Local storage when using LRCC and Classic

[michaelj60284726]

I started using Lightroom CC last year and was moving along fine but then starting using LRClassic in order to make posting to instagram possible from within the app.

When Classic started sync'ing with LRCC, it duplicated each original into its own Library.

Can I set it up so that they use the same local storage? Not a big fan of two huge libraries eating up disc space (obviously)!

[Jim Wilde · Accepted solution]

No, not possible I'm afraid. But if you're going to use Classic AND LRCC on the same system, why would you want to have LRCC store copies of the originals locally. Turning that option off is the way to avoid that level of local duplication. I work it that way, i.e. Classic maintains all the local images, the cloud maintains the synced originals, and I also use LRCC on a second system (where I do store the originals locally).

[michaelj60284726]

Thanks. I use an attached hard drive to store LRCC originals, and it continues to grow even though I have not ticked the box to store originals locally. Do you know why it doesn't stop at the percentage limit that I've set?

[Jim Wilde]

When you migrate an LR Classic catalog into LRCC, LRCC copies all of the Classic cataloged images to its own location, i.e. migration requires available disk drive space at least equal to the amount of disk space currently in use by LR Classic. Even if the LRCC option to store a copy of originals locally is unchecked, that will not affect this particular behaviour. LRCC must have its own copy of the images whilst the (probably very lengthy) upload to the cloud process completes. Once that upload is done, "smart space management" will be done, which effectively means that the local copies are deleted only as and when required, even if a 25% limit is in force (I would guess that as the free hard drive space comes under pressure, the deletion of the LRCC originals will increase in pace to bring the amount used within that threshold).

The same applies to new imports, e.g. importing existing hard drive images, or importing new images from camera/memory cards. The new imports are copied to the LRCC "space", from where they are uploaded to the cloud, and they will only be deleted as necessary. So yes, even with that option unchecked, it's still possible for the amount of local hard drive space used by LRCC to increase at some points. I don't have that option checked either, but I can see that I still have some local originals from imports that were done months ago. This doesn't concern me at all as the drive itself is large with tons of free space, so from a performance perspective it's to my advantage if some originals are held locally when I choose to open them (I won't have to wait for the original to be downloaded).

A similar process exists on phones and tablets, and so far I haven't yet reached the point where I think that LRCC's "smart space management" has failed me.

[JohanElzenga]

michaelj60284726  wrote

I started using Lightroom CC last year and was moving along fine but then starting using LRClassic in order to make posting to instagram possible from within the app.

When Classic started sync'ing with LRCC, it duplicated each original into its own Library.

Can I set it up so that they use the same local storage? Not a big fan of two huge libraries eating up disc space (obviously)!

As others have said, it's not possible to share the same local storage. However, you can choose to have only one copy on your local disks, as it does not make sense to have two copies. That copy has to be the one in Lightroom Classic, so you have to make sure that Lightroom CC does not store any copies locally. To do that go to the preferences of Lightroom CC and choose 'Local Storage'. Set the amount of disk space that Lightroom CC can use to zero percent and uncheck both options below that. That should do it.

[michaelj60284726]

That makes sense. I gave it a couple days after setting the percentage to zero, but my Lightroom library remains on my hard drive. I really don't want two copies on my HD! Any other ideas? What would happen if I manually trashed the files in the finder? It doesn't sound like a good idea, but I would still have the Classic library, unless the app decided that because it doesn't see the CC library it should delete them also.

[JohanElzenga]

michaelj60284726  wrote

That makes sense. I gave it a couple days after setting the percentage to zero, but my Lightroom library remains on my hard drive. I really don't want two copies on my HD! Any other ideas? What would happen if I manually trashed the files in the finder? It doesn't sound like a good idea, but I would still have the Classic library, unless the app decided that because it doesn't see the CC library it should delete them also.

Your Lightroom Library will always remain. It contains more than just locally stored originals. It is a local cache with previews, to make sure that all your images are visible right after you start the program. If you didn't have any local library at all, Lightroom CC would become very slow and even unusable when there was any problem with your internet connection.

[michaelj60284726]

I have now two local libraries that are identical and very large. It doesn't make any sense at all especially when the two programs are sync'ed to my cloud storage. I first started using CC and that's where I do my importing. I use classic to make uploading to instagram easier. I much prefer editing in CC. I guess my only solution is to dump Classic and delete its library and just manually do the instagram thing. Too bad there is no other solution for me.

[Jim Wilde]

Unless this behaviour is actually causing you problems managing disk space, does it really matter? If you are doing your importing and editing using LRCC it'll be a challenge to keep the amount of space using by LRCC for originals down to a low amount. And would you want that? If the originals are held locally then performance is obviously going to be much better than if you had to wait for it to download from the cloud everytime to want to edit an image.

There's nothing stopping you from deleting the entire local LRCC library (LRCC will rebuild it on next launch, but shouldn't download any originals if the local copy setting is unchecked), but next import or next time you select an existing image to view it at 1:1 then some originals will start to be stored locally again.

Where are the LRCC originals being stored? In the default local library on the system drive, or on a separate drive? That percentage space value I suspect only applies to the system drive, but I could be wrong about that.

[michaelj60284726]

I don't think you understand. I definitely want all my originals locally. I just don't want them locally twice, which is the case since I installed LRClassic. I meant deleting the Classic library AND the application, since using the application doubles the amount of storage I need.

[Jim Wilde]

No, I do understand that you don't want two local copies of the images, but the only way to guarantee only one local copy of the full image library would be to stop using one of the two applications. Classic will always keep a full set of the images locally, whereas LRCC will keep some part of the complete image library, which will fluctuate over time.  It sounds as though your use of LR Classic is specifically for just one feature, in which case that would be the logical thing to delete.

I wouldn't personally do that, but it's your system, your choice.