Network USB Drive

[Guest]

New to PSE, just downloaded and installed v15 this week. My goal is to keep all photos and media on a 1 TB External USB HDD connected to the USB port on my home router. This is the current setup and works fine from my Win10, Chromebook, and Tab A. The issue now is that when I import media in PSE 15 Organizer it wants to make a local copy on the Win10 machine where I have it installed. This is not what I want as I want the media to be available across all devices, however I do NOT need the catalog or whatever it's called that is making the links to the photos available to other machines only the originals. I read the below:

When you import a media file from a folder saved in the hard drive of your machine, Elements Organizer creates a link to the media file in a catalog. It does not copy or move the original image unless you specify it. You can import media files from a CD, DVD, or device such as a scanner, camera, card reader, or phone. By default, Elements Organizer first copies the media file into a folder on your hard disk and then creates a link to that copy.

So we cover media imported from local disk, we cover media imported by removable, but no mention of network connected drives. It says above by default it copies the media file and created a link, that suggests that it can be changed to not copy but simply create the link. However when I go to import from the mapped drive in Win10 for example the option to make a copy is already unchecked and grayed out/unavailable. So this now suggests that this is the only method for importing media on network drives. I'm hoping this isn't the case as I will not purchase the product until I figure out a way to make this work, to which I have a few ideas however Adobe really needs to get with the times and simply add this support if nonexistent, its just an attached drive shouldn't be that difficult.

So bottom can anyone tell me if the above observation is correct or if I'm missing something?

Thanks!

[MichelBParis]

I do NOT need the catalog or whatever it's called that is making the links to the photos available to other machines only the originals.

In my humble opinion, if you don't what to catalog your images, I do not see why you need the organizer?

Adobe really needs to get with the times and simply add this support if

nonexistent, its just an attached drive shouldn't be that difficult.

Well, the organizer has never been created to work with a network, although many manage  to do that. I can't help you because contrary to what you say, I think that using networks to share with Elements is becoming more and more obsolete. Yes, that does not please IT specialists wanting to be the boss and network administrator in their family, but just ask their children if they don't prefer sharing on the Web with their smartphones.

Are you wanting to download your images from your card/camera directly copying them to the attached network USB drive?

You don't need the organizer for that. As explained in your reading, 'import' can mean two different processes. You are supposed to download (copy) the files if you are using removable drives, then to catalog them. If you are downloading from a hard disk, internal or external, there is no download, only the cataloguing. I don't know if and why you can't download from card directly to the network external drive, but you can download from your OS? And if the cataloguing is not necessary, why bother? But perhaps you only mean you don't want to make the catalog accessible to all network users, only for you? Or ?

[Guest]

First thanks for the reply/comment MichelBParis.

In my humble opinion, if you don't what to catalog your images, I do not see why you need the organizer?

I do want to catalog, I simply don't need that catalog available on any additional machines. I do however want the media/pictures to be available from all devices.

Well, the organizer has never been created to work with a network, although many manage  to do that. I can't help you because contrary to what you say, I think that using networks to share with Elements is becoming more and more obsolete.

Fair in the world of PSE but I would disagree that common shared available network locations are obsolete in the bigger picture. Things like home cloud, media servers, home network storage are examples of techs that are becoming easier to implement and cost effective for consumers. That is why I don't understand why PSE15 hasn't made an effort to support it.

Are you wanting to download your images from your card/camera directly copying them to the attached network USB drive?

I don't know if and why you can't download from card directly to the network external drive, but you can download from your OS?

I currently do this without issue, that is not the hang up when using PSE. I can move files from external media like tablets phones SD card etc, direct to the network drive without issue.

And if the cataloguing is not necessary, why bother? But perhaps you only mean you don't want to make the catalog accessible to all network users, only for you? Or ?

This is correct that catalog does not need to be something that is available to all network users. However the media itself needs to be. Right now PSE makes a copy on the machine that I have it installed on, leaving me with a copy on my local drive and one on the network drive. Clearly inefficient and confusing to manage 2 sets of photos. I have it on the network drive for 2 reasons, to make available to other devices and apps on the network, and to conserve space on the SSD that is on the laptop running PSE 15. With pictures over 10 years, some in RAW, video etc. I prefer not to fill up and waste expensive SSD real estate when I have 1.5 TB sitting out on the network. I just don't understand why it needs to make a copy, when you say it won't for things like a local external drive. Does the make more sense? I was probably a little vague/confusing the first explanation.

Thanks again!

[MichelBParis]

I just don't understand why it needs to make a copy, when you say it won't for things like a local external drive

Unfortunately, I can't help you there (I don't have a network). I think that other users did manage to use the downloader to get files from camera or card reader directly to a preferred location on your network. Anyway, I am almost sure that they can create a catalog to 'get' files from files and folders already present on the network. The catalog should be on the local drive but it can reference the files on your network. Recent posts mention some difficulties, especially speed problems. That's why it has been suggested to work with your library on your local drive, and to use use the network as a backup or a 'synced' drive accessible to other users without the catalog.

Since you have a small internal SSD drive, could you test if you can transfer your files from card to the network from your OS and then 'Get' files from files and folders into your catalog?

Or perhaps use a very affordable and small USB3 drive as the normal location of your library, with a process to sync the library to the network? That would also act as a backup, even if you have other backup solutions.