Error message when migrating photo from photoshop back to lightroom after editing

[Emilie16B8]

Just recently (this week) I have been having issues with the communication between photoshop and lightroom. I usually edit a lightroom photo by having it open up in photoshop, doing the changes, and saving it and closing the picture which sends it automatically back to lightroom for import. Recently, however, I will save a photo on photoshop, close it and lightroom displays the error message "Edit in Photoshop failed. Could not complete the import operation, please try again." Not only does it not import, but any changes I made are not saved, if I try to reopen the file photoshop says file not found. And I cannot locate it anywhere else on my hard drive. Any help would be greatly appreciated, it's killing my work flow! 

( I have current versions of both Photoshop and Lightroom, and have tried switching save locations, and restarting my computer)

[Rob_Cullen]

Statements in your post need explanation-

automatically back to lightroom for import.

What do you mean by "for import".  If you have sent the file to Ps by [Edit in] from LrC, then the "back to Lightroom" will be automatic. Are you by chance, using an 'Export' preset to export to Ps (in the Post Processing panel)?

Could not complete the import operation

Have you changed or updated anything recently?

Have you tried resetting Photoshop Preferences?

Does Photoshop have the File Handling 'Maximize ..file Compatability' option set to 'always'?

have tried switching save locations

This would involve a Ps [Save As] command which does not link any saved file back in the LrC catalog.

By default Ps saves 'derivative' files back to the same folder as the 'parent' file in Lightroom. So how do you "switch save locations"?

Can you [open] and [save] files with Photoshop by NOT using Lightroom at all?

[Emilie16B8]

Sorry, I don't really know the correct terminology.

What I'm saying is yes– the saving is usually automatic upon closing the photoshop tab. However, recently this is unreliable and sometimes after closing the tab it tries to import in LR but instead that error message pops up. (This has been inconsistent, today I've been editing off and on and so far 3 separate times I have run into this issue). No, I am not using an export preset. 

I updated all my software recently. I don't believe the issue resides in any of my settings/preferences because sporadically I run into this problem, whereas within an hour or two later the issue is no longer there (without making any changes to my preferences).

File Handlin compatibility is set to Ask. 

My point with 'changing save locations' is to highlight that even if I were to save my work locally in an attempt to save it from being lost it doesn't show up again if I search for it to reopen in photoshop.

[Rob_Cullen]

"Unreliable, inconsistant"-  Perhaps there are hardware problems like a failing hard-drive or ram memory. Run some diagnostics.

Have you checked the folders where the files are located to check for full Read/Write permissions? (expecially Security permissions for Mac Catalina)

Are your files on a Drive that may be 'sleeping' and needs 'waking up'?

"File Handling compatibility is set to Ask." - I would change that to 'ALWAYS'. You may not be seeing the question to save as compatible! (but I would not expect it to NOT save at all, and you do see some Ps images back in LrC).

Not sure that I can provide more suggestions. Keep asking the question- hopefully you get an answer!