Wrong organization for recent imports - Export & re-import?

[keithk1434942]

When I import into LR I organize the files by date at the destination. This has always worked well for me, except for 2 recent imports. I cannot make sense of how these images were organized at the destination for these two. 

I could reorganize manually in the folders panel, but these imports were thousands of files. Since I have done nothing with these files in LR since import, I'm thinking the best solutuion would be to reimport & then remove the files from the 1st import. I no longer have access to the media with the original files, so I would export a copy from LR & reimport. Does this work if I export as original with all metadata?

I know this is usually a bad idea. But do I have any good alternative?

[dj_paige]

I no longer have access to the media with the original files, so I would export a copy from LR & reimport.

Not sure what you mean here or why this is relevant. If you no longer have access to the original files (which is not exactly what you said), then you cannot export a copy. Or if the photos are still on a hard disk somewhere (which you didn't say), then there's no reason to export and import, just use the photos on the hard disk, put them in the folders you want using your operating system; delete the images from LrC and then after you have moved them around using your operating system, import.

[keithk1434942]

What I meant was that the photos were on a large USB derive when I imported them. I no longer have access to this drive. Thats relevant because I cannot just reimport them. 

They were copied during import into my local file structure. I used the Organize by Date feature to place them into folders structured by date. The problem is, most of them are organized by the wrong date.

Because they were placed in collections upon import, I can easily separate them. I'm considering exporting them and reimporting to see they organaize properly this time. I have experimented with this with a small batch and they organized as expected.

[richardplondon]

Once you can understand the organisation that did happen for these latest two imports (unintendedly), that may suggest a way forward without throwing any work away. First step might be to start a fresh import and review what remembered settings are still showing (then cancel out).

Specifically, Collection membership - any virtual or proofing copies made - and prior develop History steps must be lost (even if you had first written metadata out to file), if you remove and reimport these images. What you won't lose will be latest editing / metadata state and snapshots for the master image version only, provided that had been written out to XMP.

The auto organisations possible during import are: leave where things are (Add), or for Move or Copy, put all files into a stated folder; or else put all files into a brand new subfolder of the stated folder.

HOW they arrive within that destination may be: wholesale without any subdivision (into single folder); subdivided by capture date (and there are various arrangement and folder naming schemes possible for this); or, repeating their original subdivision into folders as seen in the source location for the Move or Copy. For example: the folders created by the camera inside an SD memory card. If you see anything like "101_0304", "102_0405" (or similar) it could have been that. Then a reorganisation into the desired folders could be fairly straightforwardly done bit by bit, over time, working entirely from inside the Catalog.

Similarly, images from many folders (even if those folders are themselves not meaningful) can be shown organised by Capture Date using the Filter Bar, and sorted by capture also, then moved into desired folders from there disregarding the folders they are currently within.  

[keithk1434942]

Thanks for this. I would like to find a way to fix this within LR. But the number of files now incorrectly spread accross 8 years of folders in my file structure would make itvery tedious to move them one by one. If I understand your suggestion to sort by Capture Date, I'd have to look at every folder for files that dont belong there. Ugghh.

Because I have done nothing with these images since import and would not lose any work, I am considering the export & re-import to fix the organization.