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Author Topic: Workflow using multiple drives and libraries  (Read 3255 times)

James R

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Workflow using multiple drives and libraries
« on: March 07, 2007, 10:03:56 pm »

Situation: I've designate one library to an external drive (call it A) containing all original files, one library on my computer drive (call it , and another library for another external drive (call it C) for finished photos.

Action: Using LR, I import CF files and save them to drive A and B.  Then work on photos in B and save the good shots to C.

Questions: Does LR put these photos into the Library associated with each drive?  When uploading from CF, I want the captures to go to the libraries assosicated with the drive.  To my thinking, this would make retrieval of files quicker than having a single library spread over 3 drives.  Will this work?  Or, do I need to rethink this work flow?
« Last Edit: March 07, 2007, 10:05:59 pm by James R »
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Alter Nereus

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Workflow using multiple drives and libraries
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2007, 01:26:56 am »

This is essentially my set-up although I use the drives for different purposes as in your case.
I use a number of EHD as source Libraries i.e. on my PC a Library for all shoots taken in Germany, another EHD for all shoots in France etc etc. At the beginning you have to ask Lightroom to create a new database and have it do so on all your EHD's in turn. Then set Lightroom to ask which database to use on startup - here you can then point it to any of your EHD's. The beauty of this system is that regardless of whether or not any of your EHD's are connected at any moment in time there remains a 1024x768 thumbnail enabling you to still work on the image e.g. add metadata and the such (but no editing of the image itself) and whenever your EHD is connected it will automatically update the added info to the files on the EHD.
If, when inserting a card and uploading your images to the PC, there is also an option of backing up the images to a second destination at the same time. Caution with this - if you choose this option only your images will be sent to the backup destination and nothing else. This is just fine although if you haven't first established a database in this location you won't be able to access them via choose database at startup but have to import from files instead.
Hope I've explained this clearly enough. :-))
« Last Edit: March 08, 2007, 01:27:35 am by Alter Nereus »
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James R

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Workflow using multiple drives and libraries
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2007, 10:09:49 am »

Thanks Alter,

If I understand you correctly:  Provided a library was created for each EHD, LR  allows me to simultaneously save the same images to two EHD's (each having different libraries), resulting in my images being added to each EHD's library?
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Alter Nereus

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Workflow using multiple drives and libraries
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2007, 11:31:35 am »

Yes you got it. Just plug in your EHD (or EHD's) first before uploading any images. Open up Lightroom and ask it to create a new database on your EHD(s). You might even want to think up and set up a good folder structure on that drive first. Once you've got a database and folder structure set up insert the CF card - open Lightroom and in the dialogue select to auto backup to a second destination - in this case choose your normal hard drive( or EHD)  and your EHD ( or second EHD) as the backup destination. Always check that both destinations have got the files before deleting them from the card - things have been known to happen :>))
« Last Edit: March 08, 2007, 11:34:20 am by Alter Nereus »
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