can watch folders automatically remove files

[daved64766666]

I am considering switching to photoshop elements because Apple Photos wasn't managing my photos the way I want and I was not really using iCloud photos (I am using OneDrive). I have watch folders working with import but not with photos I remove from OneDrive. Is this normal behavior or is there a way to get elements to see that the photos are no longer in the onedrive folder?

[arshla jindal · Accepted solution]

Hi Dave,

Thanks a lot for reaching out to us through Adobe forums.

Please find below the answers to your queries:

I have watch folders working with import but not with photos I remove from OneDrive

Watch folder lets you import the media into Elements Organizer as and when there are any additions to the folder being watched (OneDrive in your case). But it is not possible to do the other way round, i.e. it doesn't automatically remove the files from Organizer in case any deletion of files have been done from outside of Organizer.

is there a way to get elements to see that the photos are no longer in the onedrive folder?

When files are not present at the location from where they were imported then Organizer marks them as missing files. You can filter all such missing files by going to Find menu > All missing files. This would show you all the missing media , which might be either due to location change or due to deletion from location of import, in the grid. You can then manipulate this media to find which one belongs to only your OneDrive.

Tip: Always delete or update the media location from within Organizer to escape running into missing media state. This would also give you an option to remove that media from it's original location along with Organizer.

You can refer to this Watch folder help guide for more information around this :Local files, CDs, DVDs, and video

https://helpx.adobe.com/elements-organizer/using/local-files-cds-dvds-video.html

Hope you this would answer your queries. Please get back in case of any queries.

Thanks,

Arshla

[daved64766666]

thank you very much for your prompt reply. Your answer gave me exactly what I was looking for. It sounds like I could do it, but it would be partially manual.

Thanks

[Michael22924442fqye]

This seems completely ridiculous - what is the rationale for not at least providing the user with an option to remove files which were deleted outside of the program?

[MichelBParis]

This seems completely ridiculous - what is the rationale for not at least providing the user with an option to remove files which were deleted outside of the program?

By @Michael22924442fqye

The rationale is to protect you from the catastrophes resulting from beginners forgetting that the organizer is built on a catalog and a powerful database engine.

The golden rule with assets managers built on catalogs (like Lightroom...) is NEVER to delete, rename or move media files outside of the organizing softwares. Such changes are ignored if you do them outside of the catalog. The result is that you lose the links to your moved/deleted/renamed media files.

If you keep in mind that golden rule and understand what the organizer can do for you based on your catalog, you don't really need the 'watched folders' feature nor the ability to find which files you have lost yourself by not moving/deleting/renaming files from the organizer.

I don't normally use watched folders. Instead of installing a background task, I simply import selecting the folder. The organizer skips the already present files in the catalog. Same process and result as watched folders, but I chose when to do that and I avoid unnecessary background tasks.

If I suspect files have been 'lost' from external tools like the Explorer, I simply do a search for missing files. If I have voluntarily deleted some files for some reason, I do know how to relink them.

If working with catalogs is not your cup of tea, don't go for the organizer, Lightroom or similar.