Some folders won't show in LrC

[jimm20130997]

Hi, some of the folders in my external HD do not show in LR classic. I go to the HD and they are all there, but the folders dont show in the Library navigator. No idea on why.

Its not the "I have a photos showing missing in grid" that needs to be linked. Its just not showing entire folders in menu. 

Have looked a a bunch of threads on here., dont see the answer.  
Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong? 

[dj_paige]

Lightroom Classic is not a file browser like Windows Explorer or Mac Finder, it is a database. It doesn't have to show the same folders that you see in Windows Explorer or Mac Finder. As a database, it only knows about folders that actually have at least one photo imported into Lightroom Classic.

I can't see your file attachments (or anyone's file attachments), better to include photos in your reply using the "Insert Photos" icon.

As a guess, you may have accidentally imported photos into LrC using COPY, so the photos are copied from the folder they are in to some other folder. So LrC only knows about this other folder. If you go into the Library Module, click on "All Photographs", turn off filters, and then search for one (or more) of the photos by file name, do you find them?

[jimm20130997]

Hi thanks for your reply.

I guess I should have said all those folders in my finder were at one point all imported into LRc. So not sure why some are showing in there and why some arent? I always import them via the import photos menu. Have done the samething with all my other photos and drives, and if imported they show in LR. 

Thoughts? and thanks again.

[dj_paige]

I guess I should have said all those folders in my finder were at one point all imported into LRc. So not sure why some are showing in there and why some arent?

I explained that, you accidentally imported via COPY. Did you search for the photos by clicking on All Photographs as I explained?

[jimm20130997]

Nope, I have never copied anything into LR. Always import. Not even sure where you would do that. But some show up in the all photos and some don't. 

[dj_paige]

I said it happened ACCIDENTALLY and you are not aware that you did a COPY. It would take you less than two minutes to click on All Photographs, turn off filters and search for one of these photos. Then we would know for sure.

[jimm20130997]

When I say some show and some don't, that was after clicking in all photos without filters.  I'm positive I have never copied into LR. 

[dj_paige]

When I say some show and some don't, that was after clicking in all photos without filters.  

By @jimm20130997

The above sentence still sounds like you are talking about finding folders. Which is not what I am talking about. I am talking about finding the files.

So you clicked on "All Photographs" then turned off filters, then how did you do the search? I specifically asked you to search by file name for at least one of the photos in the missing folders, you need to do that in the Filter Bar. If you find the photos this way, then we can find the folder that they are in.

[Adrian3458]

It's not just you. I had the exact same issue where some folders from 2022 were now missing from the LRc Library view as well as the associated 'previews'. You could restore these from a back-up of the catalog (carefully chosing only the missing folders) I just imported all the missing folders again and will only process the pictures again if I need any (my lazy approach because of so few subfolders - it also looks like they had kept their metadata too).

[jimm20130997]

Thanks for replying. I have already processed these photos that are missing from this drive.

If I import them they will show as proccessed correct? I was hoping to adjust them a bit as my style has changed over the years. Or, if I import them do I start all over again? Thanks again. 

[dj_paige]

No, they will not show as processed if you import them, unless you have been saving metadata to XMP. Regardless of whether you have been saving metadata to XMP, importing is not the answer, it will make things worse. Synchronizing folders is not the answer, it will make things worse.

[jimm20130997]

So what do you recommend then?