Lightroom bug? Virtual copies moving randomly in a collection for no logical reason

[mijbil250456]

I've started having real problems with image sequencing in Lightroom and virtual copy images randomly jumping around, and this has happened on the last 4 weddings I have edited which is driving me crazy, and massively increasing my workload as a result. Does anyone else have this issue?

I create virtual copies of images I want to have a colour and Black/white copy of, and they normally sit next to each other in sequence - when you create a virtual copy it naturally sits after the original which is where I want it.

The sequence has to be custom as I tend to reorder images to reflect the story of the day (as in grouping bride prep and groom prep together). Later in the edit, when I look back through the collection, some (not all) virtual copies have hopped randomly maybe 3 or 20 places back or forwards. There is no pattern - some move, some don't, some stay where they should. I'm therefore having to check through before export, and things look fine, and then when I check the export some (not all) of the copies have moved again, different ones this time, so I have to either re-export or rename them manually afterwards in Bridge. This affects about 20% of the virtual copies. I know this is happening as I specifically checked on today's export, and sure enough some had hopped it would seem during or just before export, and the custom order has changed as a result.

The only workaround I can find is manually putting them back where they should be - If I sort by filename or time then they are all going to mess up the story. This also seems to be a new problem - I've always followed the same workflow, and it is only recently that the virtual copies have been moving. Any suggestions? 

[richardplondon]

The only thing I can think of, would be to rename the files concerned, according to your chosen custom sequence, to "lock" that in. This sequencing is then "physically" expressed in the file system and inherits to export in a natural way.  A collection set to 'filename' order will use this sequence with any virtual copies shown alongside their master version necessarily. You can still view the photos in 'taken' order too, e.g. within the folder... corresponding most likely to the original as-shot sequence. Good idea to retain the camera original filename IMO, e.g. as "Sequence - Filename"

[mijbil250456]

That does work in principle, however in the course of an edit I will move images around regularly to make the story work as I want it to, therefore each time I do this I would have to rename all the files in the collection again, which is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut - most programs which allow you to move images in to custom order usually keeps the files where you put them, the problem is that Virtual copies are jumping around.

[andrewd56787970]

Whatever you do to images outside LR affects them within the program. Is there a reason to use Bridge? I use LR almost exclusively –the exception being PhotoMechanic when I need to tag and transmit files on strict dealine for news. Images get left alone, perdiod. I only perform location movements for archiving once done with a job, and that's always within LR. Then the catalog knows where images are located.

[mijbil250456]

I agree, the only reason I am using bridge is to re-sort the rogue files after export for delivery, if there are one or two that have jumped in to the wrong order, otherwise I have to redo the esport, which can take hours.

[GoldingD]

1. Are you using a collection to manage these images? Not a traditional folder.

2. And not a smart collection?

3. If not in a collection, is the option to show photos in subfolders off.

see:https://digital-photography-school.com/arrange-files-your-way-in-lightroom/

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[mijbil250456]

They are in a collection, yes, not a part collection. Drag and drop has always worked with no issues for the last 10 years. The problem is that random Virtual copies (and only virtual copies) are hopping up to 20 places back or forwards in the collection. Never more than this.

[johnrellis]

LR has a longstanding bug with maintaining custom ordering in collections and folders. Adobe tried but failed to fix it in LR 8.3. The bug only strikes when you make a large number of changes to the ordering.  After the failed fix in LR 8.3, there have seemingly been more reports of people getting struck by the bug.

Please add details of your issue to the bug report: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/lightroom-major-bug-with-custom-sort-order. Include the first ten lines from Help > System Info. Be sure to click Me Too and Follow in the upper-right corner, which will make it a little more likely Adobe will prioritize a fix, and you'll be notified when the bug's status changes. 

A workaround is to make a copy of the problem collection.  Select all of the images in the original collection and do Create Collection, with the option Include Selected Photos. This will preserve the current order of the collection and should stop the bug from happening again in new copy (at least until you make a sufficiently large number of changes to its order).

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