Rendering previews, huge previews file,...

I have read the other posts about rendering images. I am using LR as a replacement for Photoshop Album: I use it to index and track about 120 DVDs full of scanned slides as well as digital images.



I don't chec the ''render standard images'' when I import files ''from current location'' from my DVDs.



In Preferences, I have selected Low Quality and 1024 pixels for my previews.



Right now, I have over 2 GB worth of files in the My Pictures %26gt; LightRoom %26gt; Lightroom Previews file.



What I would like to do is keep the previews file down to a minimum size. I would also like to be sure that if I lose my hard drive, my LR backup file will restore my work and that I don't have to reindex/retag/reimport all my files on DVD.



Questions:



have I optimized my settings to minimize the Previews file size?



When I backup LR, the 2GB Previews file is not automatically backed up. If I lose or erase that file, will I lose the ability to see the thumbnails of all my offline files?



Thanks, Stan
Rendering previews, huge previews file,...
Don't know the answer to your questions, but I would like to add to it:



Can you set LR so the Previews are NOT on the C drive? I like my previews to be on my scratch drive, then both can be accessing data. = Faster.



I do realize LR is not currently setup for network drives. The scratch drive is directly attached to the machine.



Thanks



David
Rendering previews, huge previews file,...
The previews directory is in your library directory. You can put the library wherever you want.

Stan,



I am attempting something similar but I have a question. In Lightroom, after you import all of the images from the DVDs how are you able to know which particular DVD an image is on? I don't see this function anywhere. I have used PS Elements 4 and like the way that it will tell you to find a particular disk which is real easy. I don't see this functionality in LR at all.



Am I missing something? Thanks for the help...

Scott,



Just number your DVDs. Use the number of the DVD as a keyword for each image on that DVD. Whenever you find that disc by subject keyword, you'll also have its number.



When you start Import, the next dialog box gives you the opportunity to enter keywords. I just use that dialog to assign the DVD's number.



By the way, when I burn the DVDs, I also use the burning program to change the DVD's ''volume'' number to my assigned number.

Just an idea on this...



At first, you have all your images in some main folder (Photos, for example) which contain several subfolders, like:



Photo2005\

2005_01\

2005_02\

2005_03\

Photo2006\

2006_01\....



-these are allready imported and are listed in LR's Folders. Now you wish to backup complete Photo2005 folder on DVD.

Now you exit LR, rename folder Photo2005 to DVD2005, burn complete DVD2005 folder to DVD and again rename the same folder on disk to BAK2005.

Now run LR. Of course LR won't find any image from 2005 and you'll see questionmark on thumbnail. Click on questionmark (on any thumbnail from 2005) and you'll be asked if you wish to find location of image. If you do, file browser will show up, where you select image on your burned DVD.. and LR will update Folders from Photo2005 to DVD2005 -so you allways know that you shoud put in DVD named DVD2005. If succesfull, you can delete folder BAK2005 on your disk.

I haven't tried that, but it seems logical. I don't like the idea to use keywords for backups.. keywords should contain photo related description (not backup, print, etc. stuff).



Bogdan

Bogdan,



That sounds like it will work but it seem awfully complicated.



As far as using keywords to match images with offline DVDs, my system is very easy and works well.



In the list of keyword tags on the left side of LR's display, I created a keyword ''disk''. I then moved all the keywords (numbers) that identify disks as a subgroup under the keyword ''disk.'' That way, they don't clutter up the keyword list when I collapse them under ''disk'' keyword.



Stan

Hi Stan,



Renaming single folder twice and one-click ''relocate'' in LR sound complicated? Well, it was a suggestion...

Don't forget, that keywords are ''grouped'' only as long you look at them in Lightroom. Outside LR, they are counted in line, with no particular order -because some other application can't know how have they been ''organized'' inside LR.

Anyway, it's allowed to write in Keywords whatever you wish.



Greetings,

Bogdan