Lightroom 3 - "Make a second copy to" question

Stash

In Lightroom 3, when I import my photos, the original import goes into a folder like such:

..Drive2/Shoot Name/2010/Date/filename.nef

When I turn on "Make a second copy to" option the files go into a folder:
../Drive3/Shoot Name/filename.nef

I would really like to have them go into a 'clone' of the original folder on the separate drive. i.e. ../Drive3/Shoot Name/2010/Date/filename.nef

Am I doing something wrong? Or is this the way it is?

Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.

Stash

MileHighAko

I don't have an answer to your question - I thought you could configure the naming like you describe but I haven't tried it.

I am, however, curious as to why you want a second physical copy? Since LR3's edits are non-destructive and the original file is never actually changed/replaced, why do you need a second physical copy? I understand a virtual copy for making multiple crops or changes to the same image. I'm still learning, so would like to understand how you're using LR3.

Thanks...

cab.in.boston

MileHighAko wrote: »

I am, however, curious as to why you want a second physical copy?

Backup!!! In case something happens to the drive where your original lives. I also keep and backup my catalog on a third drive (now that I think about it, I should re-backup that somewhere else, since the catalog and backup would both disappear if I lost that particular drive).

To the OP: I don't know how to fix this, and I've noticed it as well. When I import, the files on my primary drive go into a folder tree structure such as you describe (although I just have it organized by date as I'm not an event shooter). On my backup drive, there is no folder structure, just one big base folder with all my photos in it. It's annoying, but I haven't looked into it enough to figure out how to fix it. And in my case, since I just have folders of the date the photo was shot, that's very easy to sort out anyway. I'd guess if you tag your photos with the event name on import (or while shooting), then you could go back and sort them by metadata pretty easily, although that doesn't answer your question, it's just a way to work around it...

Stash

cab.in.boston wrote: »

Backup!!! In case something happens to the drive where your original lives. I also keep and backup my catalog on a third drive (now that I think about it, I should re-backup that somewhere else, since the catalog and backup would both disappear if I lost that particular drive).

To the OP: I don't know how to fix this, and I've noticed it as well. When I import, the files on my primary drive go into a folder tree structure such as you describe (although I just have it organized by date as I'm not an event shooter). On my backup drive, there is no folder structure, just one big base folder with all my photos in it. It's annoying, but I haven't looked into it enough to figure out how to fix it. And in my case, since I just have folders of the date the photo was shot, that's very easy to sort out anyway. I'd guess if you tag your photos with the event name on import (or while shooting), then you could go back and sort them by metadata pretty easily, although that doesn't answer your question, it's just a way to work around it...

Backup is the exact reason I'm doing this. I've tried doing RAID systems, but I don't know if it's me or what, but I seem to end up losing one of the drives periodically.

My other alternative is to just copy files over manually, but it would be nice to automate the process.

Thanks for the input. Good to know it's not something I'm doing! (Well it is, but you know what I mean!)

MileHighAko

Stash wrote: »

Backup is the exact reason I'm doing this. I've tried doing RAID systems, but I don't know if it's me or what, but I seem to end up losing one of the drives periodically.

My other alternative is to just copy files over manually, but it would be nice to automate the process.

Thanks for the input. Good to know it's not something I'm doing! (Well it is, but you know what I mean!)

Backup - fair enough. I didn't think of that. I've been using online backup storage for so long that I never think about backup anymore other than to periodically pull something down. I use JungleDisk with Amazon S3 cloud storage, and have my system setup so that within a very short period of time all my RAW files are automatically backed up in the cloud. I've also considered using my SmugVault for backup as well.

If you want to keep the exact storage structure, you might just add a step in your workflow to copy the folders manually using Windows Explorer (or Mac equivalent). Not as simple as having LR3 do it, but at least you know it matches your source.

arodney

Stash wrote: »

I would really like to have them go into a 'clone' of the original folder on the separate drive. i.e. ../Drive3/Shoot Name/2010/Date/filename.nef

The idea here is to suck off the images on a card and pop them, as is, into a folder you specify. I’m confused by the issue, are you unable to make a secondary folder with the name you wish using Make a second copy option or you want that copy to be renamed or have some additional metadata added like the original import? If the later, that’s not possible. IOW, you can’t “clone” the options you ask for from the initial import (change the name, add a preset, metadata), the idea here is a backup of the data on the card exactly as is to this secondary location.

So yes, backing up (cloning) after import would be the solution for you. All the options you specify for import will equally be cloned which is what I do instead of the “Make a 2nd copy” option. Note, the Make a 2nd copy is useful for those who want to import to DNG while having another drive with the original proprietary camera files saved off.

Stash

Thanks Andrew, that is what I will do in future then.

pathfinder

When I import my image files, my primary copy goes to a Raid 5 array, and at the same time, a 2nd copy of the file is directed to a separate internal 2 TB hard drive. My catalog files are on my main hard drive, and that is backed up via SuperDuper on an additional separate hard drive....

I am a belt and suspenders kind of guy, I do not trust spinning hard drives for long term storage. I keep thinking Andy is right about BackBlaze, but I have yet to drink the kool aide.