How do you use Lightroom Classic in combination with Lightroom CC

[HH-]

I know there was some threads regarding workflow with using both Classic and CC, but I still can't find the  answer that seems logic to me.

I want to use both Classic on my computer, and CC on my iPad and iPhone. I want to have the originals on both my computer and Creative Cloud. If I continue using my current Classic catalogue and just turn "Sync", CC will have only Smart Previews synced, but not the originals. If I migrate all my photos from Classic to CC and turn on "Sync", I'll have duplicates in both catalogs.

Importing - by default, when importing photos into Classic, it creates folders. Those folders aren't synced with CC. If I import photos into CC from my iPad, it will create collections, and therefore the collection will be synced with Classic, but won't create folder. So, I'll end up having some collections and some folders, but none of the structures won't be complete.

Also importing - when I import from computer into Classic, it will create folder on the hard drive with the raw files. If I import them into iPad and let Classic on the computer sync those images, they'll end up in the "Mobile Downloads.lrdata" file. Therefore I won't also have the complete folder structure with all photos on my hard drive because some will be into that locked Mobile Downloads.lrdata file.

Am I missing something, or this is the workflow? Does it make sense at all doing what I'm trying to do - having whole catalogs with originals accross all devices?

[john beardsworth]

You're broadly right.

As you want to use Classic Lightroom, rather than Cloudy, and want originals everywhere through the LR world, then you'd have to import them into a mobile version of LR (the iOS, Android or Cloudy). But that Mobile Downloads.lrdata is only the default download folder. To choose where photos go, right click a folder and set it as the sync folder.

Do you really want access to originals on your iPhone and iPad? Have you enough Adobe cloud space? Remember that syncing smart previews doesn't use any of your allocation, but raw files will do so.