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lynnem22055
lynnem22055
New Participant
August 10, 2021
Question

Using Lightroom Classic on 2 separate computers

  • August 10, 2021
  • 4 replies
  • 633 views

Trying to use Lightroom Classic on 2 separate computers in 2 different locations at different times.  Catalog and photos are stored on iMac in location 1.  All photos have smart previews and all are synced to the Creative Cloud.  When I go to my second location with a PC, I can see and edit all the photo smart previews using Lightroom--no problem.  But I cannot see or use any of the smart previews in Lightroom Classic.  It says the photo cannot be found even though they are all smart previews.  Can I use Lightroom Classic on 2 different computers without copying the catalog to the second computer.  

 

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4 replies

D
dj_paige
Brainiac
August 10, 2021

If using one external HD moved from Mac to PC and back:

 

You can use relative paths to the photo files, and then reconnecting the photos inside of Lightroom CLassic is not necessary when you move from Mac to PC or back. You do this by keeping the photos in subfolders inside the same folder where the catalog file is stored. https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/lightroom-classic/lightroom-ability-to-use-relative-paths-to-images/5f5f45574b561a3d42446149?commentId=5f5f49024b561a3d42499977

GoldingD
GoldingD
Brainiac
August 10, 2021

Is the catalog on the Windows PC a direct copy of the one on the MAC?

And you stated, the catalog and preview files on both have the same file structure, correct?

And original photos are in the cloud, not on a local hard drive, correct?

 

So, the catalog finding previews works, good

 

Finding original photos, fails, bad

 

I suspect the Windows PC and the MAC file managers , Windows File Explorer, MAC  Finder, see that cloud storage differently. And LrC uses the file manager. So, missing photos.

 

You may need to fix in LrC, Folders Panel, the broken folder link, that is update folder location (best at parent folder) or change the way the file manager sees the cloud storage 

 

not into cloud storage for this purpose, so how to do the latter? No clue.

 

TheDigitalDog
TheDigitalDog
Inspiring
August 10, 2021

So to add a bit:

Yes, you can format a drive that can be read on both platforms and or course must do so. 

You need ALL photo's, presets* profiles etc on that drive. 

* use the Store Presets with Catalog option so the presets travel with that drive and catalog. 

You might consider a DNG workflow where much of this is stored inside the container. If you use custom camera profiles, they will otherwise be 'scattered' on your two boot drives and having them in sync otherwise (outside of DNG) is a bit of a pain. 

The location for .dcp camera profiles should be:
Mac: /Users/user/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/CameraProfiles
Win: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\CameraProfiles

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
August 10, 2021

The best way to use Lightroom Classic on two computers, using the same images, is to have the catalog and images on an external hard drive that can be moved between the two computers.

    Bob Somrak
    Bob Somrak
    Brainiac
    August 10, 2021

    Except the OP said one computer is a PC and the other is a MAC so you have to resolve the drive format issue so you can read and write on both machines.  

    M4 Pro Mac Mini. 48GB
    GoldingD
    GoldingD
    Brainiac
    August 10, 2021

    Typically via exFat, but exFat not a great format.

    Alternately NTFS AND a utility to allow MACOS to use it.

    (ref) https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/so-youre-setting-up-an-external-hard-drive-formatting-facts-for-windows-and-mac/

     

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