# New files in Lightroom folder...???



## Anjikun (Nov 2, 2017)

I just upgraded to the new version Classic CC. Now I find that I have a bunch of new files in my Lightroom folder, most with a -2 extension, but I also still have a catalog file without that extension. I have attached a screenshot.

Are these -2.... files (and the additional -shm, -wal, -lock files) my catalogue now (replacing the one without the -2) or are these additional? Should I back all of these up when I do my backup?


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## DGStinner (Nov 2, 2017)

The "Lightroom Catalog.lrcat" file is your catalog from CC2015/6.x.  When you opened it in the new Lightroom Classic CC, it converted the database format and saved it as a new file.  Since there was already a file named 'Lightroom Catalog.lrcat", it appended a -2 to the end.
If you use the backup function within Lightroom Classic, it will backup the -2.lrcat.
If you'll be using Classic from now on, you can delete your old .lrcat and rename the -2.lrcat and -2 Previews.lrdata to remove the -2. The shm, wal and lock files are only present while Lightroom is running.


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## clee01l (Nov 2, 2017)

The file named "Lightroom Catalog.lrcat"  is the catalog that was used with your previous version of LR. The file named "Lightroom Catalog-2.lrcat" is the one that was generated when you converted your old version catalog to LR7.  It is your new master catalog. The files with extensions -shm, -wal, -lock are temporary files that get consumed when you exit LR properly.
The ".lock" file is an empty sentinel file that prevents LR from opening a catalog that is already open.  The "-shm, -wal" files have replaced the ".journal" file that was previously used to temporarily store LR data before the update process could write all the changes to the database in the catalog file.


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## Anjikun (Nov 2, 2017)

Thanks so much for this explanation. So is my new version of Lightroom just ignoring the old catalogue, or is it updating them both in case I ever want to use it? Also, if I decide to delete the old one can I just leave the others as they are named now? I don't want to have a problem with the software not recognizing my catalogue files because I changed the name.


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## DGStinner (Nov 2, 2017)

The new Lightroom cannot use the old catalog, which is why it converted it and created a new catalog.
Yes, you can leave them named with the -2. If you choose the rename the new catalog, just double click on the renamed .lrcat and it'll open. If you have Lightroom configured to open the most recent catalog, it'll open every time after that.


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## Johan Elzenga (Nov 2, 2017)

You can choose to rename the catalog if you want to, but make sure you also change the 'previews.lrdata' in the same way. Otherwise Lightroom will have to rebuild all your previews.


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## Anjikun (Nov 2, 2017)

OK, thanks so much to all of you!


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