How to convert collections to folders?

[Rogner]

I would like to know how to convert collections synced from Lightroom Web to a normal folder on the disk so that it gets the same name on the disk as the name of the collection? So that I can then delete the collection and album from Lightroom Web? Thank you.

[john beardsworth]

There's no automatic way. You'll have to do it manually.

[Rogner]

How can I do this? Normally drag to Folders?

[dj_paige]

If you are using Lightroom Classic (which you did not say you were), there is Jeffrey Friedl's Folder Publisher plugin, but that produces exported photos in folders that match collections.

[Rogner]

And there is no other option? I thought that when I take photos on the go, I will import them into the Album in LR Web in iPad, edit them, synchronize them in LR Classic, and then move them from the Collections in Lightroom Classic to the normal folders on the computer...

[dj_paige]

Correction to my earlier post: it's called the Collection Publisher.

I don't know of any other way to do what you want, other than, as stated above by @john beardsworth , do it manually.

[Rogner]

OK, and if I have synced photos in Collections in LR Classic, can I delete them on the iPad in LR Web?

[john beardsworth]

OK, and if I have synced photos in Collections in LR Classic, can I delete them on the iPad in LR Web?

By @Rogner

Do it in LrClassic by removing them from All Synced Photos or by deleting the collection after moving the photos.

This is less work than checking between LrC and iPad/LrWeb before you delete them, and is less risky.

[john beardsworth]

Moving photos into folders has to be done manually, especially if you are doing something arbitrary like making folders match collections.

But you can tell LrC to sync new photos into specific date-based folders - this is in Preferences - and generally date-based folders are best.

[Conrad C]

And there is no other option? I thought that when I take photos on the go, I will import them into the Album in LR Web in iPad, edit them, synchronize them in LR Classic, and then move them from the Collections in Lightroom Classic to the normal folders on the computer...

By @Rogner

When you take photos on the go and add them to the mobile or web version of Lightroom, the originals are stored in Lightroom Photos in the cloud, and then when you connect a Lightroom Classic catalog to that, Lightroom Classic downloads the originals to the local folder location that is set up in Lightroom Sync settings, (A) in the picture below. The exact folder they end up with depends on which folder organization setting is set up in those settings (B). If you want to control which folders the synced images end up in, this is the way.

Because they are already in folders according to the settings above, there is no further conversion of folders. However, an Album in cloud Lightroom equals a Collection in Lightroom Classic, so if those photos were also part of an Album in cloud Lightroom, you will already find that replicated as a Collection in Lightroom Classic.

Here is the big problem with the concept of “I want to convert collections to folders.” They are technically not the same thing! A folder is a specific location in a specific file system. But a collection is just a list of references, like a music playlist; it does not include actual files but only a list of files. One advantage of this is one image can be a member of multiple collections, and a collection can contain images from multiple folders. Those features cannot be reconciled with folders, because a file system folder cannot contains files from other folders, and one image can exist in only one folder. (You can sort of but not completely get around that using shortcuts/aliases.)

If your goal is to preserve any organization you had in web/mobile Lightroom, use Albums in web/mobile Lightroom to organize them, and then in Lightroom Classic, work with the Collections converted from those Albums.

If your goal is to organize synced images downloaded to a Lightroom Classic catalog, change the sync location in the settings above, or use the Folders panel manually drag them from their download folders to the folders you want.

[Rogner]

Thank you very much! I understand. What should I do if I need to free up space in LR Web and keep synced files in LR Classic?

[Conrad C]

Thank you very much! I understand. What should I do if I need to free up space in LR Web and keep synced files in LR Classic?

By @Rogner

John Beardsworth’s earlier reply covers that: “Do it in LrClassic by removing them from All Synced Photos or by deleting the collection after moving the photos.”

If you delete a photo from the All Synced Photos auto collection (in the Catalog panel), the original disappears from the cloud but stays on your computer. Because Lightroom Classic is designed to store originals locally. Any time it touches an original in the Lightroom cloud, it downloads a copy of it to local storage.

[Rogner]

Thank you. Where are changes made to files synced with LR Web located? In the library Lr? Or in XMP files somewhere?
And one more thing - can I rename the subfolder where the files are stored that is named by date?

[john beardsworth]

Thank you. Where are changes made to files synced with LR Web located? In the library Lr? Or in XMP files somewhere?

By @Rogner

In the catalogue ("library").

And one more thing - can I rename the subfolder where the files are stored that is named by date?

By @Rogner

Yes. Prefixing the folder name with the date (in something like YYYYMMDD format) is good practice.

[Lumigraphics]

Create a new folder on your disk, drag the entire collection to the folder in Lightroom. The photos will copy to your drive.

[Rogner]

And what should I do then? Add them to LR Classic? Will the changes I made on the iPad also be added to those photos? Does LR Classic recognize these photos?