adding photos to organizer

[debrac75769521]

I  downloaded the free trial of Photoshop Elements 2018. When I opened the Organizer I was asked about adding photos to the program and I clicked to make a new photo organizer. (I have an older version.) While I have 12,000 photos on my computer, Photoshop is trying to do something with 80,000 photos. There are 2 or 3 multiples of every photo. It has been running for several hours now. How do I get it to stop?

[JJMack]

try Photoshop Elements

[MichelBParis]

debrac75769521  wrote

I  downloaded the free trial of Photoshop Elements 2018. When I opened the Organizer I was asked about adding photos to the program and I clicked to make a new photo organizer. (I have an older version.) While I have 12,000 photos on my computer, Photoshop is trying to do something with 80,000 photos. There are 2 or 3 multiples of every photo. It has been running for several hours now. How do I get it to stop?

(Windows) = stop it from the Windows task bar.

Close the organizer.

Start the organizer while keeping the shift key pressed.

Choose the option to start with a new catalog.

The current bad one will have to be deleted later, no hurry.

Question:

Is Elements 2018 installed on the same computer than the one with your older version and your photo files?

If yes, menu File >> manage catalogs; select the 'convert' button and choose your old catalog to be converted. No need to import anything, no change at all in your photo files (the bad import session has not changed them either, it has just created wrong imports in the catalog indexes).

The conversion will create a new catalog in the 2018 database format, and keep your older catalog for your older Elements (available even if renamed with a '-1' suffix).

If you are on a new computer, use the backup and restore process:

Move Elements Organizer catalog

The conversion takes place automatically at the end of the process.

My advice: using the option to 'Import in bulk' will often create your situation. Much better to use 'Import from files and folders'. You'll master the choice of folders you really want to import.

On the other hand, the fact that you have too many files and duplicates to import in the catalog needs some explanation. If you don't import from 'camera or card reader', no new photo files are created on your computer. The 'import' process also filters out real duplicates (files with the same date_taken and size in kilobytes).

[debrac75769521]

Thank you for your answer. I did what you said but I still have the same problem. On the bottom black bar of the Organizer window, it shows the number of items, showing more than 81000 then dates of Jan 1601-Nove 2017 then the wheel spinning around. I also tried going into the activity monitor and deleting the smart tag I think which stopped the wheel before but it didn't just now when I did this again.

Any other suggestions?

[debrac75769521]

If I buy Photoshop Elements 2018 as a cd to put on my computer and uninstall Elements 2018 that's on my computer now first, will this start over and then I can convert the catalog? I tried uninstalling and then downloading again but the catalog was still there with 81000 items.

[MichelBParis]

debrac75769521  wrote

If I buy Photoshop Elements 2018 as a cd to put on my computer and uninstall Elements 2018 that's on my computer now first, will this start over and then I can convert the catalog? I tried uninstalling and then downloading again but the catalog was still there with 81000 items.

The problem is in your bad catalog. Reinstalling does not change your catalog.

You have to delete it and start with a new one, then you'll be able to delete the bad catalog.

As I said, after a new reboot of the computer,

Press and hold the shift key

and at the same time launch the organizer until you get the drop-down menu allowing you to open a new catalog.

Alternatively,

Start your computer and do a search in the explorer to find a file named 'catalog.pse16db'.

Delete the whole folder containing that file.

Start the organizer normally, that would bring the same dialog enabling you to start with a new catalog.

[debrac75769521]

Thank for your continued help. I did the shift key and launch the organizer and got the catalog down to the photos that are in the previous version of Photoshop.

Now how do I get the newer photos in Photos on my mac that aren’t in Photoshop Organizer? I clicked File>get photos and videos>from iPhoto but there was nothing there. Maybe because the program is now Photos. Now what do I do?

[MichelBParis]

debrac75769521  wrote

Thank for your continued help. I did the shift key and launch the organizer and got the catalog down to the photos that are in the previous version of Photoshop.

Now how do I get the newer photos in Photos on my mac that aren’t in Photoshop Organizer? I clicked File>get photos and videos>from iPhoto but there was nothing there. Maybe because the program is now Photos. Now what do I do?

That's a specific Mac question and I can't help you there. What I do know is that with iPhoto or Photos, there are different ways to make your photo files accessible to the organizer. If you don't get answers from Mac users rapidly, I would suggest to start a new discussion with a clear title like "How to import photos in the organizer from Mac iPhoto or Photos?"

That way expert Mac users won't miss your last post in that discussion and you'll get answers faster.