How to Run Lightroom on a Network

Posted by Eric Leszkowicz on May 6, 2010 in Blog, Featured Articles, Lightroom | 0 comments

How to Run Lightroom on a Network

Lightroom ships with a great limitation: the database cannot be accessed by more than one computer. The computer that you install Lightroom on is the computer that has to have the database on it.  Not a big issue if you have only one computer….but who does that anymore?  There is a way to make the changes that you make to a RAW file be shared between many computers.

Is there a workaround?

You can work around this limitation with a feature that is built in called synchronize folders.

First steps for success

You need to go through the steps I recommend for setting up the program.

Lightroom Preferences Settings

Lightroom Catalog Settings

The main thing is that you have the write changes into xmp checked.  Using the DNG format also improves your success.  Adobe has some information on their site if you need more information.

Making it Work

Although the database cannot be shared in Lightroom, you can have pictures placed anywhere on the network.  So imagine that there is a folder that has all the images from 2010.  Also imagine that there are Lightroom catalogs on two different computers called Catalog 1 and Catalog 2.

Scenario:

  1. Computer 1 imports the images in the 2010 folder calling its Lightroom catalog “Catalog 1.”
  2. Computer 2 imports the images in the 2010 folder calling its Lightroom catalog “Catalog 2.”
  3. Computer 1 makes some changes to the RAW files that are (preferably) stored as DNG.
  4. Computer 2 will see the updates when the preview is refreshed or rebuilt.

As long as no files are added to the folder, both catalogs will see the update.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When importing files, do not move them to a new location or rename them.  If you do, the other catalog will lose touch with them.

But I WANT to add files to the folders. Who doesn’t?  So now what.

The magic synchronize folder trick.

I suggest right clicking on a parent folder for this step.  When you click on this, you get an option box.

I highly suggest you check the “show import dialog before importing” box.  Otherwise, it will automatically import the photos. You also have the option of apply presets and applying keywords as well.

Feel free to offer comments and criticisms in the comments section. Thanks for reading.

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