Toronto Photography Meetup Group

I just re-installed my OS, and reimported by LR catalog. For some reason, one of the folders didn't show up (it's there physically on the HDD and was also in the catalog before I re-installed). So I tried to Import the files in there into LR, but it said that the files "already exist in the catalog". Then it makes an "Already in Catalog" collection in the catalog with the "missing" photos in them, and the folder that they are supposed to be in is still empty. Anyone know how I can put the photos back in their proper spot in the catalog?

Thanks!

Try erasing those photos out of lightroom (but do not delete from disk) then try re-importing the photos.

Will I lose the metadata if I do that?

Your meta data should remain intact as they are on the image files themselves. Just check your import settings before you import them back into Lightroom.

PS: The only addition LR does is with the basic info about job number, creator etc etc but not the actual technical data ie lens, camera etc.

hm.... does anyone know what IS stored in the LR library file about each photo? for example.... geo-tagging.... is it added to the images themselves or the library file? (I haven't actually started geo-tagging anything yet so if this question doesn't make sense ignore it)

all lightroom adjustment data is stored in sidecar files as far as I know

Hm, ok, that worked. Unfortunately, when I said metadata, I meant the History (ie: actions done in Develop). I seem to have lost all of that.

Sidecar files or if you use DNG, in the DNG file itself.

Umm no, all adjustments are stored in the LR Database and in the XMP sidecar files if you choose that option.

Assumign I understand yuor problem, re-import wasn't the right option. Sounds like LR lost the location for that set of files. What you should have done is right click on that folder (it probably had a ? over it) and chose the option to find missing folder. Then just point to that folder on your drive and everything will be back as it was.

If you need to recover those edits you can always revert back to an older catalog (database) point that set to the right folder and export it as a catalog. Restart with the current catalog and import the one you just exported.

Should test the integrity of the catalog first.

Nope, that was one of the first things I tried, when I did that, it only loaded 2 of the 53 files in that folder (and I don't think those 2 files were in the original catalog). Ah well! I will try to load an older version of the catalog tomorrow. Really sleepy now. Thanks for everyone's help!

Question, when you say the files are not there do you mean the number of images beside the folder has zero or that it has the right number but nothing shows up in the grid view?

It may seem silly but have you checked to make sure you've turned off all selection filters? Make sure that you don't have it filtering for any type of flag status, colour marker or star level etc.

Strangely enough this question comes up a lot and sometimes its something simple. Usually this.

Yes, thank you. Filters are already off