Hi, I am -once again -experiencing very long launch time, the app hangs (“not responding”), beachball and all that.
I am running the latest OSX (10;14.5) on a 2017 iMac (16G0 memory)
My (pro) workflow is ruined again.
Am I the only one?
No problems on my side with the mac
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No such issue with my MacBook Pro 2016 with 8 Go ram and OSX Mojave 10.14.5.
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no problem with my old Imac (mid-2011)
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Same here, running fine, only the usual loading times during refreshing preview a.s.o… Same specs like yours besides system. Latest High Sierra and stand still reluctant to switch to Mojave, also because of reports like yours. High Sierra is rock solid, so why touch a running system 
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Do you use any network drives in your (pro) workflow? This is always the first thing I rule out on any OS if applications hang unexpectedly: Just work completely offline (cables plugged, WiFi off) and see if the situation improves.
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Yes, my pictures are on an external USB drive. No problem to unplug everything, but Photolab will not find the photos…
I only mentioned my pro workflow to emphasize the fact I need fast, stable and reliable tools when I comme home from a shooting and I start preparing my pictures for a client.
USB drive should not create issues. But generally all connected network drives, even if not directly used from PL, may create issues: When the folder tree is shown the drives will be accessed to get basic information. This can create delays in any software.
No issue with your requirements, we all want reliable tools.
Hi @Chris29 not sure if this can help but I will share it anyway.
A few weeks ago I read that Siri if activated on Mojave could slow down the whole computer. Maybe you can give it a check. Good luck 
I don’t know why but a bit faster to start at the moment (still 1 min 30 seconds before it is fully operational) and no beachball. The app must have known I have asked for help 
Siri is not activated.
Do you open it with a folder with a large amount of pictures and/or many subfolders?
Yes, I do. 45000 pictures and more than a hundred subfolders (and subfolders+)
I think this issue was mentioned before in forum.
Not sure how this fits into your workflow. I use PL on a special “work in progress” folder with only the pictures I’m currently working on. After I’m done I move the files to the final location, out of PL’s sight.
Yes, that’s a sensible workflow - - Having too many images in the active folder (the one currently addressed by PL) is not a smart way to work.
John M
Thanks for the tip, and thanks for the…compliment 
So, how can I just select one “light” active folder and not the one which holds all my pictures?
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Hi Chris,
By using the “PhotoLibrary” mode of PhotoLab: … for example;
- Browse (via the Folders panel of PL’s PhotoLibrary mode) to the folder where you keep ALL your images
- Right-Click on this folder and choose the option to Create Folder … name it, say, “WorkInProgress”
- Now (using your Mac’s file-management tool) move a selection of files that you wish to work on into this new “WorkInProgress” folder.
- Highlight this folder in PL’s PhotoLibrary … then switch to Customise mode and complete your processing.
- When you’re finished, move the results (including the RAW+dop files) back to your main folder(s) … and repeat the process with the next batch.
If that’s not clear - ask me again.
John
Hello Chris,
just to add on the comment from John. If you use a DAM software like Photo Supreme and move your picture files within the DAM software from folder to folder all the sicecar files (dop, xmp etc…) are automatically taken care of and moved with the picture file.
That also applies if you delete a picture file within the DAM software, the sidecars are also deleted.
Sigi
Thanks, but this was not what I was looking for. If the app takes a long time to launch because it is pointing to the external HD where all my photos/folders/subfolders are, is it possible not to “read” (?) all those files on launch and just have a single “work in progress” active folder.
Sorry if I am not clear, but English is not my native language and I only have vague notions of how an app works…
I have absolutely no problem with your words, Chris … you “sound” to me like someone who speaks/writes English fluently !
PL does not need to read ALL your image files when it launches … For efficiency reasons, you want it to be pointing (at time of launch) ONLY to a small sub-set of images … that is, only those in your “work in progress” folder.
Yes - exactly !
Since you say you are experiencing a very long time for PL to launch - then I am assuming you have it pointed to, as your default start-up folder, the folder in which you have stored ~45,000 images (!!) … Is that correct ? – If so then that explains the long start-up time - as PL works it way thru all those images.
Instead, you want the the start-up folder (the one highlighted in PL’s PhotoLibrary panel) to be your “work in progress” folder. See my steps above to create this structure.
If that’s still not clear - then you’re welcome to ask again.
John
Yes, I’m afraid! I’ll try to solve this and do as you advise. I’ll get back to you if I’m stuck.
Thanks for your help.