Please help- Lightroom is adding subfolders on import - why?

Dem55

Dem55

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Lorraine
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I'm very new to lightroom, so apologies if this is a stupid question. I generally file my photos by location, then into a subfolder for the date they were taken, eg (drive)\Newcastle\21.05.14. I haven't had any problem with this in PSE, but lightroom is driving me crazy as I can't get it to follow this. When I'm importing, I specify the file path as usual, but once it finishes the import, this is not the folder hierarchy shown in the Lightroom catalogue. For example, I've tried to import this morning and it's just putting them into a 2014 folder - I don't know why?

Also, when I look on the hard drive, it has put the images into the correct locationfolder, but then it has added two subfolders all off its own bat - eg today's batch should have been saved to Edinburgh/29.05.15, however, on the hard drive the file path is: Edinburgh/29.05.14/2014/2014-05-29. :mad:

I've had three tries at this and the esame thing happens - why??

Is there a way to get it to create the folders as I've named them? I'll never be able to find stuff otherwise

Cheers
 
Yup, in the import screen down the left hand side (maximise this if you have it minimised) will give you all the options.
 
Hi Stevie,

Thanks for your reply. I'm still not sure I understand, it's creating additional folders for some reason. I imported a set of photos yeaterday and the library has two copies of each - one in a subfolder that lightroom created off its own bat. It's also adding two subfolders onto my hard drive every time I try to import, even though I've specified the folder names and path on the rhs when I do the import.

I'd like to stop it creating these additional folders but I don't know how.

Also, once the photos are actually into lightroom, I'm having to rename every folder as LR is just adding a new "2014" folder on each import, rather than using the name I've specified - surely I shouldn't need to do this to have them labelled the way I want?
 
You need to change your import options. By the sounds of it you need to Click the 'Add' option at the top of the dialog. That'll add them to the catalog without moving them
 
There should be a tick box that will stop it adding date sub folders.

I'm out just now but if you don't get it figured out by the time I get in I'll send a screen grab.
 
Thanks all for replying.

I think I've worked it out (mainly) now. I didn't realise that LR had a default to file by date, so I've changed that and it seems to have imported them ok this time.

I have been copying them to a portable hard drive at the same time, but that has worked fine, it was just the first filepath I couldn't work out - if that makes sense. Anyway, hopefully that should be problem solved.

Thanks again for all your help :)

No doubt this won't be the only thing I get stuck with!
 
If you you look on the right hand panel at the top you've got "Make a 2nd Copy to" option check that this is unticked

In the Destination box, you can select the Folder you want it to go to. You can then choose how to organise it. Either by date, in which LR will create the date Folder automatically or "Into One Folder" where it goes wherever you put it.

So your options for the above would be either

  1. Select Destination Folder :/Edinburgh
  2. Select Organise by date:
  3. File would be saved as Edinburgh/29-5-14/<filename> (you can also choose how the date is formatted
Alternative would be:
  1. Select Destination Folder :/Edinburgh/29.05.14
  2. Select Organise into One Folder
  3. File would be saved as :/Edinburgh/29.05.14/<filename>
The choice is yours, Personally I use the first option.
 
boyfalldown said:
You need to change your import options. By the sounds of it you need to Click the 'Add' option at the top of the dialog. That'll add them to the catalog without moving them
Click to expand...

Agree, looks like you have MOVE or COPY selected at the top of the import screen.
 
Last edited:
Thanks again Chris and Mike (sorry, I've only just found your replies).

I do have make a second copy ticked - I copy the files to another portable drive. Oddly enough, it files the second copy exactly as I want the origianl to be filed (if that makes sense), with no additional subfolders.

I think I've got the first save working as I want it now - fingers crossed! If all else fails, I'll just save the files onto the hard drive and them import into LR from there, but I was trying to use the program to organise the files, as I think that's what it's designed for.

Thanks again for all your help
 
I'm not sure if this helps but this is how My import screen looks.
14357993041_97cae75259_b.jpg
 
Thanks Stevie,

Is that all one import? Can I ask - do you import straight from your camera/memory card, or do you save the files to your hard drive then import from there?

I like the rename files using a shoot name - that might work for me. Though I only recently bought LR, I've got loads of images wwhich I might import once I know my way around better. In the past i've always filed into a folder named for where they were taken, then into subfolders by date. The photos I've imported into LR are my most recent ones and I was trying to follow the same folder pattern because I can find things easily that way, I'd never be able to find stuff if I save by date (even with keywords). I'm trying to make sure I'm comfortable with how it files the imports before I start putting more images into LR.

I think where I'm getting it wrong is choosing the subfolder - I can see the drive you've chosen on the screenshot, further down where it says Destination and you've entered a subfolder name (Holy Family), once it imports into that folder, does LR then create a further subfolder?

I've watched quite a few tutorials on You Tube and they're great up to a point, but they don't answer everything.
 
Have you tried the Adobe tutorials, Julieanne Kost is the one that I found to be very good.

Cliff
 
Nikonuser2 said:
Have you tried the Adobe tutorials, Julieanne Kost is the one that I found to be very good.

Cliff
Click to expand...

Thanks Cliff. I have seen the Julieanne Kost tutorial, (but I got interrupted before the end).

I did start out as most of the tutorials suggst, importing from my memory card as .dng files, but ended up with a load of extra subfolders. I've gone back to the way I've used for photoshop, which is copying the files onto the hard drive from the memory card, then importing into LR from there. I don't think that's the way it's meant to work, but it means I'm not getting loas of empty folders. Because I have my images organised into folders by location I've not really needed to tag them in order to find them afterwards.
 
Dem55 said:
Thanks Stevie,

Is that all one import? Can I ask - do you import straight from your camera/memory card, or do you save the files to your hard drive then import from there?

I like the rename files using a shoot name - that might work for me. Though I only recently bought LR, I've got loads of images wwhich I might import once I know my way around better. In the past i've always filed into a folder named for where they were taken, then into subfolders by date. The photos I've imported into LR are my most recent ones and I was trying to follow the same folder pattern because I can find things easily that way, I'd never be able to find stuff if I save by date (even with keywords). I'm trying to make sure I'm comfortable with how it files the imports before I start putting more images into LR.

I think where I'm getting it wrong is choosing the subfolder - I can see the drive you've chosen on the screenshot, further down where it says Destination and you've entered a subfolder name (Holy Family), once it imports into that folder, does LR then create a further subfolder?

I've watched quite a few tutorials on You Tube and they're great up to a point, but they don't answer everything.
Click to expand...


All one import - Where it says "organize by date" below the subfolder change that to Into one folder and your issue should be resolved. (I keep it incase I get confused)
 
Stevie- said:
All one import - Where it says "organize by date" below the subfolder change that to Into one folder and your issue should be resolved. (I keep it incase I get confused)
Click to expand...

Thanks Stevie, I'll give that a shot next time I import :)

I notice you've ticked rename files, then specified a shoot name (Holy Family). That's what I'm aiming for, but with the shoot name as the folder nam, if that makes sense.
 
Last edited:
yep

I have the Catalogue name say, Shootxyz

Then rename files shootxyz-original camera file name

And the raw files are imported to the file on a hard drive Shootxyz

I leave the date folders inside this new folder as it makes it easy for me to track down mistakes in the naming process (when I was shooting 8-10 shoots a day it can happen)
 
Dem55 said:
Thanks Cliff. I have seen the Julieanne Kost tutorial, (but I got interrupted before the end).

I did start out as most of the tutorials suggst, importing from my memory card as .dng files, but ended up with a load of extra subfolders. I've gone back to the way I've used for photoshop, which is copying the files onto the hard drive from the memory card, then importing into LR from there. I don't think that's the way it's meant to work, but it means I'm not getting loas of empty folders. Because I have my images organised into folders by location I've not really needed to tag them in order to find them afterwards.
Click to expand...

That's how I have always imported them.

Thus all your Lightroom folders will be as you are used to and all you need to do is add some keywords or metadata presets.
 
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