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josephunit2n
josephunit2n
Known Participant
April 18, 2023
Answered

Can't open catalogue in just updated PSE2023 - Windows 10

  • April 18, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 1959 views

After installing the updated version of PSE2023 (offered within the application), my most used catalog won't appear, won't open (was working fine, until the upgrade).     I did find the catalogue browsing in "custom location".  I tried to run the "convert" process, and it failed.  Please help!!  

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer MichelBParis

    Idea#2:  I have created a PSE2023 backup of the problem catalog, on an entirely different external drive.  If I "restore" from this, some recent photos will be lost - perhaps a fair price to more easily end the problem.  In that backup file, in addition to the photos, I see some types of "system" files, but NOT "catalog.pse21db".  I presume that is normal (??).  If I use the "restore" function, I do not want to run this catalogue from the backup location.  How would I move it to the external drive I do use for all active PSE catalogues?  I've used "copy/move to external drive" to move individual photos - would I use it to move an entire catalog?  Or, should I manually "copy/paste" the entire catalog to the new, desired external drive - disconnect the external drive/backup drive, from which it had been "restored" - then in Organizer search the drive where I "pasted" it (from there, will it open?  need I first "convert" it?).

    ** I guess, if this method is used, I could then go the the failed original catalog (before I permanently delete it) and "copy" all missing photos, add them back to the new, restored catalog.

    **Another concern: If I "restore" to the same external drive holding the original, problem catalogue, what will happen?  Will I be asked if ok to overwrite the original?  Before the "restore", should I modify the name of the original problem catalog (then, I could later extract any missing photo files, then finally delete this catalog)?


    quote

    Idea#2:  I have created a PSE2023 backup of the problem catalog, on an entirely different external drive.  If I "restore" from this, some recent photos will be lost - perhaps a fair price to more easily end the problem.

    Yes, try that solution

    quote

    In that backup file, in addition to the photos, I see some types of "system" files, but NOT "catalog.pse21db".  I presume that is normal (??).

     

    Yes, because a backup folder is not a simple copy. The saved catalog database is renamed 'catalog.buc' whatever the version of PSE.

    quote

     If I use the "restore" function, I do not want to run this catalogue from the backup location.  How would I move it to the external drive I do use for all active PSE catalogues?  I've used "copy/move to external drive" to move individual photos - would I use it to move an entire catalog?  Or, should I manually "copy/paste" the entire catalog to the new, desired external drive - disconnect the external drive/backup drive, from which it had been "restored" - then in Organizer search the drive where I "pasted" it (from there, will it open?  need I first "convert" it?).

    ** I guess, if this method is used, I could then go the the failed original catalog (before I permanently delete it) and "copy" all missing photos, add them back to the new, restored catalog.

    **Another concern: If I "restore" to the same external drive holding the original, problem catalogue, what will happen?  Will I be asked if ok to overwrite the original?  Before the "restore", should I modify the name of the original problem catalog (then, I could later extract any missing photo files, then finally delete this catalog)?


    By @josephunit2n

    The backup folder is not a catalog folder copy. Imagine it's like a "zipped" version storing both the image files and the catalog. It can ONLY be used to restore (unzip) both the photo files and the catalog. to the new location you decide. It is usually on the internal or external drive you have chosen. It's not impossible, but a bad idea, to restore on the same external drive as the backup folder on a new master folder outside of the backup folder.

    If you decide to restore on the original location, you'll get prompts and warnings to ask you what you want to do, overwrite or skip.

    quote

    1 reply

    MichelBParis
    MichelBParis
    Legend
    April 18, 2023

    A free update does not require a conversion. Once you have found the custom location of your catalog, have a look inside the catalog folder and double click the file

    catalog.pse21db

    to open the organizer with the catalog.

     

    josephunit2n
    josephunit2nAuthor
    Known Participant
    April 20, 2023

    Further, after the notes (below), I went again to Default Apps Settings, now seeing option to search actual file extensions; found .pse19db - with no associated app (below it, .pse21db HAD Photoshop Elements 2023 associated) - I cliked it, and pop up said "There is no installed app for this type of file or protocol" (gave the option to seach Microsoft, which gave NO results).

    josephunit2n
    josephunit2nAuthor
    Known Participant
    April 24, 2023
    quote

    Idea#2:  I have created a PSE2023 backup of the problem catalog, on an entirely different external drive.  If I "restore" from this, some recent photos will be lost - perhaps a fair price to more easily end the problem.

    Yes, try that solution

    quote

    In that backup file, in addition to the photos, I see some types of "system" files, but NOT "catalog.pse21db".  I presume that is normal (??).

     

    Yes, because a backup folder is not a simple copy. The saved catalog database is renamed 'catalog.buc' whatever the version of PSE.

    quote

     If I use the "restore" function, I do not want to run this catalogue from the backup location.  How would I move it to the external drive I do use for all active PSE catalogues?  I've used "copy/move to external drive" to move individual photos - would I use it to move an entire catalog?  Or, should I manually "copy/paste" the entire catalog to the new, desired external drive - disconnect the external drive/backup drive, from which it had been "restored" - then in Organizer search the drive where I "pasted" it (from there, will it open?  need I first "convert" it?).

    ** I guess, if this method is used, I could then go the the failed original catalog (before I permanently delete it) and "copy" all missing photos, add them back to the new, restored catalog.

    **Another concern: If I "restore" to the same external drive holding the original, problem catalogue, what will happen?  Will I be asked if ok to overwrite the original?  Before the "restore", should I modify the name of the original problem catalog (then, I could later extract any missing photo files, then finally delete this catalog)?


    By @josephunit2n

    The backup folder is not a catalog folder copy. Imagine it's like a "zipped" version storing both the image files and the catalog. It can ONLY be used to restore (unzip) both the photo files and the catalog. to the new location you decide. It is usually on the internal or external drive you have chosen. It's not impossible, but a bad idea, to restore on the same external drive as the backup folder on a new master folder outside of the backup folder.

    If you decide to restore on the original location, you'll get prompts and warnings to ask you what you want to do, overwrite or skip.

    quote


    First, I send you my sincere thanks for all your time, attention to this issue.  Without your help, guidance, invaluable information, I would not have reached any success.

    In fact, I moved on my own thoughts, before your last reply was posted.  Working many hours, all night, now a bit groggy, I'll try to recap.

    **I again searched for "catalog.pse21db" and found a modest list of these.

    **Opening each one, I found all catalogs.

    **In the Organizer, I moved those in "custom location" to "everyone's access"

    **I ran "repair" on each (no repair seemed to be needed)

    **I ran fresh backups of each catalog, to the usual external drive I use for backups, overwriting the existing backup file for each (new backup file for the "missing" catalog);  I did this even for older, "static" catalogs, where no changes have been made in a long time - just to have an up-to-date, fresh backup.

    **In the end, all is fine EXCEPT - the original "problem" catalog is back, active, only when I attempted to run a backup, around 20 photos had no source.  I did extensive searching, all drives and even my "trash/deletions" before final deletion, could not find the source .NEF files.  In the end, I had to delete this group from the catalog, to run a successful backup.

    Before all this, I did try to "restore" the problem catalog from its backup.  This failed, not all photo files were available, which raises a question (you started to address this in your last reply):  In a "backup" file, are the actual photo files stored (I think not) - or - is this just a list of links to the photo files' locations?  If the latter, any change, moving, of source files would corrupt/defeat restoration from that backup.

    Final question:  after all this was done, I again ran a search for "catalog.pse21db"  and now find a much longer list.  I opened/viewed each, to find multiple such files for a single catalog.  All seems to be working fine - is this of any concern?  Any further action needed?

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