Lightroom, library transfer to another harddrive

Depends on how fast the NAS connection is, in comparison to USB externals.

Definitely local hard drives for software, catalog, previews.

Thanks, just what I thought. I have been around computing to know that 'max transfer speed' is seldom realized because of other bottlenecks in the system, so that comparing max transfer speed can be very misleading. And because of variables in system configuration (processor, cache, bus architecture, specific interface cards and harddrive speeds), 'your mileage may vary'. [Sigh] more measurebating!

Wilt wrote in post #7172108
You echo my own speculations about the catalog on a local drive. I'm still awaiting real confirmation, rather than both of us speculating the same!

Well, I wasn't thinking of speed as my external drives are eSATA so I think the speed issue is neglibible. There is no difference in speed whether it's external or not as the computer has no idea it's external, the connections are the same. I would imagine USB 2.0 would slow things down though so it's a good point to bring up.

gooble wrote in post #7172428
Well, I wasn't thinking of speed as my external drives are eSATA so I think the speed issue is neglibible. There is no difference in speed whether it's external or not as the computer has no idea it's external, the connections are the same. I would imagine USB 2.0 would slow things down though so it's a good point to bring up.

Gawd how technology rushes along at an impossible rate...eSATA, I didn't even know about that until a couple months ago. External drives with a speed like internal drives -- reminds me of SCSI drive technology from 20 years ago! Funny to think this new stuff is so great, until you know the idea is not so new!

With regards to Lightroom not working over a network, I found this snippet on the photo.net forum which details a work around.

It may be moot due to performance issues, but....

"You have to map the network drive with the "subst" command (that means, not from within Explorer, it won't work). In a command shell type:

subst x:\ \\server\networkvolume
(substitute "x" with the drive letter you want to map the networkvolume to, "server" with the remote machine's name, and "networkvolume" with the shared volume).

You can then create the library in a folder on the shared volume and Lightroom won't notice it's a network volume.

Of course it's not a multiuser solution, so you have to take care that you don't use the library simultaniously from two computers.
"
Link

DunnoWhen wrote in post #7172548
With regards to Lightroom not working over a network, I found this snippet on the photo.net forum which details a work around.

It may be moot due to performance issues, but....

"You have to map the network drive with the "subst" command (that means, not from within Explorer, it won't work). In a command shell type:

subst x:\ \\server\networkvolume
(substitute "x" with the drive letter you want to map the networkvolume to, "server" with the remote machine's name, and "networkvolume" with the shared volume).

You can then create the library in a folder on the shared volume and Lightroom won't notice it's a network volume.

Of course it's not a multiuser solution, so you have to take care that you don't use the library simultaniously from two computers.
"
Link

Hey, back to the old DOS tricks, using command line instructions! The problem with applying that to LR and the catalog, etc. is that the command works on anything trying to access the same volume, like Outlook or Word or even Adobe Reader...they go to the network instead!

Wilt, what I have found works best for me is to keep old images off on my NAS drive and more recent, usually not more than a few months of pics on my local drive with my catalog and previews.

Works well to keep hard drive space free and still allows me to view previews when traveling, as my PC is a laptop. Really the best of both worlds. Its a bit slower accessing the images on the NAS, but I have generally processed these before moving them, which I am able to do right in Lightroom (which is sweet) so it's never bothered me.

Thanks for the comment, Paul. I was considering that approach, in view of the access differences between the NAS and the internal hard drive...I saw how 10baseT fared even against USB 2.0, and thought that the internal drive for more active data (e.g. current year) would avoid that, especially in view of the relative ease of moving files from one drive to another while LR keeps its catalog up to date.

Let us know how it turns out. If you use the blended approach I think you'll find it acceptable.

If you try this, just be really really careful and backup your catalog regularly. There's good reason why any kind of network access is disabled - when Dan Tull turned it on for his own testing, he repeatedly corrupted his catalogs beyond repair.

sally_tomato wrote in post #7165411
first you will need to create a directory structure within the external drive. Put a junk JPG into that folder. Then "Import" that folder. That will start up the directory tree within LR.

from there, you can create more folders within this folder on the external drive using LR: right-click on the folder within the folder pane, select "create folder as a child of this folder"
OR...with the "parent" folder selected, use the "+" button in the folder pane.

This will create the subfolders you need. Then, go to the folders within LR which contain the images you want to move, select them, then right-click the destination folder and choose "Move the Selceted Photo to this folder" This will actually move the originals on the disks, but it will keep all the LR data intact. BE SURE to expand all stacks! and turn off any filters! only the images highlighted will be moved.

full disclosure: i did experienced some weirdness when doing this the first time, for instance: LR did not want to create folders on the root of the external drive, thus the need for a "tree." I cant recall all the specifics, and you NAS may get you around some of these, but suffice it to say--do backup images, and try it with temporary copies of files, or within a new catalogue.

good luck! --alex.

A report on my moving data from one disk to another while under the control of the LR catalog...

I attached the NAS drive, set up its alias in Windows as my Z: drive. I created a folder on it, then used LR to import from CF a trial photo to the folder on the Z drive. Then I simply used Windows Explorer to move a subfolder (e.g. '2007') from my C drive to the Z drive. Firing up LR, then I merely would click on the 2007 folder which now had a question mark superimposed on it, and have LR find the folder after I pointed it to the Z drive. Simple, saved me the effort of creating each subfolder structure down several levels, and saved me the effort of selecting the photos to xfer...I only had to do the top level identification after having done Cut from C: and Paste to Z:

This is most timely. I am getting close to doing this very same thing. My internal drive is nearly filled up. I've backed up my photos to two separate (duplicated) externals and plan to use LR with an external drive.

I only recently got LR (for Christmas) and have been using my catalog for experimenting and learning with only a few selected folders.

I really like Familiaphoto's idea to initially download photos onto the local drive. Then move the folder to the external when necessary and have LR ask me to find the new location. Brilliant! I'll always have my most recent photos with me.