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Inspiring
July 22, 2024
Question

How to re-associate keyword tags to files moved to new drive.

  • July 22, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 258 views

I am using Elements Organizer 2023. I ran out of space on my USB drive where I store photos. I copied all photos and files to new 6TB external drive. I created a new catalogue and imported files into Organizer, but none of the keyword tags are present. I imported the keyword tags into the new catalogue and they are all present, but cannot reassociate them with the files. Searched internet to find instrctions, but they do not seem to work. How can I reassociate my keyword tags to the moved files?

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2 replies

Greg_S.
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 22, 2024

If the original catalog is still intact, you have several options:

 

  1. The preferered method would be to back up the catalog and restore the catalog  to your new drive.  The restored catalog will have all of your tag information, including any face recognition that you have performed.  If you don't already have a backup, it would be good to use this method now.  See this HelpX article for more details.
  2. Alternatively, create a new main folder on the new drive and, as Monte suggests, use the Organizer folder structure to drag your current folder hierarchy (which I assume is a Pictures folder over to the new folder on the hard drive.   If your hierarchy is something like a Pictures folder, you can drag that directly over to the new drive too.  But I would also recommend that you create a full backup of your catalog before doing this.
  3. Another option would be to open the original catalog and write all the metadata to the files.  This requires you to select the files in the grid and press Ctrl+W.  If you have a large catalog, I suggest that you perform this operation a few hundrend at a time.  Once the metadata has been saved, you can copy these original files over to your new drive and import those files into a new catalog.  Import your tag hierarchy to the new catalog, and when you import the files from the new drive, using the from Files and Folders option, you will be given the opportunity to import the tags and in the advanced dialog mode that appears, you are also given the opportunity to map the tags to the hierarchy.   (This should happen automatically but there may be exceptions.)  If you use this method, you will lose all face recognition informatiion but the names that you have identified will be given keyword tags for the name and will be found in the Imported keyword tags category.   So, this is not really the best option.
Monte307
Inspiring
July 22, 2024

I think the only way to keep your keywords pristinely intact is to move your files using Organizer.  If it's not too late for you, I would try moving the originals to the new location via Organizer, rather than copying the files.