Where are Lightroom database files stored?

[wda]

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Does anyone know the identity and location of Lightroom database files? I have searched to no avail. Edit>Preferences does not give any clues apart from offering a choice of frequency of automatic backups. I cannot see them in the Adobe folder.

 

I am more comfortable if I can make my own selective backups of key files such as these. I am still in an early trial phase and the Help file is not very helpful in these matters.

 

David

[gtmerideth]

David, I will try.

 

Lightroom files, that is the file you develop in LR is only a set of instructions to achieve

the edit you desire. Wherever the file came from it remains as it is. So if the file was on

your hard drive or a remote HD it remains. They are hard to find because they don't exist.

 

If you export from LR to your HD, the file exported becomes a composite of the original file

with the instructions executed. This last comment is true at least part of the time.

I'm having some exports be only the instructions and my suspicion is that the base files are hidden from LR.

 

I hope this helps.

gary

[jfgilbert]

David,

There are two parts to the LR data base, the pictures themselves and the data base that contains the metadata, i.e. the keywords and the processing commands.

The original pictures are stored in subfolders of the folder that you specified when you imported your pictures (in the import dialog, you specify where they go).

The metadata is in a file called (on Mac) Lightroom Database.lrdb - it may have a different name under Windows, but it is probably similar - which is in the top level imported pictures folder.

I hope that's clear, it is not easy to explain because the structure of the imported pictures folders depends on the choices you make when importing and how you organize them.

Jacques

[xrogers]

If you hold down the option key (on Mac, probably the alt key in Windows) when starting Lightroom, it will prompt you for the location of the database. That dialog should show you where the database is stored.

 

Until later,

 

Clyde Rogers

[Shootist]

If you open Preferences and look at the "Default Library" section the first thing is

"When starting up use this library".

It usually says "Load most recent library".

Right to the right of that there is a button "Choose".

If you click on that button it should open to the current location of the LR library files/folder.

I beleive it is in C:\Docs & Settings\"username"\Application Data\Lightroom\.

Look for the file"Lightroom Database.irdb".

[wda]

Gary, Jacques, Clyde and Ed

 

Thank you for your helpful suggestions. Having looked again this morning I discovered that the database file had found its way into a new folder within 'My Pictures' called Lightroom. The database file is already quite big and I have only just started to import my pictures.

 

Picking up on the 'export' operation, I can see another dense jungle needing unraveling. Presumbably until you export the Lightroom metadata the operating system has no idea what Lightroom has done to the picture files. Is that correct?

 

If so, how does Lightroom keep track of file movements or deletions external to Lightroom? Do removed or amended folders need to be reimported into Lightroom and old folders within Lightroom deleted? If so, there is a need for a script to automate this process on a regular basis and I can't see that facility built into Lightroom.

 

Any knowledge or views on these file maintenance aspects of managing a picture database through Lightroom?

 

David

[Shootist]

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Gary' date=' Jacques, Clyde and Ed

 

Thank you for your helpful suggestions. Having looked again this morning I discovered that the database file had found its way into a new folder within 'My Pictures' called Lightroom. The database file is already quite big and I have only just started to import my pictures.

 

Picking up on the 'export' operation, I can see another dense jungle needing unraveling. Presumbably until you export the Lightroom metadata the operating system has no idea what Lightroom has done to the picture files. Is that correct?

[/quote']

 

If so' date=' how does Lightroom keep track of file movements or deletions external to Lightroom? Do removed or amended folders need to be reimported into Lightroom and old folders within Lightroom deleted? If so, there is a need for a script to automate this process on a regular basis and I can't see that facility built into Lightroom.

 

Any knowledge or views on these file maintenance aspects of managing a picture database through Lightroom?

 

David[/quote']

 

When you delete files outside of lightroom they still show up inside of lightroom library with a question mark (?) and get put into a "Missing Files" area/title (It's under "Library" at the bottom of that section). You can then go to that section and highlight them, hit the delete key and remove them from LR.

LR IMHO is one big in the BUTT.

[jfgilbert]

David,

Lightroom is meant to manage the files and you are right that the OS does not see what is in its datadase. You are not supposed to move, rename, or delete picture files or folders from the OS, that will confuse LR. To remove files from the LR database, select them, then hit "Delete." That will only remove them from the database, you would have to delete them in the OS separately.

You can also completely remove files by selecting them, marking them as "Rejected" (Click "X"), then hit "Delete." A dialog will pop up asking you if you want to remove them from LR only or delete them completely from the system.

It was not intended that you would move, rename, or delete files using the Operating System's file management. If you do, LR will be confused because its data base has a pointer to the file that becomes invalid. When that happens, LR will show a question mark in the corner of the thumbnail of the picture in Library View. You can then double click the picture and a dialog will pop up asking you to point to the new location of the file to restore the link. LR is intended to be your DAM (Digital Asset Management) and expect that you will manage your library from inside the program.

Also, be aware that "Export" exports a copy of the file, processed with the commands that you applied and converted to the format that you select, but does not remove the original from the database or the system.

To my (limited) knowledge, there is no way to automate the complete removal of multiple files or folders from LR. In order to remove an entire folder, you would have to select all files in the folder, then mark them as "Rejected", then delete them, and finally delete the folder. You can, however, start a new library database (library) at any time. Just hold "Alt" when you start LR and it will ask you which library you want to open or if you want to create a new one.

Hope that helps.

Jacques

[wda]

Jacques,

 

Thank you for your detailed response. Very helpful.

 

I suppose I am subconsciously trying to see how close file management is to that which links Adobe Bridge with iView MediaPro. The latter will show when it perceives a missing file compared with its previously notified location and allow relinking to the new position. I must experiment to see how my workflow would have to change with LR in this regard.

 

First impressions are that LR has some very attractive features and I have ordered a copy. My aim would be to try and manage with Windows and LR with PSCS for ultimate fine tuning of some images or more creative work for which it is supreme. (Bridge proved to be frustratingly slow in many areas. I know LR does not equate to an updated Bridge: they have different roles.) There seems little point in running LR and IVMP as image library databases. One or other should be a superior solution.

 

David

[albertknappmd]

David: you are correct... you chose either LR or IVMP as your database.... ;) I chose LR after alot of research and ma delighted. It grows on you and works seamlessly with CS3.

[dbarnett]

I have a similar situation and desperately need help. I would like to start a new thread. How do I do that.

 

Doug

[andybarton]

At the top of this sub-forum, just click the New Thread button, on the left