Networked workflow quandary with LR4

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corposant
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p.1 #1 · Networked workflow quandary with LR4

I have worked on a MacBook Pro since they were known as Powerbooks. I tend to kit mine out with the biggest storage solution possible and I have few complaints. However, the time has come to try to take advantage of the super-slim Macbook Air for tethered shooting and just all around ease for travel. Because of the limited onboard storage, I thought I would get a MacMini and use it as a server at home. I can stash it away next to my router and plug it into my HDTV and use a wireless keyboard if I wanted to, but primarily I'd use it for storage.

The conflict here is what to do about image processing. Ideally I would keep my library on the "server" and keep the catalog and previews on my Air. I could work with files on the Air and then send them out to the "server" when I was done with them. I have an Airport Extreme so the N network is pretty fast for file transfer, but I wonder if there isn't a more practical way of doing this.

Does anybody else have a wireless workflow?

Dec 02, 2012 at 04:41 AM

howardm4
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p.1 #2 · Networked workflow quandary with LR4

have you considered a 13" MBP w/ data doubler (remove the DVD drive and install a real HD in it's place) (macsales.com) ?

Dec 02, 2012 at 01:31 PM

corposant
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p.1 #3 · Networked workflow quandary with LR4

howardm4 wrote:
have you considered a 13" MBP w/ data doubler (remove the DVD drive and install a real HD in it's place) (macsales.com) ?

That's what I have now - I am not running low on storage by any means, but since I travel a lot and do most of my processing at home, that's why I'd like the Air and want to figure out how to leave the library there when I am out and about.

Dec 02, 2012 at 04:30 PM

howardm4
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p.1 #4 · Networked workflow quandary with LR4

You could just drag the processed images on the Air over to the main storage once you're home. LR will do the right thing. You dont need a Mini either, just some sort of file server (be it a Mini w/ int/ext drives or a NAS or something).

Dec 02, 2012 at 05:13 PM

Alan321
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p.1 #5 · Networked workflow quandary with LR4

Be sure to use Lr on one and only one computer. Never try multi-user access.

Your library catalog on the portable computer will include everything but it will span your internal drive and the macMini drive. When you come home and run Lr it will find the MacMini drive and its files that were missing while you were out and about. Do your edits in the macbook and then use Lr to transfer the edited files to the MacMini. When you get out of Lr, copy the catalog across too so that there is a reasonably up to date copy on the MacMini. You could copy the previews too if it doesn't take too long but otherwise you could just regenerate them as required on the MacMini. The catalog is the important one to copy across - and the image files, of course.

I expect that using the Mac Air for editing or viewing files that are on the MacMini will be very slow unless you have a very fast link to that computer. USB 3 or Thunderbolt might help but wi-fi will bog down. I'm not sure how you would actually make the connection.

You might consider working in the MacMini while at home so that you can have a dedicated bigger monitor with better colours than the MacAir or an HDTV. The MacMini will also be faster as well as look better but you'll have to be sitting at the desk. The file and catalog transfer between the two computers might be acceptable on a daily basis or less often but you won't want to be doing it several times a night just so that you can flit about from one computer to the other.

- Alan

Dec 03, 2012 at 08:46 AM

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