Dreaded question mark ???

[sanfairyanne]

I understand that if I export from Lightroom to Photoshop I can just hit SAVE and the processed image will go back to Lightroom. But I processed a few HDR panos' going from Lightroom - Photomatrix - Photoshop then imported back to Lighroom. The thumbnails show the image but with a question mark. So where should I store the originals? I currently have them in a folder on the desktop. I store my CR2's on an external drive so I tried dragging them to the Lightroom Pictures Folder within that drive but still I get the question mark.

 So where should I store the originals ?


Thank you.

[sanfairyanne]

I know the answer is going to be obvious but I've put the processed images just about everywhere and still I get the question mark. I should have thought they would go in the folder with the original RAW's. Incidentally I processed the image as a Tiff.

[eliedinur]

Put it anywhere you want. Then click on the question mark and when you are asked, "Would you like to locate it?", select Locate and then navigate to wherever you put it, highlight the file and click Select. Find that folder in the Folder panel and your image will be thumbnailed without the question mark.

[sanfairyanne]

Elied,

Thanks that seems to have done the trick my thumbnails now no longer have question marks. 

[wolfnowl]

Yup.  The '?' on a file in Lightroom simply means that LR doesn't know where to locate the image.  Once you create a pointer to it, it's all good.  It's also why once one has imported images into the Lightroom catalogue, it's best to move them from within Lightroom or they need to be relinked again.

Mike.