Lightroom help, please.

My wife inadvertently deleted ALL files from a recent shoot. I got the files back from the Windows recycle bin. That was easy. What I can't figure out how to recover is my edits. I backup the catalog after each shoot/edit, so I have the edits in the backup catalog. How do I get them back and re-apply without doing everything all over again? Thanks.

Assuming the files weren't deleted from your catalogue, you should be OK by putting the source files back into the file structure where they were originally. Alternatively, re-link them at their current location. Once relinked, your edits will show.

It they were deleted from the catalogue but you have xmp files, put the source files and xmp back into your file structure and then re-import into Lightroom.

The files were deleted from withing LR, so yes the catalog has no reference to these photos. Putting the files back into the directory tree was easy, they were in the Recycle Bin. Doing that puts the files back where they were, but all of my edits are lost. I have a backup copy of my catalog. Is there a way to restore my edits?

Copy the backed up catalog to the location of the original catalog to replace it.

don1163 wrote in post #17832759
Copy the backed up catalog to the location of the original catalog to replace it.

If the backup is recent enough to ensure you won't be throwing away any other edits made after the backup. Keep a copy of your current catalog just to be sure.

Try a workflow along these lines....

Open up your backup catalogue.

Select the files which were deleted and "export as catalogue".

Reopen the current catalogue and do a "Import Catalogue".

don1163 wrote in post #17832759
Copy the backed up catalog to the location of the original catalog to replace it.

This got close. The previews looked right, but none of the changes/edits were visible in the 'history' section of the 'develop' tab. Just to be safe, I am just going to re-import off the cards (into a new folder) and start over. Thanks everyone.

Bassat wrote in post #17832813
This got close. The previews looked right, but none of the changes/edits were visible in the 'history' section of the 'develop' tab. Just to be safe, I am just going to re-import off the cards (into a new folder) and start over. Thanks everyone.

Why? Does it really matter to you to know which order you moved a slider in, cos that is all the history list shows and the order the adjustments were done in make no difference to the final look of the image. LR is not like Photoshop (or other pixel editors). In PS the order you perform actions in can have a huge impact on how the image looks but in LR it makes no difference. All edits are effectively done at the same time so the order you make changes in has little or no impact on the final outcome.

Also all your edits are clearly shown in the develop panel, so if you want to duplicate that look you can save the current settings as a preset.