Duplicates uploaded images from external drive.

[Errol Heywood]

I recently changed my AdobeCreative Cloud type from LR+PS+20Gb of Cloud data to just LR+1Tb of Cloud data with the intention of going completely online with my post-processing and image library. (I did have Lightroom Classic installed on my laptop but as this was no longer accessible to me after I changed CC plans I deleted it from my hadr drive).

I then added images from an external drive using the 'File/Add Photos' menu option and waited for them to load into LR. Later in the session I then closed LR and disconnected the external drive.

However, the next time I connected my external drive and opened LR I find that I have several duplicates of each image. I have tried deleting the duplicates usingthe  'RightClick/Delete Photo' menu option but this just seems to make the problem even worse with even more duplicates appearing.

Factors that may affect why this happening

 - 'Syncing' the images between LR and the external drive seems to take forever - about 50 images/hr - when I have uploaded thousands and so the Syncing never finishes before I close LR at the end of session and disconnect the drive.

 - I have two external drives with each drive having images uploaded to Adobe Cloud, but usually only connect one drive at a time during each editing session,

I have two questions:-

1. Is my duplication problem caused by shutting down LR and disconnecting the external drive before all images have been fully synced? (If it is, that is a game changes for me because the syncing takes so much time I can't possible wait for it to complete after each session.)

2. How can I effectively delete the deleted images I have already accumulated.

[F. McLion]

Have the same images been imported to LrC before your change of plans and have been in collections that have been synced to the cloud?

[Errol Heywood]

No. They were only added once I changed plans.

[F. McLion]

I don't get your workflow. If using LR (not LrC !) you actually don't need any local drive for the images - except for backup purpose of course and as a cache while working/importing.

All images imported are directly stored to the cloud.

What do you mean with syncing with the external drive after a session?

Are you saving local copies or smart previews of all photos? What is the path set for these?

[Errol Heywood]

It used to be called Lightroom CC. Forgive me if I fail to keep up with Adobe's latest naming convention ...

All my originals are stored on external drives as I used to edit all images locally on my Mac. In fact, I think part of the problem is that my upload speeds are so slow it takes forever to upload images to the cloud. Whenever LR is open I have the blue circle showing that it is trying to synchronise with my external drive.

No, I dont save any local copies.

I have attached a screenshot showing my storage settings for LR. 'Other' is the volume name of one of  my external drives.

[F. McLion]

According to your screenshot, you are using Lightroom (plain and simple, only Lightroom).

This is cloud based. Originals are stored in the cloud as soon as you import them. Except for backup purpose, the local external HD is not needed after import and upload to the cloud.

You also don't have checked to store local copies or smart previews.

That said, after import and initial upload, there is no local drive needed. Any synchronization is for working data, caching and so on, not for images.

You can't store and edit locally with the cloud based Lightroom. If you want to store and work locally, then Lightroom Classic (local, catalog based) is the version you want to use.

[Errol Heywood]

According to your screenshot, you are using Lightroom (plain and simple, only Lightroom).

This is cloud based. Originals are stored in the cloud as soon as you import them. Except for backup purpose, the local external HD is not needed after import and upload to the cloud.

 - Understood 

You also don't have checked to store local copies or smart previews.

 - I do not wish to store local copies or smart previews, which is why I have not checked the boxes.

That said, after import and initial upload, there is no local drive needed. Any synchronization is for working data, caching and so on, not for images.

 - Nevertheless LR requests that I attach my external drive to complete synchronisation. I presumed this was becasue the images had not finished uploading to the cloud?

You can't store and edit locally with the cloud based Lightroom. If you want to store and work locally, then Lightroom Classic (local, catalog based) is the version you want to use.

- That was never my intention. 

[F. McLion]

That said, after import and initial upload, there is no local drive needed. Any synchronization is for working data, caching and so on, not for images.

 - Nevertheless LR requests that I attach my external drive to complete synchronisation. I presumed this was becasue the images had not finished uploading to the cloud?

That seems to be the case. You can see the synchronization status on the cloud symbol in the top right corner of Lightroom.

[F. McLion]

Read the section Local Storage Preferences:

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/using/preferences.html

Originals are always backed up to the cloud. You have the options to store a copy of all originals and smart previews on your computer’s hard drive as well. 

Also, look here for the comparison:

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom-classic/lightroom-cc-vs-lightroom-classic.html

[Errol Heywood]

Thank you for the links. I have read through both more than once.

Thank you also for trying to help but neither of your posts above explain why I  am getting duplicates in LR. 

[Jim Wilde]

Factors that may affect why this happening

 - 'Syncing' the images between LR and the external drive seems to take forever - about 50 images/hr - when I have uploaded thousands and so the Syncing never finishes before I close LR at the end of session and disconnect the drive.

 - I have two external drives with each drive having images uploaded to Adobe Cloud, but usually only connect one drive at a time during each editing session,

This part of your issue is something I don't understand. When you import images to the Lightroom desktop app they are first copied from whatever source you are using (camera card or other hard drive) and stored in the location specified for originals files in the Lightroom Preferences>Local Storage tab. From that location, Lightroom syncs the images to the cloud. Once synced to the cloud that local copy becomes eligible for deletion at some future time (in accordance with some apparently complex rules). If no location is specified by the user then the default location is used, which is inside the Lightroom Library.lrlibrary package in the user Pictures fiolder.

However, only one location can be used (though it can obviously be changed in preferences), so I really don't understand the comment that you've made about having two drives in use, each having images uploaded to the cloud. Could you explain what you mean by that?