catalog conversion not functioning

[ryanf92483874]

Hi.

I am trying to upgrade from Photoshop Elements 9 to Photoshop Elements 18. I backed up the active PSE9 catalog from one external drive, then restored it onto another external drive. I then opened PSE18 and tried to convert the restored PSE9 catalog, but cannot do it. The error states that the original catalog (the one that I recently restored) needs to be repaired. But when I try to repair the newly restored catalog, PSE9 says there are no errors to repair.

I also tried to "Move" the new PSE9 catalog to a new location within the same external drive, hoping that PSE 18 might be able to convert that one, but this didn't work either.

Complicating matters, is

(1) I deleted the original (old external drive) catalog and photo files after verifying the newly restored catalog (on the new external drive) was working okay.

(2) When I first downloaded PSE18 I had converted the original catalog (before restoring it), but when the photo files were later deleted from the old external drive, the converted PSE18 catalog cannot, of course, find them. Reconnecting missing files is not efficient with several thousands of files requiring "hand" reconnection.

I have tagged some 50,000 photos and would like to try to convert this catalog to PSE18.

In summary, I have one recently restored working PSE9 catalog with intact photo files on a new external drive. I would like to convert this catalog to PSE18 on the same external hard drive. The PSE18 program has one older, catalog (which is stored somewhere on the primary, internal C: drive with the software files), but the photo files to which this was connected are now deleted.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[99jon]

Does the restored catalog work from the new location in PSE9?

[ryanf92483874]

yes.

I am going to back up the restored PSE9 catalog and see if I can convert it from there.

[MichelBParis]

ryanf92483874  wrote

yes.

I am going to back up the restored PSE9 catalog and see if I can convert it from there.

I am not sure I understand exactly what you have done.

Converting a catalog means that the new organizer reads the catalog of an older version you want to convert, by default the current old version catalog. Then it creates a new catalog in the new format. A catalog is a folder, not a single file like in very old versions.

The new catalog (the folder) inherits the same name, and the old one is renamed with a -1 suffix and works seamlessly with the old Elements version. The conversion does not read or check anything from the media files. You can convert a catalog even if the files are not present (on a not plugged in external drive for instance).

Backing up a catalog is ambiguous in the Organizer:  It really means creating a backup folder containing everything to restore the media files, the catalog ... while keeping the links in the database to the new restored location of the media files. The backup folder is not a simple copy of your media files tree, it can only be used by the restore process. You can copy or move your catalog folder practically everywhere. Its contents are not changed. That is done from the Explorer or Finder. In your case, the catalog folder may be on the (hidden) default location on C: or on 'custom' location everywhere including in the external drive. You find the location of the catalog folder from the menu Help >> System Information. The catalog manager only provides the ability to move a 'custom' location catalog to the default one on C:

So, if you get a message asking you to check or repair the original catalog, that has to be done from your old version of Elements, before attempting a new conversion.

A conversion can be done even if the files are no longer in the same location (drive, folder) as the source catalog. Then, as you have found, the files are shown as 'missing' or 'disconnected' and reconnecting may be long and tricky.

Storing the media files and the catalog folder is common (and good) practice.

- Mainly to be able to share the library and catalog between two computers with the same PSE;

- To get a lot of disk space when you have a small SSD or small drive laptop.

The usual way is to do the backup and restore process :

Move Elements Organizer catalog

In that situation, you can easily upgrade to a new computer or new Elements version. No need to backup and restore. You simply use the catalog manager to 'convert' the catalog on its present 'custom' location in the external drive. So, your option to store the media file library on an external drive is good, and even better if you also store the catalog on the external drive.

Sorry if I don't answer exactly to your present question, but I think it may help other users with similar issues.

[ryanf92483874]

Thank you.This is helpful. I believe the problem is not going to resolve itself as somehow PSE18 is not able to read/convert the PSE9 catalog, probably because of some corrupt file, even though PSE9 does not show there is anything to repair. My plan will be to manually reconnect the media files within PSE18.

One more semi-related question: When making a back up of the catalog/media files in PSE18, are you recommending that I save the media files AND the catalog data on the external hard-drive? If I do this happens to the original system C:drive catalog? I presume the C:drive catalog stays where it is and remains the same as if I never did the backup. So, how do I force PSE18 to use (as current) a catalog saved to the external hard drive (allowing me to "remove" the original C;Drive catalog)? My intent is to have all the data (catalog, media files, whatever) on one external hard drive. I could then repeat the Backup procedure to create a complete collection of data on a different, redundant hard-drive.

Thanks again.

[MichelBParis · Accepted solution]

ryanf92483874  wrote

One more semi-related question: When making a back up of the catalog/media files in PSE18, are you recommending that I save the media files AND the catalog data on the external hard-drive?

To be clear, whan you use the backup and restore process to move your photo files and your catalog, you first create a 'backup folder', generally on an external drive, then you restore everything to the new destination (computer, drive or other master folder). The catalog folder is also restored under that destination.

If I do this happens to the original system C:drive catalog? I presume the C:drive catalog stays where it is and remains the same as if I never did the backup.

Yes, the 'move' is the combination of a sort of copy and paste. The original photo files tree as well as the original catalog are still there.

So, how do I force PSE18 to use (as current) a catalog saved to the external hard drive (allowing me to "remove" the original C;Drive catalog)?

Two ways:

- in the catalog manager, tick the 'custom destination' checkbox and browse to the newly restored catalog. That catalog will be used next time.

- maybe simpler, before opening the organizer, browse to the catalog folder in your explorer and double click on the 'catalog.pse16db' file.

To delete a catalog without having other catalogs to choose from, use the 'new' button to create an empty catalog. With this catalog open, you can delete the older one.

My intent is to have all the data (catalog, media files, whatever) on one external hard drive. I could then repeat the Backup procedure to create a complete collection of data on a different, redundant hard-drive.

Good choice.

[ryanf92483874]

Thank you.