Lightroom - reorganizing folder structure

Hi all,

I use Lightroom on a windows system. Up until this point my folder structure has looked as follows:

--> Lightroom_Working
----> 20080805
----> 20080828

Needless to say, I've got nearly 200 folders under my top level folder at this point, and I want to re-organize as follows:

--> Lightroom_Working
----> 2008
------> 08
--------> 05
--------> 28

What would be the best way to go about re-organizing my existing folders?

Why would you want to do that? (not that it's a bad idea, just think about why). The number of folders won't change, and you won't be browsing folders to find a file IMO.

Have a read here for some thoughts on DAM: Click.

I'm totally down with tagging/keywording etc... when I'm not being totally lazy about it.

The only reason I'd really like to update the folder structure is to satisfy my own compulsive desires for order. Sometimes when I am in the library screen, and I'm looking to see what I did around a certain date, I scrolling and scrolling and scrolling until I get to that date. If there were some semblance of order, I'd pick the year, then month, and then the date.

You can do it from within Lightroom BUT I would suggest you use your File Manager/Finder to do the task.

Arrange the folders in your preferred format; then start up Lightroom. When Lightroom starts up you will be prompted that photos are missing (In Grid mode you will see a Question Mark badge and missing folders will be colored red in the Folders Panel). Go to the top level folder of your hierarchy (2008 in your case), right-click and select Locate Missing Folder.

Incidentally there is some redundancy in your proposed folder structue. If you have a top level named 2008 you do not also need a sub-folder named 08.

Here's how my folders are typically organized in Windows:

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FedkaTheConvict wrote in post #6199550
You can do it from within Lightroom BUT I would suggest you use your File Manager/Finder to do the task.

Arrange the folders in your preferred format; then start up Lightroom. When Lightroom starts up you will be prompted that photos are missing (In Grid mode you will see a Question Mark badge and missing folders will be colored red in the Folders Panel). Go to the top level folder of your hierarchy (2008 in your case), right-click and select Locate Missing Folder.

Incidentally there is some redundancy in your proposed folder structue. If you have a top level named 2008 you do not also need a sub-folder named 08.

Thanks.

BTW, I was thinking "08" as in August, so I'd have Year --> Month --> Day folder hierarchy.

Mine is like this:

Weddings>2008>Blah & blah>Ceremony
Portraits & Family>2006>Cooper Family
Personal>2008>8_8_2008-OMG>JulianDate_Descriptor-sequence.dng

Mine is like this

2008
../01 (month in dual digits)
..../05 (days in dual digits)
..../05. Family Outing (an album from a particular day)
..../13

Supposedly, you'd want something like these as suggested by LR's built-in import.
/YYYY
../MM
..../DD

And use Collections after that. But I find my setup working for me at the moment. I need to try it out w/ iPhoto that's why. So I'm presuming those Collections won't be seen in that program. That, and having it in separate folders can dual between my PC and MBPro

HTH


PS. Someone also did an article in the Adobe site. But it seems they have redesigned and have the feature articles only atm... http://www.adobe.com …enter/photoshop​lightroom/

BluewookieJim wrote in post #6198869
Hi all,

I use Lightroom on a windows system. Up until this point my folder structure has looked as follows:

--> Lightroom_Working
----> 20080805
----> 20080828

Needless to say, I've got nearly 200 folders under my top level folder at this point, and I want to re-organize as follows:

--> Lightroom_Working
----> 2008
------> 08
--------> 05
--------> 28

Jim, I use a very similar folder structure for organizing my photos (I use the month name instead of the month number) and it's worked very well for me.

Personally I organize the file structure by date only and do not include keywords in the file or folder names. Instead I choose to assign keywords in the EXIF data instead. I think it's redundant to put keywords in the file names, when (in my opinion) keywords should be reserved for EXIF data. That way any photo management program can index your photos without regard to where they are located.

I suggest the best way of doing this is to download the trial version of Downloader Pro by Breezesys. You can have Downloader Pro read your photo's in their current location, and have it write your files to a new location using a templated path that you create. When you start getting a significant amount of pictures, having a photo file management tool is necessary.

Hey guys. I'm trying to figure out how to change the folder structure from Ascending dates to Descending dates or visa'versa? Is this possible? I don't see an option:
example -

PixelMagic's file structure is as follow:
2000
2001
2002
2003
etc.

I would like the file structure to read:

2003
2002
2001
2000
etc.

Is there a trick or an option that I'm missing? I can't figure this one out to save the life of me. Thanks

In Lightrooms Library module?

No idea really, but interested.
Mine seems to follow it's own "logic" when sorting. Not one I've managed to understand (or like)

It should be but it isn't. My folder naming convention is based on date & event: i.e. 12_17_09_Holiday_Party

I'm totally fine with how my folders are sorted. My re'arrangement questions comes via a friend who brought that to my attention. I tried looking for a button or an option and found nothing. Weird

One suggestion: Use a naming sceme like YYYYMMDD for sorting on date (in the OS)
Makes it a lot easier and more logical IMO.

I hope someone knows a way for LR

The only way I know to sort folders by reverse date is through the Library Filter bar.

Just click the fly-out menu and select Ascending (default) or Descending.

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I'll give that a try. I'm running LR 2.5. I'm sure it's the same