacBook Pro  for all of my editing. I keep my RAW files on an external SSD, but the catalog is on the laptop harddrive.

I will be getting a Mac desktop for home; I want to have the same LR Classic  catalog for both computers and will continue to have all of my RAW files on external SSD.

1. Am I correct that having the  LR Classic catalog also on the SSD will allow me to see all of my edits seamlessly on either computer once I have the same SSD plugged in?

2. Please tell me how to move the catalog to the SSD?  Do I simply copy and paste? 

3. There are several components to the catalog; do I copy all of them?

Thank you for your help!

Theresa

[Per Berntsen · Accepted solution]

1. Yes, you are correct.

2. Yes, copy and paste.

3. Copy the folder that contains the LrC catalog. The folder contains all the required files and folders.

4. Double-click the catalog file in the Finder to launch LrC from the external drive. (or use File > Open in LrC)

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

Minor issue:

copying the folder where the LrC Catalog is located could take a very long time as all previews will also be copied. You could, as an alternative, not copy the previews, but copy everything else, and LrC will rebuild the previews as needed on the external SSD.

[tac1865]

Thank you so much!

[tac1865]

Thank you!