Sync Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC (filenames and sidecar files)

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
October 27, 2018
1 reply
973 views

Dear Lightroom community,

while i really like the new lightroom cc, some functionality is still missing. But maybe some functionality could be achived via lightroom classic as a supplematary helper tool. If I import all images via cloudbased lightroom cc and then sync to lightroom classic

1) will sidecar files be synced to lightroom classic? Or at least will I be able to generate the corresponding sidecar files with lightroom classic? What this would do, it would provide the means to backup all originals and the corresponding edits

2) If I rename a synced file within lightroom classic, will this also change the cloud based lightroom cc filename? (file rename is not yet possible within lightroom cc)

Perhaps someone who is using both classic and cloud based lightroom together could give it a try?

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Jim Wilde

1) Sidecar files are not automatically generated when an image is synced into LR Classic from the cloud. Although it's not actually needed for backup purposes (just backing up the catalog would suffice, as that's the primary place the edits are stored in Classic), you can of course create them yourself, either by Ctrl+S or by setting the catalog setting to "Automatically save changes to XMP".

2. Yes, rename a synced file in Classic and the name change will sync to the cloud and thus into LRCC.

Jim Wilde

Correct answer

Community Expert

1) Sidecar files are not automatically generated when an image is synced into LR Classic from the cloud. Although it's not actually needed for backup purposes (just backing up the catalog would suffice, as that's the primary place the edits are stored in Classic), you can of course create them yourself, either by Ctrl+S or by setting the catalog setting to "Automatically save changes to XMP".

2. Yes, rename a synced file in Classic and the name change will sync to the cloud and thus into LRCC.

D0naldAuthor

Inspiring

Jim, great, thank you very much for your answer!! This would solve my two greatest problems with Lightroom CC: Backup of the cloud (i.e. originals + edits) and file renaming (could work around it with exporting, renaming and reimporting, but this is cumbersome).

Unfortunately that would double my subscription costs (Lightroom classic plus Lightroom CC). I know you can store your originals locally with Lightroom CC, but by any chance, do you know any other way to also store your edits (sidecar .xmp / catalog) locally with Lightroom CC, so you could make a backup? The workaround via syncing to Lightroom Classic is the only way I came up with.

D0naldAuthor

Inspiring

D0nald wrote
I know you can store your originals locally with Lightroom CC, but by any chance, do you know any other way to also store your edits (sidecar .xmp / catalog) locally with Lightroom CC, so you could make a backup?

There is none. And once the original is up in the cloud, any locally-stored file is not really important as far as LRCC is concerned.

Dear John,

thank you for your answer! I thought so too. For me it is very important to have a local backup of my originals AND my edits. I do not want to be in a situation where I have to do my edits all over again if something happens to my pictures in the cloud and be it due to user error.

Therefore I think I will also subscribe to Lightroom Classic for the time being, so I can backup my originals and my edits until Adobe provides a better method for backups. Adobe could e.g. enhance their „Lightroom Downloader“ tool, so it would also generate and write out sidecar files for every picture.

I am pretty sure Adobe will provide better means for LRCC backups, once enough users lost their edits by accident. Unfortunately backups and trashcan functionality are not so flashy features like face recognition, but I dont know about you, but for me my pictures are important enough, that these are essential features for me.

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