# Can I sync folders from two different catalogs to common LR mobile/web?



## Allan47 (Oct 15, 2016)

I have two large catalogs with different content. I would like to be able to sync collections from both to the common LR web/mobile interface. 
The catalogs are too big to merge 100k+/- images each (they were previously merged with slug-like performance so I split them)
Would still like to be able to sync certain collections from each to a single web interface.

I believe I can't do it but thought it was worth asking the question before I perform the unnatural acts required to overlap the catalogs.... 

Any help welcome and thanks!


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## Johan Elzenga (Oct 15, 2016)

You are correct: you can't sync more than one catalog.


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 15, 2016)

Hi Allan, welcome to the forum!

I'm interested to know more about where you were seeing this slug like performance, because the biggest catalog I'm aware of is is 4.2 MILLION photos, so 100k is really not that big.


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## Allan47 (Oct 15, 2016)

Victoria Bampton said:


> Hi Allan, welcome to the forum!
> 
> I'm interested to know more about where you were seeing this slug like performance, because the biggest catalog I'm aware of is is 4.2 MILLION photos, so 100k is really not that big.



Good morning (or more properly Good Evening)- I have been a lurker for a long time, first opportunity to post. FYI- also ACE LR and PS6....

Performance generally related to display issues 
- startup
- repopulating left side folder and collections displays took forever
- of course backup and optimising took too long

Real reason to split related to total different focii for the catalogs:
1. One catalog for my (ahem) artistic side- Landscapes, family, PS work, trips etc (http://calibrephotomedia.com)
2. One catalog for my (a)vocation - Sports photography. (http://calsportsphotomedia.com)

I run an event specific catalog on a separate laptop which travels with me for pitch side editing and uploading. When I return I import that catalog into my sports catalog. The image files I keep synced over the network using Resilio Sync which makes catalog imports simple as the files are already on my master desktop by the time I get home. 

Catalog #1 changes on a weekly or biweekly basis, Catalog #2 changes daily or hourly basis...

Perhaps TMI but there you go...

I did figure out how to get both syncing with LR Mobile (just need to double up with Adobe (gulp) which I am not going to do)

Cheers!

Al


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 16, 2016)

Yeah, startup and backup/optimize I'd expect to be a bit slower. Is the catalog on an SSD?  Because if not, if you decided to merge them in order to sync both, putting them on an SSD should help a bit with those issues. Time spent populating the folders panel appears to be largely dependent on the number of folders and the speed of the storage (e.g. it takes a lot longer if the photos are on a network or slow drive). The collections panel can be particularly slow if there are lots of smart collections, although I believe that was fixed/improved in 2015.7.


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## Allan47 (Oct 17, 2016)

Pretty happy with the performance now in both catalogs at their reduced sizes...Also allows some other customization of the Collections. I loosely coupled them through a common image folder and activated auto import on the 'connected' Catalog and so now the images from the 2nd, un-connected Catalog magically appear in Mobile without any further unnatural acts.

Appreciate the swift response from all...

Al


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 18, 2016)

If you're going to have the same photos in both catalog, you might want to turn on Automatically Write to XMP so that most of your settings are stored with the files.


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