True. But is the scattered backup a function of lightroom? (I admit to being a total dummy in regard to that software.) My bridge backups are merely duplicates (and in some cases, triplicates) of the various drives. if a drive is lost, I can immediately switch to the backup, and subsequently copy it over to a new backup. Paul
On Jul 11, 2012, at 6:58 PM, Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: > +1 on John's succinct reply. > > We're talking about a system recovery situation here, not using > Lightroom in the normal circumstances. If your hard drive crashed and > you had a scattered backup, you'd be in exactly the same position of > Christine but with no other information to help you piece the system > back together. > > On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 11:45 AM, John Francis <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> If you've got a system based on the rest of the stuff you mention >> (meaningful file names, etc.) it really doesn't matter which of the >> particular tools (Bridge, Lightroom, etc.) you choose to implement >> your solution. >> >> >> >> On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 02:19:36PM -0400, Paul Stenquist wrote: >>> This thread has reinforced my confidence in a system that depends on >>> Bridge, easily searchable file names and dates, and PhotoShop. Every time >>> I've considered switching to Lightroom, discussions such as this stop me in >>> my tracks. >>> >>> Paul >>> >>> >>> On Jul 11, 2012, at 1:59 PM, Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: >>> >>>> On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 9:59 AM, Christine Aguila <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>>> I greatly appreciate everyone's help here, but things are a mess with >>>>> this catalogue. The more I look try to compare the two folder structures >>>>> on the 2 main drives, the more messy it seems to be. I think I'll ignore >>>>> this for a few days, and try again when I've stopped weeping :-). >>>> >>>> Probably a good idea. You sound a bit overwhelmed, it's best not to >>>> work through a logical puzzle when you're too emotionally involved. >>>> >>>> Here's a workflow: >>>> >>>> First look at the the Lightroom catalog's Folders panel. For every >>>> folder in the Folders panel, right- or control-click on it and choose >>>> the "Show Parent Folder" if the option presents itself until all the >>>> folder trees are visible back to the top of the volume. If all folders >>>> ultimately sit under a single parent, that makes things easier. >>>> >>>> Now take a look at the "Lightroom 2" volume in the Finder (or Windows >>>> Navigator if you're running Windows). If you copied the folder tree to >>>> your "Lightroom 2" hard drive in the course as it was on "Lightroom >>>> 1", the solution is simple: in Lightroom, control-click on that >>>> top-level parent and choose the "Update folder location" command, then >>>> pilot your way to that same folder on "Lightroom 2", and choose it. >>>> Lightroom should now recognize where all the files are. >>>> >>>> If you didn't copy the folder tree exactly as it was on Lightroom 1 to >>>> Lightroom 2, now you have the more onerous task of finding files and >>>> folders, matching them up with the same command as above, to a >>>> disparately organized file system. It's doable, and for 8000 files in >>>> the catalog it won't take that long if you work methodically and >>>> calmly, one group of files at a time. You can usually find groups of >>>> files by a key filename and capture date, then set the folder location >>>> in Lightroom for that file and all neighboring files will then be >>>> recognized. It takes some time, but it's worth it not to lose all your >>>> metadata annotations (keywords and such) and any processing you've >>>> already applied. >>>> >>>> As an alternative, the fastest and simplest thing to do to get the >>>> whole file repository organized into a single tree is to create a new >>>> catalog (don't delete the old catalog folder! and create the catalog >>>> folder outside of the old one) and do a mass import. Create a "Photos" >>>> directory at the top level of the external drive, set the import >>>> destination starting point to that directory, set Lr to "Move" the >>>> files there, and have it organize the files by capture date on import. >>>> It will create a complete subdiirectory tree based on date sequence, >>>> rooted at that single folder. If you don't care about metadata >>>> annotations and prior processing work (and there are occasions when it >>>> isn't important!), the job is done ... go forth, annotate and start >>>> editing your images afresh. >>>> >>>> If you do care about your prior work, the reason to keep the original >>>> catalog folder is that once the files are reorganized like this, you >>>> can start Lightroom with the old catalog and work through it, hunting >>>> up the images by file name and capture date more easily and then set >>>> the location in the old catalog properly. In this case, consider the >>>> new catalog you used to move the files around into an organized tree >>>> to be a temporary, you can discard it. The result of doing this all >>>> the way through is that your original files are now in a singly rooted >>>> directory tree structure, the catalog has all the appropriate data in >>>> it, and from this point on it is easy to maintain. >>>> >>>> To finish off, drag the entire "Photos" directory to the new volume >>>> "Lightroom 3" to back up the directory structure and files. That >>>> copies everything to the new hard drive. Do the same thing with the >>>> catalog folder. Now you have a complete backup. >>>> >>>> To KEEP the system backed up, I recommend using external utility >>>> software (Lightroom's backup function replicates only the .LRCAT file; >>>> you want to backup both the catalog and the photo files from their >>>> source locations to the Lightroom 3 backup drive). I use ChronoSync by >>>> Econ Technologies (OS X only), but any good file synchronizing >>>> software utility should work the same. With ChronoSync, I create two >>>> synchronizer documents: one synchronizes the image directory tree from >>>> Lightroom 2 to Lightroom 3, the other synchronizes the catalog folder >>>> from internal drive to Lightroom 2. I then create a container >>>> document, put the two synchronizers in it, and set that to run >>>> automatically every night or on demand when I need it to. >>>> >>>> (You still want to have the Lightroom backup run once a week or so as >>>> it includes database verification and cleanup in the process. You >>>> should set Lightroom to put these backups on the "Lightroom 2" volume, >>>> in a folder separate from the Photos folder.) >>>> >>>>> I think it's time to rethink my workflow and photo management system, and >>>>> I think I need some tutorials on advanced photo management and catalogues >>>>> skills. It's to the adobe videos for me, and perhaps a purchase of a >>>>> book. >>>>> >>>>> If anyone knows of a good book for Lightroom 4, I'd appreciate the >>>>> recommendation. I have the Scott Kelby book for the early Lightroom >>>>> version (1 or 2 ), and thought it ok, but I found him a bit wordy. If >>>>> there's another book you'd recommend by a different author who gets right >>>>> to the point, I'd be very grateful. >>>> >>>> Of course, I have some bits on this stuff on my articles page: >>>> http://www.gdgphoto.com/articles >>>> See #s 06, 07, and 08. The "Lightroom Learning Resources" article is >>>> old and needs to be updated, but might have some useful info for you. >>>> >>>> I bought the latest book by Martin Evening recently and it is an >>>> exhaustive reference for Lightroom 4: well written and clear. >>>> <http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Photoshop-Lightroom-Book-Photographers/dp/0321819594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342029392&sr=8-1&keywords=martin+evening+lightroom+4> >>>> >>>> For online video tutorials, I find Julianne Kost's set for Lightroom 4 >>>> to be the best starting point, and free (funded by Adobe). >>>> http://jkost.com/lightroom.html >>>> >>>> Take a deep breath and relax. ;-) >>>> -- >>>> Godfrey - godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com >>>> >>>> Announcing "Ways Together" .. my new photo book! >>>> See it on Blurb at http://www.blurb.com/user/GDGPhoto >>>> >>>> Come to the reception and book-signing: >>>> ModernBook Gallery >>>> 49 Geary Ave, San Francisco, CA >>>> August 2nd, 5:30-7:30 pm >>>> >>>> -- >>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>> follow the directions. >>> >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > > -- > Godfrey > godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
