[Leica] Lightroom 3 Discussion.....

[red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone)]

I recently got a new Dell... And with buying a new computer, you get the joy
of re-installing all your old files, programs, etc.
I also decided to redesign the way my files were kept.  I allocated a USB
drive to all photography ( and exclusive to that cause.)

I also decided to setup the files so that I could use 2 different computers
to work on those files.

I had a devil of a time with LR3.  Moving the files across seemed easy.
Just copy to the USB drive.  Forgot about the .lrcat file. Had to figure out
where LR3 was looking for the .lcat file.   Figured that one out.  Then I
remembered the backup files and where they were hidden.  Then I tried to get
#2 computer to work with those files.  Finally decided to put all the backup
catalog file and the original catalog files on the USB drive.  That seems to
work.

The real problem is that like all idiotically designed SW, the manufacturer
does not discuss completely the purpose of the catalog files used, the
location they put those files, and does not accommodate the easy ability for
the user to select those places himself.

My input to all those wishing to edit on 2 computers is to put your catalog
file and backup on the portable drive.  Run both computers off those
catalogs.  Then you are always in synch and using the same files and
catalogs.

BTW, file backups are easy... just backup all your files from 1 USB drive to
a second ( and third, etc)....  With storage running $400-50 a TB for USB
drives, cost and capacity is no longer a problem.  

Further info on USB Drives....  The controversial way I use the drives is to
access all my images directly from the USB drive, rather than using
internally connected drives which would be considerably faster access times.
There is a way around most of this.....

there are 2 common  different USB speeds designated as USB 2.0 and USB 3.0.
IF your computer has a USB 3.0 output or eSATA ( read the instructions on
your computer, and by the way, the connectors are different for eSATA) the
transfer rates are considerably higher than USB 2.0.  However, most of the
USB drives out there are USB 2.0 ( only).   At this point.  There are few to
none of the eSATA external drives out there, prepackaged.  You can buy an
empty eSATA case and put your own SATA HDD inside, if you are handy.
 
My next drive enclosure will be eSATA + whatever I can find for legacy
purposes... USB 2.0 and or USB 3.0....


Frank Filippone
Red735i at earthlink.net