For every project another lightroom catalog

[henk]

In my workflow I use for every project, I have about 25 a year, another lightroom
catalog. For me this works fine. When finished I transfer the whole directory including the lightroom catalog to an off-line HD and a Backup. When I have to go back to the files I just mount the HD. In lightroom pick open catalog and every thing is there. So far so good. But for every new catalog I have to install again all my preferences as Print layout, Identity plate and all other custom presets. This is a pain in the neck. Is there a way to keep all my presets form catalog to catalog?

Henk

[john beardsworth]

In my workflow I use for every project, I have about 25 a year, another lightroom
catalog. For me this works fine. When finished I transfer the whole directory including the lightroom catalog to an off-line HD and a Backup. When I have to go back to the files I just mount the HD. In lightroom pick open catalog and every thing is there. So far so good. But for every new catalog I have to install again all my preferences as Print layout, Identity plate and all other custom presets. This is a pain in the neck. Is there a way to keep all my presets form catalog to catalog?

Henk
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=192156\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

No (other than copying the catalogue folder and deleting the archived files). Use collections and other metadata to identify projects, rather than fragmenting control of your work into individual catalogues. When you want to archive the work, use Export as Catalog to clone a catalogue for just that project.

[kaelaria]

There's no good reason to work that way - it's simply too far.  Lightroom will track files on external drives just fine in one catalog.  You might as well be building a new computer for each project too.

[henk]

OK, got the message.  
And is there a way to " repair " my mistake by adding the different catalogues created by the projects? Right now I have about 18 projects I would like to consolidate in one lightroom catalogue. Or is this utopia and have to mount the HD's and do everything by hand?

Henk

[john beardsworth]

You should be able to just use File > Import as Catalog. If the small catalogues are offline, that will mean mounting the HD. As you add the projects, maybe set up a Collection containing each one. In the end, you'll have one place where you're controlling your whole collection. In future, just use File > Export as Catalog when you archive a project.

John

[henk]

You should be able to just use File > Import as Catalog. If the small catalogues are offline, that will mean mounting the HD. As you add the projects, maybe set up a Collection containing each one. In the end, you'll have one place where you're controlling your whole collection. In future, just use File > Export as Catalog when you archive a project.

John
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=193104\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

John,
I gave it a try with 4 projects and I must agree that this is a much better approach! Since I gave every catalog the name of the project, this name apears in the folders list. Great.
Thanks, Henk

[Dennishh]

I started doing one Catalog per job on my laptop for shoots and found it to be a very easy way to organize shoots and keep things working fast on the laptop, not huge Catalog to load each time. What I have been doing on my main workstation is setting up a master Catalog in two month increments. I copy the individual shoots from my laptop to this  master directory and then "import from Catalog"  to the two month Catalog. This import is done using DNG's copied to a backup drive while importing. Each imported job is then made into a collection with the original shoot name from the laptop. This complex system gives me three backups and has successfully kept jobs straight. Each DNG is given a file number starting with the last number in the directory. I can then use this DNG folder to import all work done to a master Catalog. This sounds complex, but the more I do it this way the more I like it. Presets are a pain, they can be copied to the root lightroom directory but adobe should do this better.