Understanding folders

[frankraney130]

I used to think I understood folders when I started using light room. Now I know I did not and have a ton of folders I no longer need, when I can sort on keywords.  I know how to remove them but the question(s) I have are....

1. is there a link to an article that explains folders very well as I have a lot ands some are in a different layer, some are indented, as you can see below..

2. is ther a way to see/edit rules for folders?

3. And then there are smart folders with rules....these I uundeerstand, but I am wondering if I need any folders now, except for the synced ons.

[dj_paige]

1. There is no such thing as "Lightroom Folders". Folders shown in Lightroom Classic are the same folders as in your operating system. They are nested, just like in your operating system. Only folders that have at least one photo imported into the Lightroom Classic Catalog are shown. Folders with zero photos in the Lightroom Classic Catalog should not be shown (but may appear if a photo from that folder was in the Catalog, and then moved to another folder). If you are now searching for photos via Keywords, you can just ignore the Folder Panel and leave it alone, that's what I do.
2. To see what is in a folder, click on it in Lightroom Classic.
3. There is no such thing as a "Smart Folder". You may be looking at Smart Collections. Collections are not folders. Collections are simply a "collection" of photos, taken from anywhere in your LightrooM Catalog and any folder, and put together into a unit called a "collection". Smart collections have rules that determine what photos are in the Smart Collection (right-click on a Smart Collection and select Edit Smart Collection to see the rules).

[frankraney130]

So Sorry......I used the word Folders instead of Collections.  I saw no way to edit, and thought it would be caught and understood.  I guess I coiuld have replied to myself as the first reply.

[Rob_Cullen]

No need to be "sorry"- we all had to learn 🙂

Your screen-clip shows the Folder Panel (Not the Collections panel) so that is why I went down that track first.

COLLECTIONS can be changed without affecting your photos in Folders.

You can select and [Delete] photos IN A COLLECTION- they will only be 'removed' from the Collection (not a folder).

You can [Delete] Collections- they will only be 'removed' from the Collection panel.

CAUTION: If you have created any 'Special' collections for Books, Prints, Slideshows, or Smart Collections, etc, you may NOT want to modify or delete these.

[Rob_Cullen · Accepted solution]

The FOLDERS Panel is showing you the actual physical FOLDERS of files that are on your Hard-drive- Do not 'mess' with them unless you understand what you are doing.

This video by Laura Show was made some time ago but is still relevent-

Organize and Manage Your Photos and Folders (Laura Shoe)

You DO NEED FOLDERS!! These contain your photo files.

And a video by Julianne Kost -

http://youtu.be/d-rF5O6kqog

The COLLECTIONS Panel- might look like it contains folders, but the correct terms are 'Collection Sets' that can contain 'Collections of photos' or other Collection Sets. Collections are only lists of photos. ie. References to the photos where they exist in FOLDERS.

http://youtu.be/d-rF5O6kqog

Do not confuse Folders with Collections.

There are only "Smart" Collections.