Errors tranferring files using Lightroom 2.4

[juliekubal]

I'm curious if anyone else has had this problem and if they've been able to resolve.

I'm in the process of migrating an old archive into a DAM structured archive with buckets. I created a LR catalog to map out my original file structure as per the DAM book and then I transferred the entire archive onto a new external hard drive using Chronosync to validate the transfer. Now I'm trying to move the files within LR into new bucket folders. However every time I attempt to move the files, I'm getting an error message "An unknown error occurred while moving a photo." The transfer is aborted and the files won't move. I've been resorting to going outside of LR into Finder to move my photos and then reimporting into LR. It's a major drag.

I contacted Adobe tech support and they gave such an unsatisfactory answer that I'm feeling a bit discouraged now about using LR as my cataloging software. Basically they said that the ONLY solution was to move the files from my external drive onto my internal drive not using LR and then I can try to re-import into LR from the internal drive and then transfer the files within LR into new folders from the internal drive. They said that it's possible that my hard drive is "unsupported." FYI- the hard drive is a new Lacie 1TB external. I'm sure this is a commonly used type of hard drive. That response from tech support is a ridiculous solution. Many LR users will have multiple external hard drives with thousands of files. If the only way to use LR for cataloging is to move them onto an internal drive, they've essentially rendered LR useless for this purpose.

Do I have no choice but to move to Expressions Media? I was planning to only use LR.

Any suggestions from anyone would be much appreciated. I'm feeling very frustrated right now!!

Julie Kubal

[peterkrogh]

Julie,
LR (and pretty much all other management programs) make a lot of use of the OS to do this kind of thing, so your OS is important (you don't mention it). It's possible that there is some error in the system/filesystem/storage/directory/whatever, and it just happens to be making itself known to you in Lightroom.

That said, I've not heard of this error.  However, this is the kind of thing that does make me unhappy with Lightroom as DAM. When it breaks, it really breaks, and you don't have much choice but to start all over again.

Peter

[juliekubal]

Hi Peter,

I'm using Mac OSX 10.5.7.

I haven't had any trouble moving large numbers of files that do reside on my internal hard drive, just on the external. Do you know how I could check for the error you're referring to? I'm using a Mac Book Pro that is just a couple of months old, not that that doesn't mean there could be a system error, but everything else is running just fine.

In the event that I can't fix the problem, what do you mean exactly by starting all over again?

Thanks,
Julie

[peterkrogh]

Julie:

If you have a some time, I suggest the following.  After each step, try to move a file and see if the error is still there.

1. Check that the file and all folders in the folder tree are not locked (File>Get Info) and that you have permission to read/write
2. Run permissions repair on your boot drive (Disk Utilities)
3. Run Disk repair on the external drive (Disk Utilities)

4. Do you have any other programs that can move files, like iView/Expression Media?  If so, does it show the same error?
5. Do you have Disk Warrior?  If so, run it on the external.
6. Make a new Lightroom catalog with a handful of files from the eternal.  Can this one move the files?
7. Can you sync metadata to the file with Lightroom? (add a new keyword to a file on the external) After sync of metadata, is it really there? (Check with Bridge)

If none of this helps or illuminates, report back.

Peter

[juliekubal]

Peter,

Your my hero! Your first troubleshooting suggestion addressed the problem. When I had originally created my archive back in 05 I had locked many of the folders (inconsistently, I might add), thinking that it would be a good way to make sure the files didn't get altered. Once I unlocked everything, I was able to complete all the file transfers within Lightroom.

I'm amazed that Adobe's tech support had an insanely long and cumbersome list of troubleshooting steps, which did not include this very simple suggestion.

Thanks for saving me a lot of time and frustration!

Julie

[peterkrogh]

Julie,
Glad that found the problem easily.

As to Adobe's tech support, it illustrate one of the problems with tech support. Oftentimes, the problems they are being asked to fix are not even ones that are related to their software. It's just that the problem *shows up* in their software, when, in reality, the problem is wider and affects all the applications on your computer.  Adobe could pretty easily burn up all profits from the sale of your copy of Lightroom fixing what is, in effect, a system issue.

Of course, Adobe has chosen to design their software to use the system APIs to do this work, (which is the right way to do it), which means the users OS settings *are* to some extent, Adobe's responsibility.

Peter