Lightroom Data Management Question

NorthernNikon

NorthernNikon

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Barney
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This may be quite a dumb question, but I'll happily put my hand up to being fick, innit, but ...

... how do I change the location of a RAW file without affecting Lightroom's ability to find it?

The reason for asking is that when I first started using Lightroom, I set up three folders, Family, Projects and Comedy to store my RAW files. Under Family I then set up sub folders for each month but since I've started usign Lightroom I realise that this wasn''t necessary and in fact I should simple store all my family shots in the folder Family. How can I transfer the files with the monthly sub folders into the main folder without having to delete from catalog (sic) and re import?
 
Simple.

Open grid view, then have your folders visible on the left, then drag the shots you require to new folders, ala explorer

Doing it this way moves them on disk. You can then delete the old folders :)
 
Marcel, you're a star. And there's me hunting high and low in the menus! Brilliant, looks like tonight won't be completely wasted afterall. Thanks.
 
Marcel,

Thank you for the input on this :thumbs:, as I have been wondering about this for a while too! That sure is simple, now thinking about it!


NorthernNikon,

Thank you for posting this question ... rest assured you're not the only one out there who couldn't figureout something so simple.
 
If you work on files, it works ont he files on disk, however, if you simple try and delete populated folders, then it only works on the catalogue for some reason.
 
Ah, it seems that I have a problem. When I first got a digital camera it was set to reset the file name allocation ever whenever. Thus I have a fair few duplicate file names. What's the easiest way of doing batch file renaming within Lightroom eg changing DSC_0001 to Family_000001 ?
 
In Library select the files you want to rename. Press F2 puts you onto rename mode... Loads of option
 
Thanks for that. I've already decided to go back to square one. I've removed all my shots from the catalog (sic) and am now going through the process of putting them into one folder in Windows Explorer. The problem I'm haivng is that I've just discovered that the D300 has labelled all its files with the same prefix as the D70s. For some reason I presumed they'd be different! :bang:
 
you can change the fist three letters of the file name in the camera for all future shots. So you could make each body write a different 3 letters. I use:

AW1_ AW2_ AW3_ for each of my 3 bodies.
 
Thanks, I'm going to have to do that.

I'm now coming across the issue that my D70s has gone around the clock. :bang::bang::bang:

My only consolation is that once it's sorted it'll make life a whole load easier.
 
I use CKrename if i need to mass rename stuff, THEN import into lightroom.
 
It depends how many shots you've got stored but I would advise against just having one big single folder database in LR as it does tend to slow it down quite a bit. Importing new shots will be compared to existing shots, searches take longer and so on.

I go a step further and run separate databases eg, Commercial, Race, Personal, Events, etc.
 
pxl8 said:
It depends how many shots you've got stored but I would advise against just having one big single folder database in LR as it does tend to slow it down quite a bit. Importing new shots will be compared to existing shots, searches take longer and so on.

I go a step further and run separate databases eg, Commercial, Race, Personal, Events, etc.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of seperate databases, thank you for mentioning this .... as my image library is getting way too big, even though I have it nicely structured but you suggested way would make it even better ... :clap: thank you :)
 
It's really easy to split a single database into separate ones as well, you can just select folders or whatever and export them as a new db, untick the option to copy the raw files to save on duplication and job done :thumbs:
 
When you import the images, in the "Import" dialogue box you have the opportunity to change file names, so if you've 3 cameras you can get LR to add the prefix as it imports
 
pxl8 said:
I go a step further and run separate databases eg, Commercial, Race, Personal, Events, etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was already going down that route. It's just all the files for my Personal folder. I'm also going to have folders for Comedy, Music, Sport, Stock, Portraits, Landscapes and Events.
 
Marcel said:
Mustn't have bent over far enough at the York meet. I'll make sure you catch a glimpse of my applecatchers next time :D :lol:
Click to expand...

Listen, you won't be too upset if I don't take you up on your offer will you? ;)

Also, thanks for the CKRename tip, but the fundamental flaw I found with it is that it will only rename in current filename order. I wanted to rename in created date order but a quick look on Goole found this. Bulk Rename Utility It looks horrendously complicated at first, but once you've played around with it it's actually relatively straight forward, and brilliantly allows you to start number at 00001 to maintain the numerical order of your files.
 
Have you thought of doing this? I just rename all my files in lightroom by choosing Date-Filename. This then labels file for example 20080518-DSC0009.jpg. You don't get any duplicates and its so easy to find your files by date order, and they can also then be sorted into each category by date order. If there is a problem with having two different cameras with same file name then just create a custom suffix for the file name.
 
I use Breeze System's Downloader Pro to copy shot off the card.

As it does, it puts them into folders for me, with todays date. Asks me for the name first, so for example today I'll start DL Pro, and type in "Windfarm", then click "go", it will download all my shots from the card to "05.18 Windfarm", and rename all the files to 080518_9999.cr2 (the 9999 being the original image number given by the camera)

I then just open Lightroom and import that folder into the catalogue.
 
As mentioned above you can rename files as you import them with the standard Lightroom import dialogue.

Also when I move files I either do it in Lightroom, or in finder(/exlorer) then point Lightroom to the new location when it says that there are broken links, if the images are still in the smae positions relative to eachother you will only need to do this for one image.
 
Craikeybaby said:
As mentioned above you can rename files as you import them with the standard Lightroom import dialogue.
Click to expand...

Yes you can, but as far as I've tried to can't start numbering at Photo-00001, which is it starts at Photo-1 means that Photo-11 will come before Photo-2.
 
Ahh, I've not come across that as I just sort by capture time...
 
NorthernNikon said:
Yes you can, but as far as I've tried to can't start numbering at Photo-00001, which is it starts at Photo-1 means that Photo-11 will come before Photo-2.
Click to expand...

In the import window go to the panel for editing the format and click on the drop down for sequence and you can select the number of leading zeros.
 
pxl8 said:
In the import window go to the panel for editing the format and click on the drop down for sequence and you can select the number of leading zeros.
Click to expand...

Oooh ta! I did tink that it was a bit daft that it didn't allow you to add the preceding noughts.
 
pxl8 said:
In the import window go to the panel for editing the format and click on the drop down for sequence and you can select the number of leading zeros.
Click to expand...

Right, now I've found out how to do this on import, but the problem I'm having with my last import as I forgot to rename them at the time is that now I can't seem to set the renaming sequence to start at 05711 rather than 5711. Anyone any ideas?

EDIT - Scratch that, I've figured it out, just using the same process as with the Import edit function.
 
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