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Known Participant
Jan 27, 2025 2:38 PM UTC
Question

Unique constraint error when syncing meta data in the library module

I have a few thousand photos from a vacation that I am trying organize.  In the library module, I enter text on the caption field and sync them across multiple images.  From time to time I would run into the 'unqiue contraint' error (seen screen shot).  It happens frequently and the only way around is to restart lightroom.  I have seen this error before and normally happen every once in a while.  It seems to have gotten worse with the latest version of lightroom.  The catalog is brand new, created just for this set of vacation photos.  Does anyone know a way to fix this annoying error?  On macos with latest lightroom (auto updated).

17 replies

Inspiring
Feb 22, 2025 9:23 PM UTC

Has anyone got a solution for this? I have started getting a similar error in the Lightroom classic which happens after 4 or 5 sync's of metadata information between images. I'm on the most recent release of Lightroom classic and my database currently has 140,000 images in it. So I'm not keen to lose it! I've attached the error I see.

 

I have also used the Alt method of testing the integrity of my database after seeing this error. On this occasion, the database opened without any errors having to be fixed, although on previous occasions, the database was repaired successfully.

 

Steve

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DdeGannes
Community Expert
Community Expert
Feb 22, 2025 11:11 PM UTC

@backyardprod , I have looked at the thread and notice you are working with multiple Catalogs, this can present multiple challenges.

I have a couple of questions, 

1. Do you use the option to " Automatically write Metadata to XMP" selected? This option is a Catalog specific setting do you use this setting in all the Catalogs?

2, Are there original images imported to several Catalogs?

3. When syncing Metadata to several images do you use the Sync option or the Auto Sync option?

 

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Regards, Denis: Laptop Win 11, ver 24H2, LrC 15.4 PS 27.8;
Inspiring
Feb 23, 2025 12:14 AM UTC

I have multiple catalogs, but for different things. So processed stock photos are in one, scanned photos in another, and my main catalog holds all the original photos and any processed copies (from Photoshop, say).  This is the main one that I work on every day. The original images are only imported into this one.

I don't have that setting to write into XMP. I think I found it very annoying to see so many xmp files in my folders (although this decision was taken many years ago and may not be the best option now!). If I set that now in the catalog setting does it go through every file and copy the settings to xmp files?

I use the sync option in the Library module. So I will select one that I have added keywords, titles and descriptions to, select a few files that are similar to that one and the Sync those three fields to the similar images. I then usually add or delete a few keywords to make them truly unique to the image.

 

I'm a stock photographer and so these fields are exported into the jpegs for upload to stock agencies, so I do have a copy of most of the metadata in those jpegs in a different catalog.


Steve

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GoldingD
Legend
Jan 27, 2025 7:59 PM UTC

Are you attempting to use a backup catalog?

 

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Known Participant
Jan 28, 2025 12:57 AM UTC

No, I was trying to sync metadata between several images and the error happens from time to time.  Before it happen once a day, now it happens every 30min.

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GoldingD
Legend
Jan 28, 2025 1:31 AM UTC

hmm, I was noticing in your error: photo-auto-backup.lrcat.

now I also notice error 1555, do you have this same error in a new catalog?

 

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