Neither "Sync Settings" nor "Previous" work

[raphaels28255986]

Hi guys,

I usually work on adjustments on a virtual copy - or several, and when I am satisfied I transfer the adjustments to the original image via "Sync Settings" or "Previous". Neither seem to work and no adjustments are transferred between images. 

This is what happens: "Sync Settings" blinks and stops without effecting any changes; same with  "Previous" but a message flashes on the screen for a fracrion of a second - I was able to decipher "Your changes were pasted .... AI ...., etc" but it happens too fast to read intelligibly. 

Seems like it's only happening to this one image. Any ideas?

Thanks a lot.

[GoldingD]

and when I am satisfied I transfer the adjustments to the original image 

Why?

[raphaels28255986]

Why not?

[JohanElzenga]

As Lightroom Classic is a non-destructive editor, that does not change the image but stores the edits as metadata in the catalog, what you do seems a rather useless extra step. A virtual copy is just an extra set of those metadata, so why not edit the original right from the start.

[raphaels28255986]

I evolve many versions from the original and I look at them back n'forth to find out what works and what doesn't, and to what degree. I was so delighted to fiddle with that Matisse worked in much the same way so he could backtrack and then go forward again. I have had up to 15 virtual copies, each somewhat different from the next in some way. Takes time; sometime weeks to get to the final version. That's when I transfer the final set of adjustments to the original and delete all interim virtual copies. But how I work is not the heart of my original question.

[GoldingD]

Their are at least two ways to accomplish the sync in question. Can you list your workflow steps. And some screenshots might help describe them.

P.S. in my workflow if I was creating virtual copy's to test out ideas on the develops, and at the end just wanted to keep one, I might delete the undesired virtual copy's if they bothered me and keep the one virtual copy I liked. I would not bother with the original. Their is no downside to keeping the virtual copy I like. And no great upside to then editing the original. Remember a virtual copy places a bit of metadata in the catalog, as such it can add to the size of the catalog, but that is itty bitty,  it does not eat up hard drive space like the original photo or an export. 

[raphaels28255986]

True, true. But I still need the master - the original, right? So why keep 2? My thing is to keep the bare minimum so I don't get visually distracted: smallest folders, smallest collections, etc. because I can make quicker sense of them - and that much faster when I come back to them. And, most importantly, I don't have to ask myself questions as to which is which.

Going back to your question, for Previous ... I just go from the image that is adjusted to the one I want adjusted and click Previous. For Sync Settings I press G, highlight the adjusted image, highlight all those I want to match and click the Merge button when there's a need for it and whatever appears on screen to implement the change - can't remember the names of buttons or keys right now. But it's straightforward and as I've done it for centuries(!). Nothing new or different.

[raphaels28255986]

True, true. But I still need the master - the original, right? So why keep 2? My thing is to keep the bare minimum so I don't get visually distracted: smallest folders, smallest collections, etc. because I can make quicker sense of them - and that much faster when I come back to them. And, most importantly, I don't have to ask myself questions as to which is which.

Going back to your question, for Previous ... I just go from the image that is adjusted to the one I want adjusted and click Previous. For Sync Settings I press G, highlight the adjusted image, highlight all those I want to match and click the Merge button when there's a need for it and whatever appears on screen to implement the change - can't remember the names of buttons or keys right now. But it's straightforward and as I've done it for centuries(!). Nothing new or different.

[JohanElzenga]

I don't know why sync or previous does not work. It obviously should work. There is a menu 'Photo - Set Copy as Master', which will switch the edits in the copy and the master, so that the edits of the copy are now the edits of the master (and the copy is the non-edited version, so it can be deleted). You could try if that works.

[raphaels28255986]

In the end I found out that I was trying to sync a virtual copy and a master other than its own - which may explain things, but I often knowingly do that, and it always works. Maybe the adjustments involved AI which made it tricky. Who knows. But thank you everyone who tried to help; I do appreciate your timely and expert input.