Lightroom challenges...

Killerbob

I am currently using Aperture and am very happy with it. However to be fair to Adobe, I am giving Lightroom a try-out. I have a Creative Cloud subscription so it makes sense if I could switch.

Lightroom is different though, and a few things simply are showstoppers... The biggest one being "scrambled" previews:

I have my files on a ReadyNAS, connected to my nMP via Ethernet. Hence I import folders with reference. I have tried a bunch of folders at the same time, and I have tried one at a time, but nonetheless I often have scrambled preview files. I open a folder and the photos are displayed as thumbnails, and often one or a few pf them are scrambled. There is no better word to describe it; part of the photo is simply not there. It is often the first file in a folder, and there is nothing I can do to refresh the photo. I can remove it, and then search for changes, and it is found, but often just as bad the second time it is imported. I have tried using Smart Previews, but alas...

Anyone who can shine some light on this problem?

Hammie

Can you provide a screen shot of what you see?

Did you use the Aperture to Lightroom migration tool that Adobe made available? I do not know all the details of the tool, but read about it in a Mac Forum.

sevencrossing

when you "import" I assume your are the photos are added catalogue without moving them from the ReadyNAS

could you try copying one folder to the C drive to see it the issue in the Ethernet

where do you keep your catalogue ?

you might try victoria's

http://www.lightroomqueen.com/shop/adobe-lightroom-5-the-missing-faq/#sthash.nSEUJWRw.dpuf

Killerbob

Here is a screenshot from my Mac Pro. As you can see the two first previews are scrambled, and this doesn't change when I try to open them up.



I have not used the migration tool. I made a new library on my Mac Pro, into which I imported the referenced file. The files are stored on my NAS.

When I tried to move a folder to the Mac Pro, I didn't have the problem, so it is probably related to the NAS/network, but it is the only application with which I have this problem. My transfer rates to/from the NAS are exceptionally good (110/115MB/s), right at the limit of a gigabit ethernet connection... Lightroom should be able to handle that! If it doesn't, I guess Lightroom is not for me.

sevencrossing

I THINK the LR catalogue stores thumbnails for the previews
I THINK the number and size of thumbnails can changed in the defaults
I will do some more research as my internal drive is filling up and may need externals in the future

sevencrossing

In, Edit > Preferences> File Handling. Is Embed Fast load Data ticked ?
what size jpeg is selected ?

FlowtographyBerlin

Have you tried re-building the previews? Library Module, menu Library -> Previews -> [whatever sort of Preveiw you want]

If you want to delete the whole set of previews (will keep LR busy for a bit, but it's worth it if you have problems): http://www.tipandtrick.net/force-photoshop-lightroom-rebuild-standard-previews/

spraynpray

@Killerbob: A word of encouragement - the problem you are having is not a Lightroom problem, there is something peculiar about the way you are trying to use it. If find the problem is your existing workflow and you are so into your existing workflow that you cannot change it to use Lightroom, then you could try to find some other software package that will allow you to use your familiar routine, but you would be better off changing your workflow as Lightroom is used by a heck of a lot of people for a good reason.

Killerbob

I have played around with the Lightroom settings, and even tried Smart Previews as well. Space is not really a consideration, as my nMP has 1TB SSD internally, and 2TB on SSDs externally via Thunderbolt 2.

However, I would change my workflow if needed. I just want to have the files on the NAS, for obvious reasons, and Lightroom should be able to handle that. 1) I put the files on my NAS, 2) Import into Lightroom, one folder at a time, or individual files, 3) I have all my files in LR, and do major edits in PhotoShop and PhotoMatix.

When i do this, I get the scrambling. I agree it has something to do with the files being on a NAS, but why shouldn't they be? I checked the speed of the NAS share, and it is fast. Fast enough to use for HD streaming, and editing RAWs.

Ironheart

I would keep all of the Lightroom files locally for performance reasons anyway. Then set up a nightly job to copy all of your Lightroom files to the NAS. Several folks have suggested Carbon Copy cloner, there are others as well as Time Machine. I don't know why you would torture yourself with network speeds when you have thunderbolt.

Hammie

Have you tried to import from your memory card with Lightroom and have the files saved on the NAS?

It sounds like you save them on your NAS first and then import.

Make sure your catalog and previews are local.

Killerbob

The reason I keep the files on the NAS is simply that I have a Mac Pro, a MacBook Pro, and a Mac Mini which all accesses the files. I have my Lightroom on the nMP, but access the same files from XBMC on my Mac Mini, and edits on my MBP. Also, I really hate having the same files more than one place. It is 1.2TB of Photos, and bad IT etiquette....

And, catalog and previews are locally stored on the nMP.

Hammie

I have all my photos on an external drive and backed up to both my NAS and Time Machine.

I also back-up my Lightroom catalog and previews to my NAS and Time machine.

Ironheart

@Killebob, what kind of edits on the MBP? Are you only storing the NEFs and JPEGs on the NAS? No lightroom files?

Also what is your setting for embedding fast preview under Preferences > File Handing ? For NAS, this should be turned off

Killerbob

I just do some edit on the MBP when I am sitting anywhere but the office. The nMP is small (and powerful) but not mobile:)

I had a lloonngg talk to Adobe and they admitted (in writing nonetheless) that Lightroom is terrible with reading files of a networked drive, and that it really does require the speed to local drives. Especially when the library becomes big, and the creation of Previews take a long time. They offered to reimburse me the cost of Lightroom, which is of course nice, but worthless, seeing as I have the Creative Cloud subscription.

I'll check out the Lightroom settings, and see if it makes a difference.

Ironheart

I'm pretty sure the "embed fast previews" will fail on a NAS drive (due to Adobe's incompetence) but turning it off, while slowing the preview creation process will work on a NAS, only furthering the proof of their inability to write proper I/O code that actually checks system call return codes and processes them correctly.

If you search the adobe Lightroom forums, its chock full of examples of crappy NAS behavior (use keyword "Synology")

WestEndFoto

I can live with Adobe's incompetence on this issue given their competence on other issues.

Hmmmm........ could I substitute "Nikon" for "Adobe" in my statement?

This is a really good thing to know though. I will think carefully before upgrading my current setup with a network.

Killerbob

I tried turning it off, but alas... The previews still are scrambled, at least some of them. I tried with 1:1 previews, half, etc. Every time I change settings, I delete the library and start from scratch.

Funny thing I have notised... When I have imported a folder from the NAS, and I have scrambled previews, if I open finder and go to that particular folder, highlight the file, and preview in OSX (by tapping spacebar), the file is equally scrambled. Then if I log off, and log back in, and try to preview in OSX again, it is just fine... WTF. The second I then open up Lightroom and see the scrambled version, if I see it through finder, it is scrambled again.

Somehow Lightroom previews are feeding off OSX preview (or vice versa).

I couldn't even make this shit up if I tried...

Ironheart

What about on the local drive? I assume no issues there...

FlowtographyBerlin

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FlowtographyBerlin

Have you tried re-building the previews? Library Module, menu Library -> Previews -> [whatever sort of Preveiw you want]

If you want to delete the whole set of previews (will keep LR busy for a bit, but it's worth it if you have problems): follow this.

Killerbob

I have tried rebuilding the previews, in all sizes. I have tried building Smart Previews. I have tried all sorts of things, and every time I start out fresh, with a new library, and a reboot. It simply does not work as long as the photo files are on my NAS. A NAS which by the way is fast enough (110/115MB/s) for everything else. Lightroom does not work well with referenced photo files on a network share. At least not using AFP on a Mac...

It all works fine if the files are stored on a local drive, but that is daft. I have a NAS for that very purpose.