Locate Referenced File not working

Photos allows you to reference the originals outside the library. The photos User Guide (https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/photos/phta58cd90d3/mac) says " If you prefer, you can store photos and videos outside the Photos library — for example, in a folder on your Mac or on an external hard drive — and still view them in Photos. ". But nowhere does it say that the "External hard Drive" could be a NAS. All documents about the Photos Library recommend a drive that is locally mounted to store the library. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201517

"To prevent data loss, Apple doesn't recommend storing photo libraries on external storage devices like SD cards and USB flash drives, or drives that are shared on a network."

Why should the originals files work on a NAS, if a library will not work on a NAS? That you can reveal the originals in the Finder right after importing them, does not mean, that it will be possible after the network connection is lost, even if only for a short moment. If Photos has lost the connection to an original file, you will have to reconnect the originals manually.

I have the exact same problem and no solution. However, I have done some experimenting to try to narrow down the scope of the problem. My referenced files are sitting on a NAS (Drobo 5N). The pattern I found is as follows:

1. Referenced files that were created prior Catalina are not found.
2. However, if I create a new referenced file under Catalina (on the very same NAS volume), the file is actually found.
3. The icon shown is always the one that indicates the that referenced file is not found. Additionally, the "Locate Referenced File..." command never works even if "Show ReferencedFile in Folder" works.

In summary, it seems that there are two problems. My guess that the problem with referenced files not being found has something to do with the NAS volume mount point. Maybe it is different between Mojave and Catalina. If so, it's possible that the problem could be solved if the second problem, the "Locate Referenced File..." command was actually working.

Probably the NAS is the problem. Photos may be losing the connection to the referenced files, if the NAS cannot be reached, even for a short time.

I tested several times with referenced files, and "Show Referenced File" is working well for files on locally mounted volumes.

Having exactly the same problem since installing Catalina. Have about 13000 pictures stored LOCALLY on the same MacBook Pro folder. Can see the files perfectly with finder, but clicking "Locate Referenced File" does not do anything (not even finder window shows up).

I assume image files were relocated during the OS installation. Please fix or and provide instructions how to link the picture files back with Photos library.

My experience is is exactly the same as liuqiming, only difference is I'm running my apple photo's file from a Promise R4 direct attached storage device of the latest MacPro. I have 13K referenced photos that are currently not able to be linked. Seriously painful, and I can't seem to find a way our of it. Further suggestions?

I've had the same problem since the start of Photos. All my referenced files are local. I do have a *lot* of them -- 138k -- which I sort of imagine could be part of the problem?

Anyway, usually -- but not always -- when I first start Photos, everything is connected. After working with it a while, Photos shows the "can't find the referenced file" icon in the upper right of the thumbnail, and the behavior is then exactly like liuqiming's.

Very frustrating!

I've just moved to using photos on a new MacPro with 8TB pegasus j2i drives installed internally. All the referenced files are now on this drive. Seemingly all good. So newest versions of hardware, software, direct connections, and, nicely, speed. Still doesn't repair the referenced file link. All same as liuqiming. VERY painfull. New referenced additions to photos work perfectly, but with now 20K photos to re=enter, essentially from scratch (and all that that involves), I have decided to run both photos and Lightroom Classic (which re-connected all photos instantly) for a while. I would like to stick with photos but over time this flakiness is doing my head in. And, in the end, time is all I have. Come on Apple give us a fix on this one!

Old Toad, thanks for your reply. My setup is as you describe, a direct attached drive on a MacPro, formatted as you describe (see pic below) with both the photos library file and all images on the same drive. And still photos is not responsive as liuqiming describes. I'll leave the file on for next period and see if it resolves, but if your right performance remains less than optimal. I'll be back...

So I've continued to explore this issue (which remains unresolved). I have found some old photos files that would not have reconnected (file name change) and does so manually by deleted the old picture in photos and loading the renamed 'new' image. But the vast bulk of the images are stubbornly not wanted to reconnected to they reference point on the commands issued from photos to reconnect. Oddly, as I randomly work my way up the hundreds of folder locations (no bulk reconnect option as in Lightroom) a couple have reconnected, but for no apparent reason as they appear the same as all others I have tried to reconnect but without success. This remains a serious issue...sort of means everything has to be rebuilt from scratch, which is a most unsatisfactory outcome given the years of work involved. Any ideas? I'd be happy to discuss with an engineer as it cannot be the gear or file location... Cheers and welcome to 2020

Also, on a 'rebuild' (to see if that assists, which it didn't), these 'images' are starting to appear in the body of the 'year view' of photos... which are xmp sidecars from previously imported photos.. go figure :)

Would be very thankful if you could post any solution or idea here. Got exactly the same problem.

Thx!

See the article https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/photos/pht1ed9b966d/4.0/mac/10.14

The solution is to take it off the NAS drive and put it on a locally cable connect drive formatted as shown in this screenshot: