P: Allow Catalog to be stored on a networked drive.

Report · May 01, 2011

I'd love to make LR more multi-computer friendly. I have no doubt that there's probably database architecture issues and a host of other barriers... But I have to believe that the need for either multi-user or at at lease multi-computer use is widely desired. And yes, I know you can do the catalog import export thing but I find this less than ideal.

Report · Dec 22, 2011

Mark, I think you've nailed it - in theory, accessing a Lightroom catalog on the network is just like accessing it on a local drive, except you have a network instead of a sata cable, and a server computer instead of a disk controller (assuming non-concurrent access).

Quoting Dan Tull of Adobe (from above):

"If I recall correctly, my experiment was a Mac file SMB share with a single Windows XP client. I pulled the cable in the middle of an import and the next time I tried to open the catalog, it was corrupted such that I was unable to fix it in the usual way (doing a SQLite .dump into a new catalog). It wasn't great for performance either, but I didn't investigate that in detail as I was primarily concerned with validating or dispelling concerns about robustness against network failure. Our use of SQLite has changed significantly since then, so it's possible the results of repeating that experiment may be a bit less dire than previously. It's also possible that the (relatively new) WAL mode might be more resilient against this condition. My experiment is more than a little dated at this point. It's probably over 4 years old now."

I suspect you'd have the same problem if your sata cable became disconnected in mid-import - dunno...

Note: (also from above) - kada jawi tried it for a while over wi-fi, but network latency degraded the performance. I don't know how performance is over a wired network, or if that would be an option for you.

Summary:
-------------
Most people don't access catalog from network as a long-term solution, due to performance hit, and potentially reduced reliability, but its doable...

Report · Dec 22, 2011

Here's an article about using symbolic links in Windows to locate your catalog folder on a network drive:

http://www.davedaniel.com/index.php/2...

The principles are the same on Mac but with different details of course.

Report · Dec 22, 2011

Unfortunately that's a windows only solution. It requires the "subst" DOS command. There is no OSX / linux equivalent. I've been unsuccessful in tricking Lightroom to access a network drive using symbolic links on OSX.

Report · Dec 22, 2011

Google symbolic links Lightroom - I know Sean McCormack wrote something on the topic.

Report · Dec 22, 2011

I've seen his posts on moving the preview folder and using sym links so that lightroom will find it. Nothing about moving the entire catalog to a network drive (at least that I could find).

Report · Dec 22, 2011

Maybe this will help?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/li...

Report · Dec 22, 2011

Mark wrote, "Unfortunately that's a windows only solution. It requires the 'subst' DOS command."

The second half of the article shows how to use "mklink" to make a symbolic link to a network drive so that the entire catalog folder is stored on the server.

Report · Dec 22, 2011

The suggestion in the second half of the article for linking directly to a folder on the server does not work on Mac OSX....

Report · Dec 22, 2011

The performance on USB and even Firewire 800 drives is quite disappointing. Thunderbolt will likely help some users but we could use some help from Adobe. This is a real issue for pro users with multiple computers and photography studios with multiple computers. Craft a solution that power users will love.

Report · Dec 23, 2011

I have had a few corrupted catalogs due to having the thing on a network drive. It works... most of the time, in snail mode. But it can go wrong. Terribly wrong. Are you sure you want that?

What you _can_ do, and what I do, is to have the files on the network (my notebook HDD isn't big enough, + my desktop/file server is backed up), but the catalog on the laptop. I figured that I'd only be using my laptop for Lightroom, so that works for me. The catalog is backed up to the desktop once in a while, but feel free to use software to keep them in sync once a day or something like that (I'd do some versioning in that case, just in case).

This also helps the performance a lot. Since the thumbnails and the database are on the drive, it speeds up things when scrolling through the library. It's not as good as having the photos on the internal drive too, but at least it's something.

Report · Dec 23, 2011

There is another option I can think of for keeping a shared catalog on the network, but you're not going to like it:

- A home-brewed lock-file kept on the network alongside the catalog, and use a batch file to startup Lightroom, which:

Checks if this machine has the rights to the catalog, and if so - proceeds to do the normal Lightroom startup (if local copy of catalog is stale, then copy catalog from network first).

If this machine does not have the rights to it, then startup is denied (or at least discouraged...).

When Lightroom exits, the batch file that started it relinquishes the rights to the catalog, and copies it back to the network.

There are some variations of this theme that may be better suited for different situations, but the idea is: copy catalog from network before using locally, then copy back to network when finished using locally, and institute some means to keep two computers from screwing each other up.

I used a similar scheme to share an iTunes music library amongst multiple computers (one-at-a-time) a decade ago when iTunes insisted the library be on local machine (dunno how it is now).

example of "lock file" contents:
- who has catalog rights now, if anyone.
- who was last to copy catalog back to net.

These two pieces of info determine whether one can use the network cat, and whether it needs to be downloaded first.

Rob

Report · Dec 23, 2011

This might work for you: http://www.robcole.com/Rob/ProductsAn...

(copies shared catalog from net to local host, if free (and reserves it for exclusive access)... when done for now, copies it back and frees it so others can use...).

Good for infrequent hand-offs, and/or small catalogs.

Report · Dec 24, 2011

Thanks- I'll take a look at your script.
I don't think the network performance is too big of an issue for our situation.
We have a wired Gigabit network, no wireless, so that helps.

We are a portrait studio, and use a separate catalog for each client/session.
This helps keep the catalogs small.

We do the ingestation of photos into lightroom on the server.

We typically export a lower resolution image for proofing. They are good up to an 8x10 print.

What we really like network access for the following tasks.
--Image selection/rating (picking of favorites), while another client is being imported into lightroom at the server.
--If a client orders a larger print it would be nice to be able to export it from the retouching workstation and not have to go back to the server.

Report · Dec 24, 2011

The scripted solution may or may not be useable for your situation.

I doubt I'll be robustening it enough for prime time (any time soon), since I presently have no need for it, but if you like to dabble in Python - you could do it yourself.

Given kada jawi's experience:

"I have had a few corrupted catalogs due to having the thing on a network drive. It works... most of the time, in snail mode. But it can go wrong. Terribly wrong. Are you sure you want that?"

I don't think I'd risk using it directly on the network. Plus, as John Ellis pointed out, its not just the network communication speed but the incessant overhead for constant random accesses that may be the network performance killer.

Note: A small catalog can be transferred over a fast net within a few seconds.

Also, if the catalog is the only file you need (that would NOT be the case for me, but may be for you), and if you can keep things straight without a script, then you can set Lightroom to backup the catalog to the net and fore-go the script. PS - The script requires you to exit Lightroom before the catalog can be copied (as does a Lightroom catalog backup) - this may be the deal breaker (?)

PS - The script can be modified to auto-start Lightroom after releasing a catalog, which may help in your situation.

I would love if Adobe would permit the catalog to be temporarily unlocked for reading, so a plugin could do SQL queries, or catalog backup... - doubt it will happen though. Maybe even the ability to simply close a catalog without exiting - again, don't hold your breath...

Merry ho-ho,
Rob

Report · Dec 26, 2011

This might work for you: http://www.robcole.com/Rob/ProductsAn...

(copies shared catalog from net to local host, if free (and reserves it for exclusive access)... when done for now, copies it back and frees it so others can use...).

Good for infrequent hand-offs, and/or small catalogs.

Report · Dec 26, 2011

Whoops - kinda left your post out of context there - sorry 'bout that ;-}

Report · Jan 05, 2012

I put a post up on how to get network access to a Lightroom catalogue via read/write dmg with OS X using gigabit. It's a one-user-at-a-time thing but is very useful still. I've actually been doing this for 4 years now. Sorry for not spilling the beans until now.

http://theagnosticprint.org/how-to-ne...

All the best,
Walker

Report · Jan 17, 2012

Please could you let me know if the new version of Lightroom (4) will enable the sharing of a catalog. In other words I have two machines, and would like to know if the second machine can utilise the catalog on the first machine via icloud or a network.

Report · Jan 17, 2012

Not currently possible or supported. Some folks have workarounds that aren't officially supported/recommended.

Report · Jan 17, 2012

I'd love to have a multi user LR! I still install Media Pro (aka Iview and Expression Media) for my professionnal clients who need a DAM software.

This could be useful in so many enterprises, NGO, non-profit organisations, local authority where more than one person deals with pictures!

Iview / Media Pro is doing it since a long time, but features speaking LR is way better.

Report · Jan 17, 2012

Does it work on Windows or only for Mac?

Report · Jan 28, 2012

It would have to be a hefty drive to take all your images as well as all your cats. then you will need to back it all up on another drive and if you are a paranoid like me you need another for a second backup. Much easier to sync on a home wifi. At present I export my images as a cat from my macbook to imac and that is tedious and a pain in the whatsit.

Report · Jan 29, 2012

I'm wondering what you mean by a hefty drive? My system has an external 1TB drive that I use for housing Lightroom catalog and all of the photos.

Using an external drive for the photos and the catalog allows us to move work from one computer to another but limits us to only one person working at a time. That is grossly inconvenient and inefficient and is a slap in the face when you consider that storing a multi-user shared catalog and photos on a network drive would be much more convenient and effective.

It is about time that Adobe move Lightroom into the 21st Century! Networks have been with us for a long time now.

Report · Jan 29, 2012

I was extremely disappointed to note that the beta of LR4 does NOT contain any ability for multi-user, network hosted operations. Do we have to wait until the 22nd century?

Report · Jan 30, 2012

An external hard-drive is NOT an answer. Full network support is. Wow. I can't believe an employee posted a comment like that. It still amazes me that a product that is this mature, and in a post 2010 world, can be so completely network-unaware. This is a feature that should have been in 3.0.