Storing catalogue on external drive and and share with desktop and laptop using smart previews

[jasonc68073271]

I am using lightroom classic.  I have moved my catolgue along with smart previews onto an external drive from my desktop.  My goal is to be able to work on and edit photos on laptop when travelling.  Now on both the desktop and laptop I can access when connected to the external drive.  If drive is disconnected lightroom says it cannot find the catologue.  I must be missing a cruscial step --- what files to I need to tranfers to laptop so the catolgoue and smart previews work when disconnected from external drive?  The same goes for the desktop where the orginal photos are stored how do I acces catlogue and smart previews when drive is diconnected?  I am using an iMac and Mac Book Pro.

[dj_paige]

If you moved the catalog file to the external drive, then you double-click on the catalog file on the external drive to open it.

[DdeGannes]

What you are experiencing is as expected. If the Catalog, Previews and Smart Previews are on the External Drive then you have to connect the external drive to either the desktop or the laptop.