# LR3.6 -> LR4, "Lightroom Settings" folder, both versions sharing same settings folder



## Linwood Ferguson (Mar 6, 2012)

Did not use the beta, this is the released version.  I was investigating what happened when it converted my catalog, so I could set my backup program appropriately, specifically to NOT back up the previews.

There's a "Lightroom Settings" folder, I think that is created in that location only if you select "store settings with catalog" which always seemed like a good idea.

That folder remains the same and in the same physical location, and it appears LR3.6 and LR4 are both accessing the same folder.  Which gives me some concern that they may be sharing it incompatibly?   Or is that the expected behavior? 

For reference I have a folder T:\Lightroom_Catalog\Silvertone and in that folder I had my original catalog, so it looked like this:

T:\Lightroom_Catalog\Silvertone\Lightroom Catalog-V3.lrcat                           <<< original 
T:\Lightroom_Catalog\Silvertone\Lightroom Settings\lots and lots of files         <<< Both LR4 and LR3 using
T:\Lightroom_Catalog\Silvertone\LightRoom Catalog-V3-2.lrcat                       <<< Automatically created LR4 upgraded catalog
T:\Lightroom_Catalog\Silvertone\Lightroom Catalog-V3 Previews.lrdata\stuff   <<<  Old LR3 previews, which disappeared on LR4 install, and came back on next run
T:\Lightroom_Catalog\Silvertone\Lightroom Catalog-V3-2 Previews.lrdata\stuff  <<  LR4 previews

Everything is nicely separated except for the settings.   

Should I move the new catalog to a whole different root (somehow) and copy the settings so they stay separate? 

Is this the expected behavior?

PS. I did change something in LR3.6 and something else in LR4 and observed both changed files in this same directory so they are definitely sharing the setup.


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## Jim Wilde (Mar 6, 2012)

You might want to have a read of this post which tries to explain in some detail the use and implications of that particular setting.

The bottom line is that IF both your LR3 and LR4 catalogs are in the same folder, AND the "Store Presets with catalog" option is checked in BOTH the LR3 and LR4 Preferences, then yes the Lightroom Settings folder will be 'shared'. Note however, that this 'sharing' would also exist if the option was unchecked in both sets of Preferences (as the same default location would be used). If you move your LR4 catalog into a separate folder, with the "Store Presets with catalog" option checked, then a new Lightroom Settings folder will be created alongside the LR4 catalog.....but it will initially be an empty set of sub-folders. Note also that even with that option checked in both LR Preferences, there is still a dependence on the default location for some of the Lightroom settings.

As you might gather from the tone of the post I linked you to, I really don't think that option is a good idea unless you are totally clear about how it works in practice.


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## Linwood Ferguson (Mar 6, 2012)

Well, that just begs for an explanation of why I did it, to see if what I am doing is sane.

Long ago and probably a couple computers ago, I found when I moved Lightroom from one to another (and/or maybe it was between production and beta) that my presents did not follow. That also (thinks I) meant they weren't being backed up.  So I found this option that when set put them in a predictable place, which I could back up along with the catalog, and which if I was relocating computers would be handy to move along with it.

Is there a side effect which might make that a bad idea?   (well, possibly excepting this one)

What I was thinking of doing for simplicity was to create a new top level tree (e.g. t:\Lightroom4_Catalog), then move those pieces associated with the converted catalog (e.g. ending now in V3-2), and COPY the lightroom settings tree.

Would that safely separate (and thus segregate) the two?   I'll probably have to review other settings like backups to make sure they are all updated.


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## Jim Wilde (Mar 7, 2012)

Well yes, you could do that if you wanted to. Just remember that the 'Lightroom Settings' folder adjacent to the catalog *is not* a complete collection of the Lightroom settings. Some of them remain in the default Lightroom folder (in your case that will be in the c:\users\_yourusername_\appdata\roaming\adobe\lightroom folder) so now you've got two things to backup.

 I leave mine in the default location and so I only have the one set of settings to backup.


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## Linwood Ferguson (Mar 7, 2012)

TNG said:


> Well yes, you could do that if you wanted to. Just remember that the 'Lightroom Settings' folder adjacent to the catalog *is not* a complete collection of the Lightroom settings. Some of them remain in the default Lightroom folder (in your case that will be in the c:\users\_yourusername_\appdata\roaming\adobe\lightroom folder) so now you've got two things to backup.
> 
> I leave mine in the default location and so I only have the one set of settings to backup.



Interesting, and a bit concerning.  Is there a statement of what it keeps in which?

I tried to review what was in the profile area, and the vast majority are either empty or outdated (the latter indicating it is using the catalog values).  One exception was "Lightroom 4 Preferences.agrefs" (and associated prior versions) which seem related to the installation itself (and thus does have some user preference items).  I am not a big user of webs and smart collections so some of the other items I cannot say for sure which it stored where.  But in a brief look it seemed fairly complete.  The installation preferences might be a problem in moving to another machine, as I saw a lot of path specific settings in there (e.g. path to profiles), but indeed I also saw things one might expect to not loose, like export defaults (naming conventions).

I use only one catalog except when testing, so this is more curiousity -- if one has not checked the box to 'store with catalog', are all of the various settings that do move when checked shared between catalogs?   So is this more about being able to have separate settings definitions in separate catalogs than about backing up or moving?

PS. Splitting the catalogs, copying the settings nicely separated changes in LR3.6 and LR4.


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## Jim Wilde (Mar 7, 2012)

Ferguson said:


> I use only one catalog except when testing, so this is more curiousity -- if one has not checked the box to 'store with catalog', are all of the various settings that do move when checked shared between catalogs?   So is this more about being able to have separate settings definitions in separate catalogs than about backing up or moving?



Yes, and partly (separate catalog presets OR portability). Given the way Adobe have chosen to implement this option, I doubt very much that it had anything to do with ease of backup and everything to do with usability in those few use-cases I outlined in that post from our Tips and Tricks.

To be perfectly honest, if portability or having different presets on a per catalog basis* isn't* the concern, but backing up your presets (and other settings such as Preferences) *is*, my advice would be to forget that option, and simply include the appdata\roaming\adobe\lightroom folder in your backup routine. I know folks here who actually backup their entire user profile.....


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## Linwood Ferguson (Mar 7, 2012)

TNG said:


> To be perfectly honest, if portability or having different presets on a per catalog basis* isn't* the concern, but backing up your presets (and other settings such as Preferences) *is*, my advice would be to forget that option, and simply include the appdata\roaming\adobe\lightroom folder in your backup routine. I know folks here who actually backup their entire user profile.....



If you change the check mark back, does it migrate all of the settings back?   

(He asked hesitantly, not wanting them to disappear into space and having to restore them)


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## Jim Wilde (Mar 7, 2012)

No it doesn't. You can safely toggle that switch off and on and watch your presets disappear and reappear, but if you do decide to go back to the default location you'll need to copy your presets back as well.

I really think Adobe could have made a better job of implementing this feature. :shock:


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## jasonkrasnov (Mar 10, 2012)

You should see the “Lightroom Catalog Upgrade” dialog after right clicking on that file and select “open with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4″. *Be very careful with this step*. Catalog names can NOT be changed later. I strongly suggest you click on “change” and determine the best *location *and *name* for your upgraded catalog.


You should see the “Lightroom Catalog Upgrade” dialog. *Be very careful with this step*. Catalog names can NOT be changed later. I strongly suggest you click on “change” and determine the best *location *and *name* for your upgraded catalog.



We just finished a whole article for this exact tutorial on my company page:






(Mod Note: Embedded link removed. If you're interested, it referred to Eduardo Angel Photography, google it. The information there, was blatantly wrong in places, however.  Jason Krasnov, we're willing to listen if you care to explain all of this.)


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## Brad Snyder (Mar 11, 2012)

So just to be clear jasonkrasnov, your first post to our forum is an ad for a blog, not to mention the patently incorrect information provided?

Well, thanks for the information, I guess.


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## Jim Wilde (Mar 11, 2012)

Brad, this is a partial lift of a post made to the U2U forums yesterday, I (and Geoff) pointed out the inaccuracy about renaming catalogs over there.....but it doesn't appear as though the message got through!


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## Brad Snyder (Mar 11, 2012)

I'm suspicious as well, Jason Krasnov, on the surface appears to have nothing to do with Eduardo Angel, to whom the link points ( and where the incorrect info is originally provided).

I'm going to remove the link, just in case it mysteriously turns to spam.


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