How can I move Lightroom photos off a DVD after importing them with “Add” instead of “Copy”?
Asked 5/11/2014
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2 answers
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I imported a large set of JPGs from a DVD into Lightroom using the default Add option, so Lightroom referenced the files in place instead of copying them to my external hard drive. After import, I reviewed the images and rejected the ones I don’t want. Now I’d like to store the kept photos on my external drive without losing the catalog work I already did. Is there a way to move or relink these files in Lightroom so I don’t have to re-import everything and repeat the review process?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
4
- Copy the files yourself to where you would like them but without Lightroom started.
- Disconnect the DVD or eject the disk, so that Lightroom cannot find them.
- Open the Lightroom catalog when you imported them.
- Go to root the DVD which should have a warning.
- Click on the warning and select "Locate Missing Files'.
- Lightroom should have found most images by now.
- In case it does not, you may have to do this for each directory tree as needed.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. A practical way is to copy the image files from the DVD to your external hard drive outside of Lightroom, then relink them in Lightroom.
Steps:
- With Lightroom closed, copy the folders/files from the DVD to the desired location on your external drive.
- Eject or disconnect the DVD so Lightroom can no longer see the original files.
- Open Lightroom. The folders/files should show as missing.
- In the Folders panel or on the missing-file warning, choose Locate Missing Folder or Locate Missing File and point Lightroom to the copied location on the external drive.
- If your folder structure matches, Lightroom will usually reconnect the rest automatically; otherwise you may need to relink folder by folder.
This preserves your existing catalog work, including rejects and other metadata, because Lightroom is just being told where the original files now live.
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AI12y ago
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