LR error on import "The destination folder is not available......"

[Paul2660]

Environment, win 7 64 bit, PC, latest version of LR CC

All of a sudden, whenever I attempt to import I get this error:

"The destination folder is not available, using pictures folder instead"  This seems to have happened after my upgrade to latest version of LR CC through CC cloud updater.

I have not made any changes in preferences I am aware of, but something changed for sure.  I can enter through the error and import but would prefer not to get this each time.

Any ideas?

Screen print of error message

[howardm]

of course the 'go-to' is 'have you rebooted' ?  Sounds like a disk mounting problem.  I've seen similar issues (on a Mac) where LR gets confused as to what is mounted and whether it is read-only or read-write.

[Paul2660]

Yes, full re-boot, and hard re-boot, no change. 

What I don't get is why is LR looking for anything on an import?  I should be pointing LR where I want to import from. 

Paul

[rdonson]

Perhaps the Lr prefs file is corrupt and needs to be rebuilt.

[Tony Jay]

Almost certainly this is a read/write issue.
The drive or folder in question is probably read-only currently.
Change the permissions to read-write.
The other possibility is that the drive is full.

Tony Jay

[Paul2660]

Almost certainly this is a read/write issue.
The drive or folder in question is probably read-only currently.
Change the permissions to read-write.
The other possibility is that the drive is full.

Tony Jay

This error message comes up first before I select a drive.
I click on import from the dialog box and get this error message. I have not selected any drive yet to import from.  So I can't see it being a read write permissions issue if so then it's acting like the whole PC doesn't have the correct permission which I know is not the situation.

I am trying to figure out the way to reset my preferences folder.

Thanks
Paul C

[rdonson]

http://lightroomkillertips.com/something-acting-weird-try-resetting-lightroom-ccs-preferences/

[Paul2660]

http://lightroomkillertips.com/something-acting-weird-try-resetting-lightroom-ccs-preferences/

Thanks.

Paul C

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

What it says is that the destination folder is not available and it will use the pictures folder instead.

So I guess LR's idea of where destination folder is messed up.

Best regards
Erik

Environment, win 7 64 bit, PC, latest version of LR CC

All of a sudden, whenever I attempt to import I get this error:

"The destination folder is not available, using pictures folder instead"  This seems to have happened after my upgrade to latest version of LR CC through CC cloud updater.

I have not made any changes in preferences I am aware of, but something changed for sure.  I can enter through the error and import but would prefer not to get this each time.

Any ideas?

Screen print of error message

[Rhossydd]

So I guess LR's idea of where destination folder is messed up.

Looking at the OP screenshot, there's a lot of 'lost' folders on the C: drive.
Maybe some folders have been deleted or moved outside of LR, that always causes some confusion.

[fdisilvestro]

Hi,

I have been able to replicate your "issue" (see attached image) and there is nothing to worry about it. It is actually a non-issue.

When you select import, LR will chose by default the path used the last time which is stored both in the catalog and in the preferences file.

- If there is an entry in the catalog, then it uses it regardless of the entry in the preferences file
- If there is not an entry in the catalog, then it will use the entry in the preferences file
- If there is not an entry neither in the catalog nor the preferences file, LR gives you that message

The good news is that after if you accept the message, go to the import dialog and perform an import, both entries (Catalog + Preferences file) are updated and you should not receive the message again.

Note:
I have experienced unexpected changes in the preferences file after upgrade, so it would not surprise if this indeed was an unintended issue when you performed the upgrade.


Additional info about the location of the entries in the catalog and preferences file:

Preferences

File in windows 7 64 bits:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Preferences\Lightroom 6 Preferences.AGPREFS (it is a regular text file)

Catalog:

Table: Adobe_VariablesTable

Variables:

- AgImportDialog_destinationFolderPath
- AgImport_importDestinationFolderPath

[Paul2660]

Hello Francisco,

Thanks for the info.  I realize I can accept the message and still import, (maybe I was not clear on that in my first post), it just is a pain as import a lot.  Just adds a step.  And makes me feel something else is wrong. 

I accept the message each time, and yes it goes away, until I attempt to import again and I get the message.  I will have the exact same drive online as with the previous import and I still see the message. 

Resetting preferences did not clear this up. 

Messages like this concern me only because LR is catalog based application and once the catalog is corrupted things can go wrong fast, even with a full back up.

Paul C

[fdisilvestro]

Ok, I see,

Have you tried creating a new catalog, just for testing? If a new catalog works fine, then maybe there is an inconsistency in the original one, otherwise it might be something OS or application related.

[Paul2660]

Probably is an issue with the current catalog, but I guess for now I would rather fight than switch.  I have enough problems with the catalog as it is. 

So far this is just an inconvenience, and I will wait for another LR upgrade. 

It also may very well be an issue on the drive or with the OS, but I am not sure how to check that, besides the normal defrag, or chkdsk /f etc. which I have done.

What still mystifies me, is this error comes up as soon as I select import from the drop down box, before I have even pointed to any location on my PC. 

I use a lot of external HD's now and it's possible that somehow a pointer is stuck looking for one of those. 

Paul C

[fdisilvestro]

Hi,

A possible issue: The Pictures folder at Windows level relates to a non-existent folder:

Check the registry (regedit.exe) and look for the following value:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Check the value of My Pictures (as in the attached image)

Confirm that the directory exists in your system

 

[Paul2660]

Hello Francisco,

Thanks for the tip, I did look and that line in the registry did have a strange entry.  Corrected it, but still have the error.  For now I guess I will live with it, as I hate the idea of a total re-install.

Paul C

[fdisilvestro]

Paul,

One more thing, as the troubleshooting procees is a step by step process, when you import images do you add the photos to the catalog without moving them or do you Copy or Move to a new location? If you normally add, try using Copy or Move once to see if it makes a difference.

Also, look in the preferences file:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Preferences\Lightroom 6 Preferences.AGPREFS

You can use a text editor such as notepad or wordpad.

Using "find", look for the values of:

- AgImportDialog_destinationFolderPath
- AgImport_importDestinationFolderPath

[Etrsi_645]

I had a similar problem on import recently.   Windows 10 did not recognize my logical  drive where I store my photos and import preset uses that drive.  Upon reboot now sporadically a drive may not get recognized.