I began using Lightroom before I read Scott Kelby's book on LR2. I never created a "my Lightroom folder" as he suggested. Is it possible to do this retroactively, or do I need to start over. If start over-how do I clear the existing images already imported into LR?

I guess the real question is if you're up and running, why do you need a "my lightroom folder"?

Your pictures and catalogs from LR can be anywhere on your drive. They don't have to be in any specific folder.

For example:
I use my standard Mac OS X "Pictures" folder for my LR catalogs AND the folders containing my pictures from each shoot. When I'm done with the pictures from a particular shoot, that shoot's folder gets archived to my server drive (a Drobo) and then I point the LR catalog to that new location and it updates automatically.

I've never seen the need to have a specific LR folder.

OK, you're still wanting to do it Scott's way aren't you?

In that case you can create a "my Lightroom folder"
Move everything into it and then as you open each catalog and it complains that it can't find the pictures, simply point one picture (by clicking the question mark in the upper right corner of the thumbnail) to the new location and your catalog should update. So you can move everything without starting over.

Thanks, Terry
The understanding I got from reading Lightroom2 was that by creating a "my Lightroom" folder you can easily transfer all your photo files if you go to a larger external drive without having to re ID anything-it's just something to make future expansion easier. I'm all for easier, as my brain's logic and computer logic aren't always in sync. Thanks again for the help.

Yes, that's true, but not really:

Even if you have everything in the one "my Lightroom folder", chances are you're going to have subfolders for each of your imports/shoots. So even if you move the "my Lightroom folder" to a bigger drive one day (yes, having one folder to move that you know where everything is will be easier), you would still need to re-associate /re-link the images from each shoot to the new location on the new drive.

So the one folder makes it easy to move everything in one swoop, but not for relinking.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Corsa:
Thanks, Terry
The understanding I got from reading Lightroom2 was that by creating a "my Lightroom" folder you can easily transfer all your photo files if you go to a larger external drive without having to re ID anything-it's just something to make future expansion easier. I'm all for easier, as my brain's logic and computer logic aren't always in sync. Thanks again for the help.

Help! I thought I was following Terry's instructions for transferring files into a "My Lightroom" folder on my external H.D. Somehow other items got transferred too. Now I have no image access in Lightroom. Any advice?

Put everything back for starters.

What does "no image access mean?"

quote:

Originally posted by Paul Corsa:
Help! I thought I was following Terry's instructions for transferring files into a "My Lightroom" folder on my external H.D. Somehow other items got transferred too. Now I have no image access in Lightroom. Any advice?

Lightroom was telling me it could find no images-most likely because the two catalog folders ended up on my external drive. The Q is how to get them back where they belong?

When you open your catalog, what do you see? thumbnails? nothing? what? We're trying to help you, but it's hard without knowing what LR is actually saying. How about a screen shot of LR, errors, etc.?

I guessed right. The files belonged in the Lightroom Folder located in "Pictures" as part of Users/Paul Corsa(the house logo). I dragged them back there and everything is back to normal. I still don't know how I moved them, but I'll be aware if it happens again. Thanks for your support.