Lightroom Problems

Ok, been using LR for years. On the latest version (for MacOS). Lately--like the past 4 months or so--I've had nothing but problems with LR. Problems have been (in no particular order):

-crashing while quitting program
-catalog being corrupted
-preview file being corrupted
-losing files--not just losing its connection, actually LOSING the file. No longer on my computer
-unable to open catalog due to lock file not being deleted after it crashed on quitting. Unable to then delete that file manually or the folder

It's costing me more and more time. Honestly, if I didn't rely on it so much for what I do, I'd ditch it. I'm getting tired of having my once a week (just about) problem. I've had my catalog become corrupt multiple times--mostly when it crashes when I quite LR. I constantly have my preview file corrupt.

I'm on an iMac running MacOS 10.9.5. I don't have a bunch of crap software running on my Mac (i.e. no extra extensions or other 3rd party software).

My workflow is:

-import raw files (I shoot 5-shot bracketed for HDR use)
-adjust raw files in LR (basic stuff)
-stack images together for processing with Enfuse
-edit files in LR
-sometimes do extra editing in PS CS6 (also the latest version)
-export files to my clients

Anyone else having issues like this with LR? This is really frustrating.

#neverhappenswithbridg​e

Damo77 wrote in post #17372028
#neverhappenswithbridg​e

Thanks for your help.

I have tried Bridge and don't like it for what I'm doing.

Oh, also having it export files to the wrong folder occasionally. I'll go to export files, create the folder I want to export it to, then click export (like I've done for years) and it'll sometimes (too often) export to the LAST place I exported to before this export (even if it's days ago and after restarts to my system, etc.

Might be OS problem, or even more likely, a hardware problem - hard drive or memory.

"losing files--not just losing its connection, actually LOSING the file" - Hard to see LR as responsible for this. LR treats every imported file as "read only". It's not very likely that being read would cause a file to be deleted.

"unable to open catalog due to lock file not being deleted" - Not a bug, a design feature and, IMO, a good one. Prevents conflicts arising from two people accessing the catalog simultaneously.

"Unable to then delete that file manually" - You definitely can't hang that on LR.

One is tempted to say - 'It's a Mac, it should be intuitively obvious'. However, that's not too helpful...

If this were a PC I would immediately suspect a disk or driver problem. I would ensure I had the latest drivers for my drive and controller (but I suspect the Mac probably does that all automagically). The next thing would be to clone the drive and replace it. Or at least move the images and catalog to a different drive.

hollis_f wrote in post #17372040
One is tempted to say - 'It's a Mac, it should be intuitively obvious'. However, that's not too helpful...

If this were a PC I would immediately suspect a disk or driver problem. I would ensure I had the latest drivers for my drive and controller (but I suspect the Mac probably does that all automagically). The next thing would be to clone the drive and replace it. Or at least move the images and catalog to a different drive.

Thanks, all great ideas--and ones I've already tried (for the most part).

I did have a drive issue a few months back. I suspected it was the drive problem (which, was a problem) but that drive was replaced and still happening. Also have upgraded the OS since then.

I plan to move to an SSD drive for my OS and applications, which would give me a 100% clean install, however, I really don't believe this is the problem.

It's quite frustrating.

tzalman wrote in post #17372034
Might be OS problem, or even more likely, a hardware problem - hard drive or memory.

"losing files--not just losing its connection, actually LOSING the file" - Hard to see LR as responsible for this. LR treats every imported file as "read only". It's not very likely that being read would cause a file to be deleted.

"unable to open catalog due to lock file not being deleted" - Not a bug, a design feature and, IMO, a good one. Prevents conflicts arising from two people accessing the catalog simultaneously.

"Unable to then delete that file manually" - You definitely can't hang that on LR.

I'm inclined to agree. Sounds like it could be a permissions issue.

ThreeHounds wrote in post #17372162
I'm inclined to agree. Sounds like it could be a permissions issue.

Part of it is a permissions issue for sure--where I can't delete the lock file or the directory it's in--however, I don't believe the other issues are related to permissions or it wouldn't be so intermittent.

tzalman wrote in post #17372034
Might be OS problem, or even more likely, a hardware problem - hard drive or memory.

"losing files--not just losing its connection, actually LOSING the file" - Hard to see LR as responsible for this. LR treats every imported file as "read only". It's not very likely that being read would cause a file to be deleted.

"unable to open catalog due to lock file not being deleted" - Not a bug, a design feature and, IMO, a good one. Prevents conflicts arising from two people accessing the catalog simultaneously.

"Unable to then delete that file manually" - You definitely can't hang that on LR.

Well, LR did something to these files when it crashed. Now they're not anywhere. I searched everywhere and they're gone. I didn't delete them. I never mess with the imported photos in the Finder (always in LR) so it certainly looks like it was LR.

I never said there was a bug in not being able to open the catalog. I said it was a problem earlier because LR crashed. That part would be a bug.

And I didn't hang not being able to delete the file on LR, however, the fact that it wasn't deleted properly to start IS LR's fault.

Do your files and/or catalogs lie on an external drive?

GadgetRick wrote in post #17372317
however, the fact that it wasn't deleted properly to start IS LR's fault.

I really don 't see how that can be possible. All LR will do is send a 'delete' command to the OS, and it's the OS's responsibility to correctly implement the command.

I'm having the occasional problem with Lightroom crashing (I think it's likely an issue with my video card driver) which will then corrupt the previews, which is a major hassle as it takes forever to rebuild the previews. I have since made a backup of the preview folder so that when it happens again I just use the backup, saving me from having to rebuild the previews.

ThreeHounds wrote in post #17372468
Do your files and/or catalogs lie on an external drive?

Yes.

hollis_f wrote in post #17372521
I really don 't see how that can be possible. All LR will do is send a 'delete' command to the OS, and it's the OS's responsibility to correctly implement the command.

I'm with you, however, the files are gone and I certainly didn't delete them or move them.