Exclude dir from catalog

[salinaale]

Hi all,
i'm trying to use Xnviewmp as my Dam and i have some problems:

My photos are on an external hd but i decided to copy some directories on the ssd of my pc ( so to keep most recent photos on the laptop and use the external hdd to keep the entire catalog)
This is the structure of my directories:
X: ( external hdd)
2018
--> 2018-01-01
--> 2018-02-01
2019
--> 2019-01-01
--> 2019-02-01

Those are the steps i follow:
a): i copy directories 2018 and 2019 from the external hd to my pc
x:\2018 copied in c:\users\ale\Pictures\2018
x:\2019 copied in c:\users\ale\Pictures\2019

b): on Settings -> Catalog -> Excluded/Included i excluded the directories x:\2018 and x:\2019... those directory are on the external hdd
c): on Settings -> Catalog -> Excluded/Included i added the new directories c:\users\ale\Pictures\2018 and c:\users\ale\Pictures\2019

The problem is that now when i search for a photos i get duplicated results. How can i avoid this?

If i unplugged the external hd is there a way to search photos in catalog even if photos are on the unplugged hard drive? For example i want to search all photos that i shoot on a specific date or with a specific focal lens.
My idea is to keep on the ssd of my laptop only recent photos, and to leave all the old photos on the external drive.

Thanks in advance,
Ale

[xnview]

you need to clean your catalog, and browse again your folders