Pictures will not "copy to a file because it is not writable"

[Ashley35384874gozq]

Hi.  I recently all the sudden was not able to get my photos from my camera card to lightroom.  I was finally able to figure out a work-around by clicking "add" instead of copy to my external hard drive, but I take a lot of photos and need to put them on my external hard drive.  When I try to do that, it says "pictures will not copy a file because it is not writable".

Any help is SO appreciated -- this is part of my income and I am so frustrated.  Thanks.

[dj_paige]

Please state the exact name of the software you are using, and the version NUMBER. What version NUMBER of the Mac operating system are you using?

Can you please provide the EXACT word-for-word error message?

Are you sure the FOLDER where you are trying to copy the photos into has write permission? Please check the permissions in your operating system.

[Ashley35384874gozq]

Sorry, and I am using Lightroom on my MAC.  How do I know the version numbeR?  My Mac is: 14.3.1 (23D60)

[JohanElzenga]

When I try to do that, it says "pictures will not copy a file because it is not writable".

By @Ashley35384874gozq

No, it will have said "pictures will not copy to a folder because it is not writable". The name of that folder was probably also mentioned. What folder did you choose as destination for the images? Lightroom Classic does not have permissions to write to just every folder on your hard disk. Some folders are off-limits.

[Ashley35384874gozq]

The exact message is "Could not copy a file to the destination folder because it is not writable".  Then it says 1-126.  So all the photos.

I checked the external hard drive and it does have read + write permissions.  What is weird is when the camera card used to come up, the pictures would come up immediately but it now also makes me go find the source.  This came out of no where!  I did not change anything.

[dj_paige]

The exact message is "Could not copy a file to the destination folder because it is not writable".  Then it says 1-126.  So all the photos.

I checked the external hard drive and it does have read + write permissions.

The specific request was to check the permissions on the destination FOLDER, not permissions on the external HD. Also please confirm you have selected the correct destination FOLDER in the Lightroom Classic import dialog box.

[Ashley35384874gozq]

How do you check the permissions on the destination folder? 

[Ashley35384874gozq]

And I believe I am checking the right folder?  I choose the camera card and then "copy as dng" to the external hard drive.

[dj_paige]

And I believe I am checking the right folder?  I choose the camera card and then "copy as dng" to the external hard drive.

By @Ashley35384874gozq

The DESTINATION folder is shown in the Import dialogbox, bottom right. Here is mine. Below the bottom of my screen capture are more folders listed which are subfolders of "Nikon Pictures", as I keep scrolling down (not shown in this screen capture) I will see a folder(s) checked, which is where the photos will be imported into. That is the exact folder on which you need to check permissions. Please show us similar screen capture(s) to show the checked folder in your Lightroom Classic Import Dialog box, more than one screen capture if necessary. Use the Insert Photos icon to include your screen capture(s) in your reply.  Do not attach files.

[JohanElzenga]

Please post a screenshot of the import dialog. A proper screenshot please, not a photo from the screen. Do not cut off anything, show the entire dialog. And do not attach it, but embed it using this button:

.

[JohanElzenga]

Another thing that would be useful is to select the external disk, type Cmd-i so you get the info dialog for that disk, and then post a screenshot that shows the bottom of the dialog. The version number of Lightroom can be found if you select 'Help - System Info'. I doubt very much that it will be relevant for this problem, but it never hurts to know.

[Ashley35384874gozq]

Gotcha!  Will do this and post, thank you.

[Ashley35384874gozq]

[Ashley35384874gozq]

Hi, included above!  Please let me know if this helps figure out the problem.  Thank you. 

[JohanElzenga]

The above screenshot is not the import dialog. It is the error message after you tried to import and it failed. Click on the Import button in the lower left corner and post a screenshot of the dialog you'll get immediately after you clicked that button.

[Ashley35384874gozq]

[JohanElzenga]

Your problem could be this: You have selected the Seagatenew disk in the Destination panel, but because you did not click on the small triangle to expand it, the drive itself is now selected rather than a folder on that drive.