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Archive 2017 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP

  
 
MMcGrath
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


I use a custom built PC for my main photo editing and have just bought a new 13" MacBook Pro with Retina display non touch bar to replace a 2011 MacBook Air that I use when travelling.

When travelling, I create a new catalogue on a portable HDD and then connect the portable HDD up to my PC and import this catalogue into my main catalogue.

Is there a better / more efficient way of doing this?



Feb 13, 2017 at 05:13 PM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


this is purely personal but gave up using separate catalogues when on my laptop .

i now copy my original cat file onto a memory stick along with the smart preview file . then i either transfer those onto my laptop's internal drive or just run the cat file from the memory stick . (a decently fast stick on USB3 is fine )
where i was having problems with separate catalogues was re importing into my main catalogue . if i exported more than a few hundred smart previews with a temp catalogue the reimport was prone to stalling .

now I just copy the cat file from my laptop to back to the original location and I'm good to go . (you don't need to transfer smart previews back but if you've imported new RAW files you do have to move them afterwards )



Feb 13, 2017 at 05:23 PM
MMcGrath
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


Ian,

Thanks for that. Sounds like the ideal way moving forward.
What size of USB stick are you using?



Feb 13, 2017 at 05:40 PM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


MMcGrath wrote:
Ian,

Thanks for that. Sounds like the ideal way moving forward.
What size of USB stick are you using?



depends on the size of the files . the fastest stick I have is 64gb but Ive now got myself a tiny little sands 128gb that sits permanently in one of the 2 slots on my MBA . ok its not super quick but it does the jobejust fine . if I need the speed then I just copy the stuff over to the internal (256 gb) .



Feb 13, 2017 at 06:55 PM
Alan321
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


Ian's approach works fine so long as you don't use the wrong computer when editing. i.e. never edit on both computers between syncing the catalogs. This is easy enough to comply with if you apply a little self discipline.

The advantage of Mark's approach is that you never have to sync the catalogs before using Lr on the other computer. This may be handy if one of the computers is not readily accessible (e.g. still in the car out in the rain, or still packed away in luggage).



Feb 14, 2017 at 02:09 AM
arbitrage
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


I've done both yours and Ian's ways. Lately still doing the separate Travel Cat and merging when I get home. But sometimes I go on a dedicated photography trip and like to take my main cat to share images with fellow participants during evening down time.

I've never had issues merging back to date. I will have a 1:1 preview file for the Travel Cat and the Travel Cat itself. I usually don't have the Smart Previews built till later once the merge is complete.

A question to Ian or others....when I merge back do the 1:1 previews and/or Smart previews merge into the main Catalogues respective files? I think they do as it seems I can still rifle through at 1:1 in Library without a new build of 1:1 previews but just wanted to confirm this.



Feb 14, 2017 at 08:18 AM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


arbitrage wrote:
A question to Ian or others....when I merge back do the 1:1 previews and/or Smart previews merge into the main Catalogues respective files? I think they do as it seems I can still rifle through at 1:1 in Library without a new build of 1:1 previews but just wanted to confirm this.



OK >

Smart previews : these being DNG raw files (of a lower res) don't ever get touched or changed . so when you merge back that smart preview should probably be in the smart previews file (located next to the cat file ) . i guess if you delete that smart preview file then LR will either replace the Smart or just ignore it . my money would be on ignore it (not able to test at the moment) because as long as you have the original RAW file it wouldn't need the smart preview .

Normal previews:
these reside in the previews file next to the CAT file (not in the actual cat file)
not 100% sure here but I think only 1 1:1 preview is kept in the preview file . i would assume its the latest most uptodate one . if you generate a 1:1 from a smart preview its not the same size as doing so from a 'real' raw file . smart previews are 2560 pixels on the long edge .

again not able to test but lets say you create a 1:1 for an image thats then exported as a catalogue with the smart preview . as you can't transfer the original 1:1 preview with that catalogue and smart preview (the cat file name will be different so LR can't look for that 1:1 in the previews file . it will just build a new previews file) . you then create a 1:1 preview from the smart preview (its the only available source) so is smaller than you would have if you had a raw file. you make changes to that image (lets say B&W so its noticeable) you 1:1 preview is updated to include the change (the Smart preview being a DNG isn't changed)

now you reimport that catalogue in to the original cat . now has the 1:1 preview been updated to the new settings or is it still old ? i think its old until you view that image at which point it will update to include the new settings .
i think that if you hadn't made any changes then no update would be needed . hence the reason you can "rifle through at 1:1" . as there is likely to be some pre cacheing you may not see any changes taking place for images that have been changed .



Feb 14, 2017 at 09:23 AM
Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Optimising LR transfer between PC and MBP


OK also re reading arbitrage's post
if your travel cat has new images not present in your original cat and you've created 1:1 previews for these then I can possible see that LR will either transfer the 1:1 preview or build a new one at the time of reimport (much the same difference ) .
probably can test this by looking at the size of the preview file before and after the import .



Feb 14, 2017 at 09:29 AM





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