backup organizer albums

[flyguy2]

I have PSE 2022 on a Windows 10 Pro machine. When I installed PSE 2022 there were already problems with starting the Organizer from PSE 2018. I told the new install to update the catalogs. I have lost all my albums (both from the 2018 and 2022 versions.). I have made several changes to my photos since the last full backup. My plan is to install an earlier image of my system from when it was working correctly with all the albums and then export my albums. I then plan to reinstall my current system image and then pull the albums in. I have made several changes to my photos since the last full backup so I don't want to just export the old catalog and then restore it after returning my system to its current state. Is this possible? i.e. Export albums from an old image:  then import the albums into the current system.

Thanks for any help you provide.

[MichelBParis · Accepted solution]

Two misconceptions here.

1 - Backups only deal with catalogs and the catalogued photo files. Not to 'albums', formerly called 'collections' as they are now called in Lightroom. Albums are only 'playlists' of selected files. They are lists of pointers to the image files references in the database. They point to the 'top of stack' or 'top of version set' of selected images in the album list. You can include the same image in many different albums: they all point to the same image file. The result is that if you 'export' from albums, you only export the 'top' item and you may export the same photo files several times if they are referenced in different albums (creating exported duplicates).

2 - If you want to copy and re-import files in another catalog, you won't recover your albums, stacks, version sets; at best you'll recover tags and captions if you have 'written metadata' to files. The only way to recover everything in the catalog is to use the full backup and restore process. If you update a to newer PSE version, you only need to 'convert' the catalog to the newer version from the catalog manager. You don't lose your albums or anything, a new catalog is created without overwriting the older one.

[oyrrab]

Michel sorry to jump in here but I am a first time user and I don' t know how the post works so I though I tell you what my problem is.I just put my first set of photo folders onto the organizer and it is at 97% classify .What should I do? Transfer to a 2T storage unite?Will I be able to input more photo folders and have the organizer open up.Then how do I work on the stored images.Sorry I'm a huge and I'm really needing help.

[MichelBParis]

Michel sorry to jump in here but I am a first time user and I don' t know how the post works so I though I tell you what my problem is.I just put my first set of photo folders onto the organizer and it is at 97% classify .What should I do? Transfer to a 2T storage unite?Will I be able to input more photo folders and have the organizer open up.Then how do I work on the stored images.Sorry I'm a huge and I'm really needing help.

By @oyrrab

No problem, you can either start a new conversation or continue a discussion on the same or a related issue.

I suggest you take the time to read the help docs on catalogs:

https://helpx.adobe.com/elements-organizer/using/creating-editing-catalogs.html#about_catalogs

The important idea about catalogs is that catalogs are just that: databases containing all the information about each media file but NO media files, only links to those files.

If you are starting a catalog and your media files are already in your drives in folder structures, you start by 'importing' also called 'getting files from files or folders'. The organizer scans your folders tree and indexes and organizes all that info in the database. You can import from different drives or folders, that location info is stored in the database.

When you have started the catalog come a time when you really 'import' (upload photo files) from your cards and cameras. The 'downloader' module lets you choose where you'll copy those files on your computer. That's your choice. That can be in an internal or external drive (USB...)

The organizer can move files and folders much in the same way as the Windows explorer. The only strict rule to observe is only move, rename or delete files from the organizer itself, not from the explorer. That would break the links in the catalog database.

Don't hesitate to ask for more details.

[oyrrab]

Michel I so sorry but I am even more confused with your asswer. I really new at this and my age works against me with technology. So what I ment was the program ,Elements 2000,said I should send to the organizer the images to start ,and by doing so I would get to learn the system there by being as smart as you. My first transfer was in the amount,unbenonce to me ,70000 images. The system peg out after the transfer at 97% full. so now what do I do.If I take organizer file and transfer it to an external 2T ,will the images still be shown at 97% ? Can I then transfer the rest of the remaining folders I have to the organizer and if it fills ,do the same transfer. I assume I then work of the 2T as the organizer.I just overwelmed and confused of making a mistake and loosing 20 years of memories. I just not as certain I won't do something stupid. Thank you for being so patient, Barry.

[MichelBParis]

@oyrrab ,

Hi, Barry,

You'll help me (and other fellow users here) to better understand your problem by saying in your own words, but with more descriptive details, what you are doing step by step. I understand you have a problem to manage ALL your collection of photo/video files in your computer with the organizer; I understand that the process you are following stops at a given point (the program stops/ freeze; you get an error message or a report that 97% is the maximum of what has been 'imported' or similar). I also understand that you can use an external 2TB drive to store the photo files and folders. That's certainly enough for your current library of 70 000 photo files.

 My first transfer was in the amount,unbenonce to me ,70000 images. The system peg out after the transfer at 97% full. so now what do I do.

By @oyrrab

First question: am I right in thinking you are using the organizer menu to 'get photos > from files and folders' and you either select the main folder containing your photos (probably the default 'Pictures' or 'My Pictures' Windows folder?)

As I stated in my previous answer, the program scans your selected folder (or all your computer if you choose to import in 'bulk'). The result is that the catalog (a folder containing the databases) is enriched with the info of each photo file, the locataion, the exif description, the small thumbnail... There is no picture file 'transfer', no copies, no file moves. The catalog folder itself should never grow over a couple of GB even if you are on a small drive like an SSD one. So how does the 97% appear in your 'import/getting files' attempt? Details about the commands you are using and how the program reacts are necessary. Screenshots are extremely useful, do you want to be guided for screenshots? Other precisions might help us. What's the kind of your main drive, conventional or SSD? What size in GB?

- If you are starting with another command than 'get files from files and folders', please describe.

- Since you have a big 2TB external (or internal) drive available, there is a solution, so thanks for helping us to better understand your problem.

[Greg_S.]

@flyguy2, just to add to Michel's advice, it is possible to transfer the Album structure from one catalog to another.  But this only transfers the Album hierarchy as you see it in the Albums panel.  It does NOT transfer the files contained within an Album.  Since you mention that you don't want to backup and restore your old catalog, here is how you can transfer the Album structure:

1. In your old catalog, click on the (tiny) down arrow next to the green plus sign at the top of the Albums Panel
2. Select Save Albums to File
3. Choose whether you want to save the entire structure or just certain categories of Album and click OK
4. Save the Albums.xml file to your desktop

In your new catalog, follow the same procedure but select Import Albums from File in the first dropdown menu.

Added:  BTW, you can also transfer your Keyword Tags hierarchy from one catalog to another in similar fashion in the tags panel.

[Greg_S.]

@oyrrab, first do not be concerned about losing any of your precious memory files when using Elements.  You cannot delete any of your files without first being warned by Elements that your files will be deleted.  As Michel has explained, Elements does not keep a store of your photo or video files.  It merely keeps a catalog of where they are located on your hard drives.

Now, if the files are not yet stored on your computer, you can use the Organizer to copy the files from your camera or smart phone, a memory card or even a USB thumb drive to the hard drives of your computer.  Once they have been copied to your computer, the Organizer keeps track of where they have been put and uses a catalog to identify where they are.

It is not necessary to use the Organizer to copy the files from your various devices to your computer.  If you already have files stored on your computer, the Organizer can find them and catalog them.  Or you can tell the Organizer exactly where they are and the files will be imported into the catalog. 

The processes that I have described above are generally known as the Import of files into the Organizer's catalog.  It seems to me that you have already started this process and somewhere along the line, you received a message indicating that the process was stuck at 97%.  Without knowing the exact message or dialog in which the process occured, it is difficult to say why this happened.  If you see it again, please take a screenshot to show us.  It is quite possible that the message was simply a status report during the import process that got stuck, and everything that should have been imported was in fact imported.  Without knowing exactly which of the several Import processes you used, it is difficult for us to say.

You have told me in a PM that you have 150,000 total images. and apparently 70,000 have been imported into your catalog.  Please tell us how you have your files organized on your computer e.g. are they all in a master Photos folder with sub-folders such as date or event.  Or are they in a more complicated folder structure?  With this information, we may be able to give you some better advice as to what to do next.

[oyrrab]

Thank you for a understandable answer.So as I understand it Elements just directs and modifies images and does no storage,good I feel better. So to answer the question as to what the folders are like.All I did was take the images from camera to the Picassa program.No sub folders or anything like that.So what I'll do is continue forwarding the folders to the program,them I'll divide them into sub folders. After that I'll tag and modify the ones that I feel are appropriate. Sound like a plan? If it's OK with you I'd like to keep you on speed dile because I know I'm going to have more crisises.OK? Thank you ,Barry.