Lightroom 3 Catalog files HELP!

After moving my catalog to an external drive, Lightroom continues to create a new folder (2012) on my computer to put my photos in.  I want everything to go to the external drive and nothing to be saved on my computer.
I have assigned a path letter to my new location and then created a shortcut to my new catalog right onto my desktop.  So I double click on the icon to open Lightroom 3.6.  It works well with the photos there, but then whenever I import new photos from a memory stick, it creates that 2012 folder in My Pictures and starts saving the new ones there...creating is own new catalog.
How can I stop this from happening?
Thanks!!

You need to set the new location you want the files saved to on the right sde of the Import Window.

Similar Messages

  • Lightroom Corrupt Catalog problems- Help!

    Lightroom Corrupt Catalog problems reading/writing from disk when attempting to repair - Help!  I have my LR box in hand and my product keys and license info but can't find the disk. I'm assuming this is the only way to repair.  Suggestions, Comments are welcome and appreciated.
    Thanks in advance!!!

    Corrupt catalog will not be fixed by re-installing the Lightroom software (although if I were you, I'd still find that disk!)
    If I were you, I would first check a recent backup of your catalog file, and see if that will open (double-click on it in your operating system). If that opens properly, I would just use that file.
    If it doesn't open properly, then one trick that sometimes works is to open a blank catalog in Lightroom, then File->Import from Another Catalog and point to the catalog file.
    And if that doesn't work, please write back with a lot more details, including operating system, version of Lightroom, and much more detail abou

  • How can I EXCLUDE particular folders/files from being included in the Lightroom 5 catalog?

    How can I EXCLUDE particular folders/files from being included in the Lightroom 5 catalog?
    I want to be able to specify paths and/or filename patterns that should NEVER be indexed in the catalog: not that they don't show up under certain circumstances, just that they are NOT THERE (in the catalog) to begin with!!
    I also do NOT want to have to respecify these criteria when "synching" the catalog; criteria should be PERMANENT (or at least 'til they're changed in LR preferences).
    I cannot be the only person in the world with this problem--but it sure seems like it, because I've spent an inordinate amount of time doing online searches & I can't find anything that addresses this issue.
    Can anyone PLEASE HELP me?
    BTW, Adobe employees (if there are any of you out there), I'm simply trying out LR now.  If I can't get this (seemingly fundamental) thing worked out (with relatively little effort), Adobe is going to LOSE A SALE of LR, because it's useless to me without this feature.
    Thanks,
    -t

    Thanks for the info... but how to you TELL LR to EXCLUDE images in a particular directory/directory structure?  The intuitive place to indicate this would be a right-click on the folder itself (or particular images), but no such option exists..  "???"  Thanks again, -pt
    The same way that you avoid buying things in your local convenience store. You don't stick a lot of labels on certain shelves, slap a credit card down on the counter each week, and announce you are buying everything that doesn't have a label on its shelf. You just choose the things you want to buy.
    Your mention of "synching the catalog" suggests that you are expecting the LR library, to mirror the total images in the computer by default. This is not IMO a useful way to think about it. LR contains no images at all, by default: the Catalog starts out empty.
    Then you Add just those selected images that you want to import, among those already in the computer. That's a one-off process which is IMO best achieved controllably in batches - which you can keyword and otherwise organise in LR terms as you go. For new incoming images, ongoing, it is a question of Copying, Moving or Adding these in defined batches as they occur - from the relevant location only - there is no need to re-consider the import of a wider body of images. And one would not want to repeat that whole task anyway: one's prior investment in achieving the right selectivity, has a positive value.
    RP

  • Corrupt Catalog Files. Can anyone help please?

    My computer shut down unexpectedly, and now Lightroom 5 is giving me and message stating Corrupt Catalog Files. When I try to repair as suggested it says it has encountered problems reading or writing from discs when attempting to repair. Can anyone help please?

    How recent is your backup?

  • Lightroom 5 is crashing my Mac, can it be from a corrupt catalog file?

    Lightroom 5 is crashing my Mac approximately 2 minutes after the application is open.  I usually freezes after the 4th or 5th click in trying to edit a photo.  I've tried different photos in different folders, and I get the same results. 
    To try to remedy this, I had the stand alone LR5 app., and removed it from my iMac.  I installed Creative Cloud, and downloaded LR5 again.  Opened the application (it seemed to remember all my settings, so I'm assuming it found and used the same catalog file as before) and it crashed my computer again in the same way.
    IS THERE A WAY TO REPAIR THE CATALOG FILE??  I am dead in the water until I can fix this, or find a work around so I can finish the edits on this wedding!
    Any help is greatly appreciated.

    I've taken my computer to the Genius Bar, to check the computer, and it turns out it was a failing hard drive...  Once I'm back up and running with the new drive, and restore from my back up, I will try this again.  If it still happens with current catalog file, I will try with a new catalog file.  Thank you.

  • Speicherort für Lightroom 3 Mac offline help files?

    Hallo,
    ich habe hier CS6 Design Standard, Lightroom 3 und Adobe Help 4.0 (Air) installiert; CS6 ist erst vor einigen Wochen dazu gekommen (davor CS3).
    Die LR3 Offline Hilfe (HTML) wurde von Adobe Help automatisch geladen und unter /Users/Shared/Documents/Adobe/Help/de_DE/Lightroom/3.0/Using automatisch abgelegt. Die Offline Hilfe wird aus dem Hilfe-Menü von LR3 heraus aber nicht gefunden. Ich meine, das hätte vor der Installation von CS6 funktioniert.
    Kann es sein, dass der oben angegebene Speicherort der aktuellen Version von Adobe Help für LR3 nicht korrekt ist? Kann mir jemand sagen, wo die Offline Files abgelegt sein müssen, damit LR3 sie findet?
    Danke!

    Habe ein wenig in meinen TimeMachine Verzeichnissen gestöbert und den korrekten Speicherort gefunden:
    /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Help/de_DE/Lightroom/3.0/Using
    Jetzt findet LR3 seine Offline-Hilfe wieder

  • I have Lightroom 1.4.1 and I just started shooting the Nikon D700.  I cannot get Lightroom to read my new raw files, help...

    I have Lightroom 1.4.1 and I just started shooting the Nikon D700.  I cannot get Lightroom to read my new raw files, help...  Is there a plug in or update I can get?  I can't afford new software after new camera and new lense!

    Lightroom 1.4.1 does not support native (NEF) files from the D700 because the camera didn't even exist when it was released. To get support you have two options: upgrade to Lr 2.x (paid for upgrade) or convert your NEF files to DNG.
    DNG converter 5.4 can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/downloads/ (see right hand side of page)

  • Lightroom Catalog file deleted

    I am trying to help a friend who is a LR user. Here is the situation.
    I added a 2nd hard drive and more memory to the system.
    She them proceeded to copy all folders containing her photos from her older/smaller drive to the new/much larger drive.
    Once copied, she verified all files copied and then deleted the old folder on the old drive.
    Was able to get LR to see the files on the new drive by adding the folders back in the LR.
    However she gets an error when LR starts thet the Catalog file is missing.
    She is able to see all the thumbnails in the Library.
    What can I do to help get rid of this error message as it apperas (based on some of my readings) that the lrcat file was deleted when she did her cleanup.
    Current version is LR 2.7.
    Please keep in mind I am not the LR user just the hardware person.

    Thanks, I will have to get over there and see if we can get this corrected. All the photos are showing in the Library and the folders are point to the correct location. So restoring the *.lrcat file should fix the problem.
    Fingers crossed for when I get back to her.

  • How do I transfer my catalog, files and collections into Lightroom 4 onto another computer?

    How do I transfer my catalog, files and collections into Lightroom 4 onto another computer?

    You can copy your image file  from you PC to your Mac over your home network or via DVD/CD.  You can not install you PC CS5.1 version on you Mac. Its not compatible with MAC OS.  You would need a MAC version of CS5.1 and Mac version serial number to activate it.  Adobe no longer markets CS5 so you most likely will not be able to pay for a platform switch media install.

  • Photoshop Lightroom "Preferences" and "Database/Catalog" files?

    Lightroom 5
    This Adobe TechNote lists the locations for the Lightroom 5 http://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/kb/preference-file-locations-lightroom-41.html
    Lightroom 4
    This Adobe TechNote lists the locations for the Lightroom 4    http://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/kb/preference-file-locations-lightroom-4.html
    Lightroom 2 and 3
    This Adobe TechNote lists the locations for the Lightroom 2.x and Adobe TechNote lists the locations for Lightroom 3.x Preference, Presets and Database/Catalog files.  The location information provided in the Technote is summarised below:
    Mac
    The Photoshop Lightroom application is the Adobe Lightroom 2.app file, located in the Applications folder.
    The preference file is the com.adobe.Lightroom2.plist file, located in the[username]/Library/Preferences folder.
    The following Photoshop Lightroom database files are located in the[username]/Pictures/Lightroom folder:
    Lightroom 2/3 Catalog.lrcat (the catalog itself)
    Lightroom 2/3 Catalog.lrcat.lock (this file prevents you from overwriting data)
    Lightroom 2/3 Catalog Previews.lrdata (the file that holds the preview data assigned to your photos)
    Windows XP
    The Photoshop Lightroom application is the Lightroom.exe file, located in the Program Files/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 folder.
    Preferences are located in the Lightroom 2 Preferences.agprefs file, located in the Documents and Settings/[username]/Application Data/Adobe/Lightroom/Preferences folder.
    The Photoshop Lightroom database file, Lightroom 2/3 Catalog.lrcat, is located in the Documents and Settings/[username]/My Documents/My Pictures/Lightroom folder:
    Previews are located in various folders in the Documents and Settings/[username]/My Documents/My Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom 2/3 Catalog Previews.lrdata folder. They are organized and coded for the application to read, not for users.
    Windows Vista / Windows 7
    The Photoshop Lightroom application is the Lightroom.exe file, located in the Program Files/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 folder.
    Preferences are located in the Lightroom 2/3 Preferences.agprefs file, located in the Users/[username]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Lightroom/Preferences folder.
    The Photoshop Lightroom database file, Lightroom 2 Catalog.lrcat, is located in the Users/[username]/Pictures/Lightroom folder.
    Previews are located in various folders in the Users/[username]/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom 2/3 Catalog Previews.lrdata folder. They are organized and coded for the application to read, not for users.
    Lightroom 1.x
    This Adobe  TechNote lists the locations for the Photoshop Lightroom 1.x  Preference and Database/Catalog files. The location information provided in the Technote is summarised below:
    Mac
    >The preference file is the com.adobe.Lightroom.plist file, located in the [username]/Library/Preferences folder.
    >The following Photoshop Lightroom database files are located in the [username]/Pictures/Lightroom folder:
    * Lightroom Database.lrdb(the Lr 1.0 database)or the Lightroom Catalog.lrcat (Lightroom 1.1 and higher)
    * Lightroom Database.lrdb.lock (the file that prevents data from being overwritten inadvertently)
    * Lightroom Previews.lrdata (the file that holds the preview data assigned to your photos)
    Windows:
    >Preferences are located in the Lightroom Preferences.agprefs file, located in the Documents and Settings/[username]/Application Data/Adobe/Lightroom/Preferences folder.
    >The following Photoshop Lightroom database file is located in the Documents and Settings/[username]/My Documents/My Pictures/Lightroom folder:
    * Lightroom Database.lrdb (Lr 1.0 database) or the Lightroom Catalog.lrcat file (Lightroom 1.1 and higher)
    * Lightroom Database.lrdb.lock (the file that prevents data from being overwritten inadvertently)
    * Lightroom Previews.lrdata (the file that holds the preview data assigned to your photos)
    >Registration information is located in the Windows registry, in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Adobe/Lightroom/1.0/Registration key folder for Lr 1.x
    Make sure you don't delete any of the database/catalog files. The only file you might need to delete or remove is the preference file.
    Note: database files were created by Lightroom version 1.0 and use the extension  lrdb. Subsequent versions use catalog files for the same purpose and have the extension  lrcat

    If you don't mind losing some if not all of the work you have done already start a new catalog.
    To keep all existing work:
    Make sure that the copied NEF files on the external have the same folder structure as previous.
    Copy the Lr4 catalog to the external and launch it on the laptop by double clicking it. A copy of the catalog will get upgraded for Lr5. This will retain all your work although you will need to reconnect the Folders in the Catalog by pointing them to the new drive.
    You can keep th Catalog on the EHD or move it to the Laptop.....

  • Lightroom catalog stops lightroom loading - new user help

    Hi,
    New user to lightroom 3 - created a few catalogs - closed the programme  and now all i get is error messages and LR3 will not load.  Tried repair - no difference.  Tried uninstall and reinstall from cd 3.2 and same error message.  Tried deleting all catelog folders and still no sucess - sigh.
    Any help appreciated  - erroe messages below:
    Crashes with message - lightroom - opening catalog: PB285771.orf.lrcat and then the error message , sorry LR is expereincing probs and needs to close and provides the report function, which begins with:
    AppName: lightroom.exe AppVer: 3.2.0.10 ModName: msvcr100.dll ModVer: 10.0.30319.1 Offset: 0008d635
    If there was someway of forcing the app to load without trying to open the referenced catelopg above it might work,  unless you experts know differently?? (hopefully)
    Thank you in advance.
    Alan

    Hi Alan,
    I think you are mislead by the semantic of "catalog". Read "database" instead - Adobe marketing may have just voted for a non-tekkie name.... source of a lot of issues...
    Large catalogs=databases create problems on old hardware of low specs. If you have a fairly contemporary hardware set-up with 2 GB of RAM I would definitely try with 1 catalog-database  only, until you might really run into problems.
    It is easy to split catalogs should the need arise, which I second Pete Marshall to doubt.
    Whenever you want to see two images together, to compare them, to assign the same keyword to find them together again etc. they need to be in the same database.
    Only if you should have worlds totally split apart you could consider multiple catalogs.
    There are ways to get pieces across from one to the other(s), but that requires conscious acts best carefully planned.
    Your initial post does not strike me as if that should suit your personality?
    In order to gain quick and good understanding of the basic principles I'd suggest you invest 15 British Pounds in Victoria Bampton's "The missing FAQs" online http://www.lightroomqueen.com/lrqebook3.php
    or read at least http://www.lightroomqueen.com/blog/2009/03/24/lightroom-top-10-gotchas/.
    I have no relationship to that lady other than her book was my primary source of my current LR knowledge and I enjoyed it very much.

  • Adobe Lightroom 4 - Some Questions / Help Needed

    Hi everyone.
    After advice from several experts, I've just purchased Adobe Lightroom 4. I've already got Photoshop CS5, but I was looking for something proper to organise my photos, plus I found Lightroom easier to do the sort of editing I am wanting to do. Now, I only really use photoshop for things like colour pops, or really in-depth editing. Anyway, I'm loving Lightroom so far, but there is some stuff I'm not very sure of, so I'd appreciate some help
    1. Organising
    Firstly, I'm not really sure how to organise. At the moment, I've just got lots of folders with random events in My Pictures on W7, so I might have a folder called April 11, which contains photos from that month but that might have been a wedding or an easter holiday or both. So it doesn't really work. \
    I understand in Lightroom what catalogs are. But I know enough to know that I don't want to group mine into those, its getting too complicated. What I don't know though is the difference between a collection and a folder. Basically, I'm wanting to reimport and reorganise all my photos, so I want to put them into "events" as such like you can do on iPhoto on a mac, so I would have "France Summer Holiday 11" for example, or "Mia's Wedding". I'm not really sure on the best way to do this ...?
    2. Editing
    I've played around quite a bit so far, and I really like what I've seen. On a lot of photos, I've made a lot of changes. But from what I can see, these changes are stored merely in Lightroom itself. For example, at the moment I'm importing photos from my external disk into Lightroom, which then saves them in C://My Pictures/Lightroom/Pictures . When I go look at these photos in windows explorer which I know I have edited, it doesn't show any of the changes or editing I've done on them. Now I realise this is me being stupid, but why doesn't it? Supposing I then want to email that photo to a friend that I have edited? How would I do that? I don't want to have to open lightroom and export every single photo I edit? There must be a simpler way?
    Likewise for backing up, because all my files are in subfolders within C:// My pictures / Lightroom / Pictures, to back up I was simply going to set up windows to copy that latter folder onto my external HDD everytime I plugged it in. This would be pointless however if it isn't physically overwriting the original photo with my edited version?
    3. Editing 2
    Something else I like to do is make lots of different edits to the same photo. For example, at the moment I'm editing a photo of a pier at night. I spent ages adjusting colours and lighting and so on, and now it looks great. But I would also like to save a copy of that photo with the "old age photo" effect preset on. Is this possible? and how do I do it? Other than obviously importing a duplicate?
    4. & 5. & 6 - Misc:
    4. Simple question - how do I add tags, keywords or comments if I haven't done it on import?
    5. My camera doesn't have built in GPS. Is it possible for me to manually geotag photos (in a batch, say for a Summer Holiday to NY), could I manually add a geotag for all these photos?
    6. I also forgot to add copyright information on import for some, is it possible to do this after import and how?
    7. I normally shoot in JPEG. I probably shoot shoot in RAW as everyone tells me to do so. Are there any significant advantages in terms of quality, and for editing with?
    Thanks for any help given. I appreciate this is a lot of questions, but I could really use the advice.

    Hi William,
    1. Organising
    Firstly, I'm not really sure how to organise. At the moment, I've just got lots of folders with random events in My Pictures on W7, so I might have a folder called April 11, which contains photos from that month but that might have been a wedding or an easter holiday or both. So it doesn't really work. \
    I understand in Lightroom what catalogs are. But I know enough to know that I don't want to group mine into those, its getting too complicated. What I don't know though is the difference between a collection and a folder. Basically, I'm wanting to reimport and reorganise all my photos, so I want to put them into "events" as such like you can do on iPhoto on a mac, so I would have "France Summer Holiday 11" for example, or "Mia's Wedding". I'm not really sure on the best way to do this ...?
    I am not so sure if you understand *catalogs*.
    You need a catalog, exactly 1 in my opinion. A catalog is a database. The Lightroom database, where records about your images are stored, including the pointers to your images, which are not inside a catalog! LR backups just does the backup of the catalog (i.e. a file ending .lrcat). You need to take care separately that your real images are backed up !
    Inside your LR database the best way to organize is via collections - this will give you what you want with "France summer holiday 11" etc.
    Folders are relatively unimportant, just storage buckets. They should be *handy portions*, I would prefer them with below 3000 images each, as there currently some bugs to those bigger ones.
    Before you start with LR, you can organize your pictures in Mac Finder / WindowsExplorer.
    Or you could do it with the help of LR, by copying your images over during import into the destination folders (and deleting today's folders afterwards after having verified that everything is fine).
    A simple date-based structure will do, I'd recommend  a root parent folder like "LR images", underneath one folder per year (\2010\, \2011\, \2012\...) and underneath them either
    just one folder per month (LR can auto-create them for you)
    or you create the folders in import dialog as e.g. "YYYY-MM-DD description of shoot", to have a mini-diary overview also in your OS.
    Apart from that you create collections, either *dumb ones*, where you drag images into, or smart ones, where you specify criteria according to which they get auto-filled.
    2. Editing
    I've played around quite a bit so far, and I really like what I've seen. On a lot of photos, I've made a lot of changes. But from what I can see, these changes are stored merely in Lightroom itself. For example, at the moment I'm importing photos from my external disk into Lightroom, which then saves them in C://My Pictures/Lightroom/Pictures . When I go look at these photos in windows explorer which I know I have edited, it doesn't show any of the changes or editing I've done on them. Now I realise this is me being stupid, but why doesn't it? Supposing I then want to email that photo to a friend that I have edited? How would I do that? I don't want to have to open lightroom and export every single photo I edit? There must be a simpler way?
    Likewise for backing up, because all my files are in subfolders within C:// My pictures / Lightroom / Pictures, to back up I was simply going to set up windows to copy that latter folder onto my external HDD everytime I plugged it in. This would be pointless however if it isn't physically overwriting the original photo with my edited version?
    LR will never overwrite your original photos.
    You can save most of the catalog content into the xmp-part of the original photo, which is either a sidecar-file (.xmp) or part of the file format, like for DNG, TIFF, PSD, JPG. To do so you select the image in LR and hit <ctrl> s. Or you set it up for continuous update, which creates a lot of operations while you play back and forth in develop.
    I do that on my own, typically twice per file: once I am done with develop, once I am done with keywording and other metadata update.
    LR contains records about your images, i.e. a set of instructions how they are to be interpreted. That is all.
    So of course you need LR to export the result of these instructions, which is actually pretty quick.
    To backup your images you need to do that just once, plus you backup your LR catalog. Or if you save xmp to the files, you can do another backup once xmp is ready.
    I would not consider this pointless. You just have to think that there are 2 places with data for your images: the images themselves and a database with interpretation instructions.
    3. Editing 2
    Something else I like to do is make lots of different edits to the same photo. For example, at the moment I'm editing a photo of a pier at night. I spent ages adjusting colours and lighting and so on, and now it looks great. But I would also like to save a copy of that photo with the "old age photo" effect preset on. Is this possible? and how do I do it? Other than obviously importing a duplicate?
    Yes, this is one of LR's beauties: you create a so-called *virtual copy*, which is just a 2nd record for the same original image file with different interpretation settings, like black-and-white, a different crop size, different development etc. You can have as many virtual copies as you like, and you'll see them as additional thumbnails.
    Virtual copies are not saveable into xmp, though. There is another concept which is saveable into xmp: snapshots. but these are different states in develop history, and you do not see outside develop module that you have several.
    If you export virtual copies e.g. to jpg one file per virutal copy will be created.
    4. & 5. & 6 - Misc:
    4. Simple question - how do I add tags, keywords or comments if I haven't done it on import?
    5. My camera doesn't have built in GPS. Is it possible for me to manually geotag photos (in a batch, say for a Summer Holiday to NY), could I manually add a geotag for all these photos?
    6. I also forgot to add copyright information on import for some, is it possible to do this after import and how?
    7. I normally shoot in JPEG. I probably shoot shoot in RAW as everyone tells me to do so. Are there any significant advantages in terms of quality, and for editing with?
    Thanks for any help given. I appreciate this is a lot of questions, but I could really use the advice.
    ad 4: you use the library module, metadata panel to enter.
    ad 5: you use the map module. Either you manually drop your images on a map, or you have a separate GPS track to load and have LR assign via matching time-stamps.
    ad 6: like 4
    ad 7: You don't need JPG from your camera, you can achieve better results viy LR from RAW. Yes, there are significant advantages as to editing headroom.
    Overall, may I suggest my favorite learning material for LR? First watch Julieanne's Tutorial Videos.
    Then go play and use Victoria Bampton's eBook or paper copy of her "Missing FAQs to LR4": http://www.lightroomqueen.com/books/adobe-lightroom-4-missing-faq/
    Have fun,
    Cornelia

  • I went to download the new lightroom update but my computer went dead at 51 percent. I got back on and it was gone so i reinstalled now when i click to open it sats the lightroom catalog named lightroom 5 catalog cannot be opened because another applicati

    please help I need to open my my lightroom to edit and it says lightroom catalog cannot be opened bc another application already has it opened.... I went to download the update but computer went dead when came back on it was gone so I reinstalled. now wont open but ps will help birth session to edit

    Make sure you don't have another copy of Lightroom actively running on your computer. If not, find your catalog file in Finder/Explorer. Look for a file with the same name, but with a .lock extension. delete that file. Now Lightroom should open the catalog again.

  • Lightroom - Opening Catalog: DSC_1555.jpg.Ircat?

    Something took place with my catalog.  I tried to switch to a training catalog while Lightroom was operating and the following took place.
    Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has encountered a problem and needs to close.  We are sorry for the inconvenience.
    Click Here for more information.
    I can't open Lightroom 3.3 at all.  I get this message in black and white   - Lightroom - Opening Catalog:Dsc-1555.jpg.Ircat on the screen
    I click for more information and get the following.
    AppName: lightroom.exe AppVer: 3.3.0.10 ModName: msvcr100.dll
    ModVer: 10.0.30319.1 Offset: 0008d635
    Please tell me how to fix this problem.  First problem I have had!!!!
    And yes I did something else stupid.  I restored Lightroom using my trial software and now have Lightroom 2 and Lightroom 3.3 installed.  That was dumb.
    I would appreciate an e-mail from support on this matter, as soon as possible.
    Please ignor all the stupidity, and help me to correct the problem.  But I did back up my catalog 1/24/11

    Can't open Lightroom 3.3 at all.  I get this message in black and white   - Lightroom - Opening Catalog:_3106660.ORF.lrcat
    on the screen.  I could not find this file which happen to be one of image file.
      Click for more information and get the following.
    AppName: lightroom.exe AppVer: 3.3.0.10 ModName: msvcr100.dll
    ModVer: 10.0.30319.1 Offset: 0008d635
    However, today I did fixed the problem (I think) and LR runs again as it  should.
    Thank you much to contacted me and tried to help.
    Sandor

  • Newbie question on managing catalog files & external drives

    I'm new to Lightroom and just downloaded a trial version of LR4 earlier this week.  I'm an amatuer photographer (and I really mean amatuer ) ... and serve as a volunteer for a local summer baseball team (college players).  I've taken - on average - 5,000 photos per summer for each of the last 5 years. In addition to posting the photos of each game to my Phanfare.com site (where players and families can download them), I create a keepsake DVD with video clips and a slideshow for the players and coaches at the end of the season.  If I decide to become a LR4 user, I would be organizing those photos from the past...as well as on a game-by-game basis this coming summer and into the future.  In addition to backing up all of my photos to DVD and Phanfare.com, I have a designaed external hard drive for these photos.  On the external drive, I have a different folder for each year and subfolders for each game.  In the past, I've kept the current year photos on my laptop and back them up to the other locations as the season progressess. 
    As I map out my plans, I'm trying to figure out the best way to manage the past years photos, current year photos and the related catalog file(s).  I won't always have the large external hard drive with me....and I don't have enough room on my laptop for all years.  There are times I need to search for photos across multiple years; there are times only in the current year...although I have no problem restricting myself to using the large "master" external hard drive for those multiple year searches.  I do have a portable 160 GB hard drive at my disposal that I can use and take with my laptop at all times if needed.  
    Would appreciate any advice on how best to set up the catalog files so that I can manage current year and past year photos...meet my mobility requirements for the current year...as well as the master external hard drive.
    Thanks in advance for your help.  (Hopefully my explanation and question makes sense)
    Ralph
    (PC / Windows 7)

    Advice #1: use one catalog -- don't even think about multiple catalogs; multiple catalogs will not help, this will only hinder you in your work. Inside of Lightroom, you can easily organize different years, different teams, different players, different sports, and anything else you want to organize.
    With regards to travel, you can export portions of your catalog to whatever HD you want to take with you.

Maybe you are looking for