# Difficulty renaming folders from within Lightroom



## Sgt_Strider (Jul 15, 2010)

This is really weird, but sometimes Lightroom 3 will refuse to rename a folder. It'll just give me an error message, which basically states that it's not possible to rename the folder. 5 minutes later, I'll make another attempt, and then it'll work. Why does LR3 do this?


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## Halfje-Bruin (Jul 15, 2010)

It could be that the operating system has a lock on the folder so it will not allow it to be renamed.


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## Sgt_Strider (Jul 15, 2010)

[quote author=Halfje-Bruin link=topic=1'437.msg7'4'8#msg7'4'8 date=1279184323]
It could be that the operating system has a lock on the folder so it will not allow it to be renamed.
[/quote]

If that's the case, how come I'm able to rename the folder after waiting a couple of minute? Regardless, none of my folders are locked.


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## Jim Wilde (Jul 15, 2010)

If there are no other applications running at the time, you need to consider what else is running 'under the covers' which might have a bearing, e.g. your virus scanner.

I was just able to replicate the "issue" with nothing more than Windows Explorer, i.e. I opened a folder in Explorer then attempted to rename that folder within LR3. Most of the time it renamed without problem, but on one occasion I encountered the problem you describe. A bit of investigation revealed that the particular folder had quite a few CR2 files, and my folder view was set to "Large Icons" (thumbnails in XP speak)....so while I was attempting the rename in LR3, Explorer/FastPictureViewer Codec was busily and slowly rendering the thumbnail images. So LR3 could not get control of the folder to do the rename, and thus told me so.....however, as soon as the Explorer rendering was complete the LR3 rename was possible again.

Not saying this is your particular issue, just trying to point out that other things may be going on at the same time which causes the rename 'problem'....I doubt very much that this is a Lightroom problem, merely the reflection of the way the OS works.


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## Sgt_Strider (Jul 15, 2010)

[quote author=TNG link=topic=1'437.msg7'411#msg7'411 date=12791885'6]
If there are no other applications running at the time, you need to consider what else is running 'under the covers' which might have a bearing, e.g. your virus scanner.

I was just able to replicate the "issue" with nothing more than Windows Explorer, i.e. I opened a folder in Explorer then attempted to rename that folder within LR3. Most of the time it renamed without problem, but on one occasion I encountered the problem you describe. A bit of investigation revealed that the particular folder had quite a few CR2 files, and my folder view was set to "Large Icons" (thumbnails in XP speak)....so while I was attempting the rename in LR3, Explorer/FastPictureViewer Codec was busily and slowly rendering the thumbnail images. So LR3 could not get control of the folder to do the rename, and thus told me so.....however, as soon as the Explorer rendering was complete the LR3 rename was possible again.

Not saying this is your particular issue, just trying to point out that other things may be going on at the same time which causes the rename 'problem'....I doubt very much that this is a Lightroom problem, merely the reflection of the way the OS works.
[/quote]

That sounds like exactly what I'm going through. Normally when I click on a folder in LR, there seems to be a lag as I can clearly tell LR is doing something with the images as it flickers through it one by one. Are you saying that I should change the view to details view in Windows Explorer? What I don't understand is how does Windows Explorer relate to my problem with LR. It's not like I'm asking Windows Explorer to show the images. I'm viewing it from Lightroom.


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## Jim Wilde (Jul 15, 2010)

Is Windows Explorer running when you have the rename problem in LR3?

Done a little more testing, and can't yet replicate the problem 'on demand'. All I CAN say for sure is that all the times I have encountered the problem today (in both LR2 and LR3) Windows Explorer has been active and usually open on one of the folders I'm trying to test rename. On one occasion I could NOT rename until I closed Explorer down. The 'thumbs.db' database file that Explorer creates for each picture folder opened can often cause 'locks' on the folder which prevents other actions on that folder.

All I can suggest is that if you are having rename problems in LR3 AND Explorer is running, closing down Explorer could resolve the problem.


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## Sgt_Strider (Jul 15, 2010)

[quote author=TNG link=topic=1'437.msg7'414#msg7'414 date=1279192738]
Is Windows Explorer running when you have the rename problem in LR3?

Done a little more testing, and can't yet replicate the problem 'on demand'. All I CAN say for sure is that all the times I have encountered the problem today (in both LR2 and LR3) Windows Explorer has been active and usually open on one of the folders I'm trying to test rename. On one occasion I could NOT rename until I closed Explorer down. The 'thumbs.db' database file that Explorer creates for each picture folder opened can often cause 'locks' on the folder which prevents other actions on that folder.

All I can suggest is that if you are having rename problems in LR3 AND Explorer is running, closing down Explorer could resolve the problem.
[/quote]

As far as I know, Explorer was closed when LR3 was active. Very strange...


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## Jim Wilde (Jul 15, 2010)

Well, next time it happens make a note of any other apps running at the time.....it doesn't just have to be Explorer causing the problem, it could be anything accessing the folders in question....virus scanner, other digital imaging apps, etc. I would only be getting concerned if it was persistently happening and I couldn't identify the probable culprit. Today in my testing it was Explorer, tomorrow it could be something like Picasa or my backup software....


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## Sgt_Strider (Jul 15, 2010)

[quote author=TNG link=topic=1'437.msg7'416#msg7'416 date=127919625']
Well, next time it happens make a note of any other apps running at the time.....it doesn't just have to be Explorer causing the problem, it could be anything accessing the folders in question....virus scanner, other digital imaging apps, etc. I would only be getting concerned if it was persistently happening and I couldn't identify the probable culprit. Today in my testing it was Explorer, tomorrow it could be something like Picasa or my backup software....
[/quote]

The only one thing that is open is a web browser and windows media player. I have my doubts in regards to those two apps' ability in affecting the performance of LR. Should I be worried everytime LR gives me that error message? Should I just change the name from Windows Explorer? Are the odds high for file corruption if I keep this up and LR returns an error? If I were to change the folder name from Windows Explorer, how do I get LR to recognize the new folder name? I think there might be a question mark or error if I change the folder name outside of LR and that it'll have to find the directory again.


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## Jim Wilde (Jul 16, 2010)

Without a detailed examination of your system at the time the problem occurs, plus an understanding of the disk location of your files, I can't say what is preventing the occasional rename from working....I'm just trying to point out that in my experience I'm not surprised that it happens as there are plenty of things potentially going on 'under the covers' which many users are not even aware of.....virus scans, backups, file indexers such as Google's Desktop Search, Media Player of course monitors your music/video folders, Picasa monitors your pictures folders, etc., etc.

Whilst I don't tend to do much (well I don't do any actually!) renaming of Folders in Lightroom, I do believe it uses the OS's standard protocols to effect renames and moves.....so whilst you could try renaming in Explorer instead, you are likely to encounter similar issues.....plus of course you get the real downside of LR losing contact with your folders and you having to manually reconnect within LR. So unless I was desperate I most definitely would NOT do it that way. For sure I don't believe there to be a risk of folder corruption when LR is unable to do a rename, and that it is safe to keep trying it until it works....however as I said renaming of my picture folders is not something I do, so it may be that other users have different experiences and will let us know in due course.

If it was happening regularly on my PC the OCD nerd in me would have me not resting until I'd figured out what was happening, but the occasional hiccup I can live with. I don't know what OS you are running (XP, Vista or Win7), but I have found XP to be far more erratic and inconsistent when it comes to performing 'modify' operations on files/folders (rename, move, delete etc).


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## sizzlingbadger (Jul 16, 2010)

[quote author=Sgt_Strider link=topic=1'437.msg7'415#msg7'415 date=1279194799]
As far as I know, Explorer was closed when LR3 was active. Very strange...
[/quote]

Explorer is never closed, it always runs in the background so could well be doing something in those folders without you knowing.


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## Sgt_Strider (Jul 17, 2010)

[quote author=TNG link=topic=1'437.msg7'471#msg7'471 date=1279265312]
Without a detailed examination of your system at the time the problem occurs, plus an understanding of the disk location of your files, I can't say what is preventing the occasional rename from working....I'm just trying to point out that in my experience I'm not surprised that it happens as there are plenty of things potentially going on 'under the covers' which many users are not even aware of.....virus scans, backups, file indexers such as Google's Desktop Search, Media Player of course monitors your music/video folders, Picasa monitors your pictures folders, etc., etc.

Whilst I don't tend to do much (well I don't do any actually!) renaming of Folders in Lightroom, I do believe it uses the OS's standard protocols to effect renames and moves.....so whilst you could try renaming in Explorer instead, you are likely to encounter similar issues.....plus of course you get the real downside of LR losing contact with your folders and you having to manually reconnect within LR. So unless I was desperate I most definitely would NOT do it that way. For sure I don't believe there to be a risk of folder corruption when LR is unable to do a rename, and that it is safe to keep trying it until it works....however as I said renaming of my picture folders is not something I do, so it may be that other users have different experiences and will let us know in due course.

If it was happening regularly on my PC the OCD nerd in me would have me not resting until I'd figured out what was happening, but the occasional hiccup I can live with. I don't know what OS you are running (XP, Vista or Win7), but I have found XP to be far more erratic and inconsistent when it comes to performing 'modify' operations on files/folders (rename, move, delete etc).
[/quote]

I can't figure it out despite going through the usual suspects that you have mentioned. There are no virus scans or indexing happening in the background. I'm running Windows 7 with an SSD and HDD configuration. They're all connected directly to the SATA interface on the motherboard and not through an external enclosure. I guess I'll have to take your advice and rename from within LR3.


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## Sgt_Strider (Jul 27, 2010)

Aw man this is really strange. Sometimes LR will give me an error telling me that a certain file cannot be renamed. So every file that I highlighted will be renamed, but one or two won't. It'll take another attempt or two before everything is renamed properly. Has anyone experienced this before? I'm guessing I shouldn't be alarmed because LR won't corrupt the file, but at least give an error if it can't follow through with orders?


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## sizzlingbadger (Jul 27, 2010)

Its usually because the file is being accessed by something else.


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## Sgt_Strider (Jul 27, 2010)

[quote author=sizzlingbadger link=topic=1'437.msg71'75#msg71'75 date=128'221786]
Its usually because the file is being accessed by something else.
[/quote]

Nothing to worry about then? Man, I'm not sure if it's some form of OCD, but I get so paranoid about data corruption when LR gives me an error like that.


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## ukbrown (Jul 27, 2010)

I agree with snyder, I think LR is doing something. I did a massive drag and drop reorg of folders into years in LR. Some Drag's, message comes up and says cannot do access denied. This kept on happening. I could stop it and make sure the copy/move happened by.

1. Highlighting the from folder for at least 5 seconds
2.Dragging to new destination
3.Hovering over destination for another 5 seconds before releasing mouse and committing the move

This quickly stopped the error message.


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## sizzlingbadger (Jul 28, 2010)

It may well be some sort of timing issue within Lightroom and how it access the OS's API for file management. It is possible it could be locking itself out so-to-speak. I think the risk of corruption is probably pretty small though.


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## moosehead (Jul 28, 2010)

FYI -- It will probably not make you feel any better but I have the same thing, sometimes a rename will not work... I try again on the same folder and it works, seconds after..... I do not rename folders often but I have been doing some organization lately and it happens (XP) ...


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