when the ! is clicked, while in the grid view, that blank then opens up into the loupe view. i have had missing files with the ! in the upper right hand corner and when i click the ! i always get the message that the file is missing.
with these blanks there is no such message.
your correct, the files aren't in the Montauk folder. i'm confused over how a filename can be generated, with NO IMAGE and none to be found.
your suggestion that if the files are not there then the problem is bigger than a missing LR preview sounds ominous. can you elaborate on that.??
those images were taken in 2010. i went back to check the entire year. there were a few blanks in march, a couple in july, most were in october and a few in november. reviewing the images i can see that the important ones are still there.