Catalog Restore

Report · Nov 21, 2017

I just restored my catalog onto my new computer and upgraded to Photoshop 2019. I did select to restore my original folder locations. I noticed that my old pictures folder stored 6613 files and 277 folders and my now Pictures folder only shows 6121 files and 245 folders. I checked a couple of folders and there were fewer files than before. Do you know why there are fewer files in my new Pictures folder.

Also, is there a chat support option for 2018?

Report · Nov 21, 2017

jenniferlaufer wrote
I just restored my catalog onto my new computer and upgraded to Photoshop 2019. I did select to restore my original folder locations. I noticed that my old pictures folder stored 6613 files and 277 folders and my now Pictures folder only shows 6121 files and 245 folders. I checked a couple of folders and there were fewer files than before. Do you know why there are fewer files in my new Pictures folder.

The restored catalog restores the files present in your catalog, not all the media files in your Pictures folder.

The number of files in your Pictures folder will be different from the number of items shown in the organizer.

A more relevant way to check the difference would be to compare the number of items in the catalog, before and after restore.

A possible reason for having less files than before in the converted catalog than in the in original one would be that some media format are no longer supported in newer versions (.ai, .pdf, jpeg2000...) as well as old format projects.

To check the number of items by media type:

Select all your items in the browsing space

In the Information panel on the right, you should see the number of items by type.

I just restored my catalog onto my new computer and upgraded to Photoshop
2019. I did select to restore my original folder locations.

If you restore to a new computer and choose your original folder structure, only the files present in your catalog will be there. Not other kinds of photos stored there by other applications. You may also have duplicates which the organizer has filtered at import time when importing from files or folders.

Also, is there a chat support option for 2018?

Yes, but that is mainly for installation and licensing. Generally you get better answers in this forum for 'how to' questions (Adobe Staff does also help here).

Report · Nov 21, 2017

OK. Thanks for clarifying that. I’m sure there were some PDF files, etc. that were not restored that I would like to keep. Given that, is this an OK process?

1. Delete the folders on my new computer that appeared after the catalog restore. They are found under C:/Users/laufe/Pictures: Camera Roll, My New Catalog, My New Catalog 2, ProgramData, Saved Pictures, Users/Pam (includes folders Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos-these are not my Documents, Pictures, etc. folders that appear under Users/laufe)

2. Move My Pictures folder from my old computer to my new computer

3. Redo catalog restore onto my new computer (the catalog is saved on my external drive as before)

Should I check to restore to original folder locations if I do it this way?

Report · Nov 21, 2017

jenniferlaufer wrote
OK. Thanks for clarifying that. I’m sure there were some PDF files, etc. that were not restored that I would like to keep. Given that, is this an OK process?

1.     Delete the folders on my new computer that appeared after the catalog restore. They are found under C:/Users/laufe/Pictures: Camera Roll, My New Catalog, My New Catalog 2, ProgramData, Saved Pictures, Users/Pam (includes folders Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos-these are not my Documents, Pictures, etc. folders that appear under Users/laufe)
2.     Move My Pictures folder from my old computer to my new computer
3.     Redo catalog restore onto my new computer (the catalog is saved on my external drive as before)
Should I check to restore to original folder locations if I do it this way?

I would be very prudent to delete as described... many of the folders you are mentioning were not created by the restore process and I don't know of any simple way to roll back to the situation before the present restore.

I have always taken great care NOT to store my photo files in the default PICTURES folder.

- I want my photo files to be situated in a different drive or partition than the main one which contains my Windows and all programs. You could use a master folder named differently, JenniferPhotos for instance. In case of problems with the main drive, I don't lose my photos. I don't want other programs to store photo files under my own master 'library'.

- I want my main catalog to cover all the files under that master folder.

- I don't like the way Windows stores that PICTURES folder under a complicated path in your user folder. It's so much simpler if the master folder is directly under the root folder of the other drive or partition.

- Some Windows users are also confused about the fact that you can get the real path to your users library or you can go there by a shortcut. Some think that the files and folders are duplicated. If you migrate to another computer via the backup and restore process and choose a 'custom' location as described above, you get a complex path with user subfolders holding no image files. Same thing if you simpy want to create a copy of the files and the catalog on an external drive for sharing with another computer.

A few questions before trying to advise for a safe workflow:

- You still have the backup you did use for the transfer?

- I suppose your old computer is still working with your old Elements version and its catalog.

- Is your computer drive the only internal one, or do you have different partitions?

- Do you have enough disk space to store a temporary duplication of your photo files? External drive are ok, preferably different from the backup drive.

- Do you see any compelling reason to keep your photo files in the default PICTURES folder?

Report · Nov 28, 2017

Thank you. Here are my answers to your questions above:

Yes I have a backup.

Yes my old computer stills works with my old Elements and catalog.

I believe I only have one drive on my new computer (and old computer for that matter). I also have an external drive.

Yes, I have plenty of space on both my computer and external drive for a temporary duplication of my photo files.

I can't think of any compelling reasons to keep all of my photos under the default PICTURES folder, particularly if I can avoid this complexity of restoring the catalog without missing hundreds of photos that were on my computer before.

Thank you and I'll await for you to recommend an appropriate workflow for transferring/restoring my catalog and all of my photos.

Report · Nov 28, 2017

jenniferlaufer wrote
Thank you. Here are my answers to your questions above:
Yes I have a backup.
Yes my old computer stills works with my old Elements and catalog.
I believe I only have one drive on my new computer (and old computer for that matter). I also have an external drive.
Yes, I have plenty of space on both my computer and external drive for a temporary duplication of my photo files.
I can't think of any compelling reasons to keep all of my photos under the default PICTURES folder, particularly if I can avoid this complexity of restoring the catalog without missing hundreds of photos that were on my computer before.
Thank you and I'll await for you to recommend an appropriate workflow for transferring/restoring my catalog and all of my photos.

I would wait to delete the new folders created on the new drive from the previous restore. Better to be sure you have a correct new restore before that.

- plug in the external drive with your previous backup folder to the new computer.

- Create a new master folder on the new computer, just under the 'C:\' root directory; for instance C:\MyPhotos.

- start the organizer on the new computer, and choose 'Restore', select your folder on the external drive as the backup source, select the options to restore on custom destination (not 'original' one) and navigate to the C:\MyPhotos folder as the destination, select the option to keep the original folder structure.

- Start the restore process.

All the files in your original catalog should be restored with the same picture folder tree, and the catalog will be converted

The catalog folder should also be restored under the C:\MyPhotos master folder.

To open the new catalog, you can:

- use the catalog manager and browse to the new catalog location (in 'custom' location, not 'catalogs accessible to all users')

- or simply double click on the catalog.pse16db file to open the organizer with that catalog.

If everything goes well, use your explorer to compare the newly restored structure with the structure of your first attempt. No risk at that point to delete the folders which now are now duplicated.

Tip:

With a 'custom' master folder like this, use your preferences in the organizer to specify the new folders to be used for storing downloaded or scanned pictures. When you'll import new files they will go there.

Report · Nov 30, 2017

Hi Michael,

See my questions in CAPS below. Thank you.

Pam

Report · Dec 01, 2017

Pam,

I don't see anything?

Report · Dec 04, 2017

Sorry See below.

Thank you. Here are my answers to your questions above:

Yes I have a backup.

Yes my old computer stills works with my old Elements and catalog.

I believe I only have one drive on my new computer (and old computer for that matter). I also have an external drive.

Yes, I have plenty of space on both my computer and external drive for a temporary duplication of my photo files.

I can't think of any compelling reasons to keep all of my photos under the default PICTURES folder, particularly if I can avoid this complexity of restoring the catalog without missing hundreds of photos that were on my computer before.

Thank you and I'll await for you to recommend an appropriate workflow for transferring/restoring my catalog and all of my photos.

I would wait to delete the new folders created on the new drive from the previous restore. Better to be sure you have a correct new restore before that. JUST SO YOU KNOW, I HAVE THREE COPIES OF MY PICTURES FOLDER (MY OLDER COMPUTER, MY EXTERNAL DRIVE AND CLOUD BACKUP) I ALSO CREATED A BACKUP OF MY CATALOG ON TO MY EXTERNAL DRIVE PRIOR TO MOVING TO THE NEW COMPUTER

- plug in the external drive with your previous backup folder to the new computer.

- Create a new master folder on the new computer, just under the 'C:\' root directory; for instance C:\MyPhotos.

- start the organizer on the new computer, and choose 'Restore', select your folder on the external drive as the backup source, select the options to restore on custom destination (not 'original' one) and navigate to the C:\MyPhotos folder as the destination, select the option to keep the original folder structure. WHEN I OPEN UP ORGANIZER ON THE NEW COMPUTER, THERE ARE PHOTOS FROM WHEN I RESTORED THE CATALOG BEFORE BUT IT DIDN’T GO SO WELL BECAUSE THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS MISSING. I’M PROPOSING I START FROM SCRATCH AGAIN. IS IT A PROBLEM THERE ARE PHOTOS IN MY NEW ORGANIZER IF I FOLLOW YOUR RECOMMENDED PROCESS?

ALSO, I SEE A RESTORE CATALOG OPTION (NOT SIMPLY RESTORE AS YOU MENTION)—IS THAT THE ONE I AM SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE? AS I MENTIONED, I HAVE A LOT MORE PHOTOS IN MY PICTURES FOLDER ON MY OLD COMPUTER AND EXTERNAL DRIVE THAT I WANT TO MOVE OVER TO MY NEW COMPUTER. YOU HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL BUT THIS IS JUST SO COMPLICATED. ALL I WANT TO DO IS MOVE OVER ALL OF MY PHOTOS TO MY NEW COMPUTER WITH METADATA, ETC. INCLUDED?

- Start the restore process.

All the files in your original catalog should be restored with the same picture folder tree, and the catalog will be converted

The catalog folder should also be restored under the C:\MyPhotos master folder.

To open the new catalog, you can:

- use the catalog manager and browse to the new catalog location (in 'custom' location, not 'catalogs accessible to all users')

- or simply double click on the catalog.pse16db file to open the organizer with that catalog.

If everything goes well, use your explorer to compare the newly restored structure with the structure of your first attempt. No risk at that point to delete the folders which now are now duplicated.

Tip:

With a 'custom' master folder like this, use your preferences in the organizer to specify the new folders to be used for storing downloaded or scanned pictures. When you'll import new files they will go there.

Report · Dec 05, 2017

Did you see my questions above? Thank you.

Report · Dec 05, 2017

jenniferlaufer wrote
Did you see my questions above? Thank you.

Well, yes I did.

However I must admit I don't know what to advise now.

I promise I'll look at it again tomorrow (it's about midnight here)...

Report · Dec 06, 2017

WHEN I OPEN UP ORGANIZER ON THE NEW COMPUTER, THERE ARE PHOTOS FROM WHEN I RESTORED THE CATALOG BEFORE BUT IT DIDN’T GO SO WELL BECAUSE THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS MISSING.

Do you mean:

- you have less photos in the 'restored' catalog than in the whole 'MyPictures' folder?

- or that when you open the 'restored catalog' you have 'missing' or 'disconected' files with icons displaying a question mark instead of a thumbnail?

ALSO, I SEE A RESTORE CATALOG OPTION (NOT SIMPLY RESTORE AS YOU MENTION)—IS THAT THE ONE I AM SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE?

Yes, for Adobe, the 'catalog backup' process of the organizer means BOTH the restore of the photo files tree AND the restore of your catalog (which holds your tags and organization).

Report · Dec 06, 2017

Hi Michel,

In answer to your question, I have fewer photos in the restored catalog in the MyPictures folder. We're talking about a few, it's actually a difference of several hundred.

Once you respond, does it make sense to delete my photos and catalog and on my new computer and start over? I have several copies of my photos elsewhere (external drive, old computer, etc.) and have not added any photos.

Thank you.

Report · Dec 06, 2017

Correction: We're NOT talking about a few.

Report · Dec 06, 2017

jenniferlaufer wrote
Hi Michel,
In answer to your question, I have fewer photos in the restored catalog in the MyPictures folder. We're talking about a few, it's actually a difference of several hundred.

Yes, that's what appears in your original post (6613 and 6121).

That's a small library, so my suggestion is to use the old computer to try a new 'import' from files and folders selecting the 'MyPictures' master folder. The organizer will scan all the files in that files tree.

It may not find any new items and give your the message "nothing has been imported because the files are not supported or already in your catalog".

Not valid files: see my first answer (video files, .pdf, .ai, vector formats ...)

Already in the catalog: duplicates...

What is important as stated in that post, is that the number of items in the original catalog (not in the MyPictures folder) should be the same in the restored catalog on the other computer.

Unfortunately, the only practical way to know what are the missing files would be to select all your files in the original catalog... and to move them to another master folder (menu File >> Move) and to look at the remaining files from the Windows Explorer.

Moving like this should work better and faster than deleting the files from the catalog and from disk. I don't guarantee that the menu Edit >> Undo will work nicely if needed but a restore from backup on original location will work.

So, if you want to know precisely what is missing, you can try that move and look at what is left in the MyPictures folder. If you want to migrate all or part of the missing files to the new computer, you'll have to copy them from the explorer to the new computer since they can't be cataloged.

You have enough safety with your copies and your backup, so the 'move' option is not dangerous.

Report · Dec 09, 2017

I finally successfully restored my catalog from my external drive to my new computer and upgraded from Photoshop 10 to Photoshop 2018. When I look at my new “Pictures” folder on my new computer everything looks the same except that I have three new folders that weren’t there before: My New Catalog (63.6), My New Catalog 1 (235 MB), Program Data (64.8MB). In the past, my catalog was stored on my external drive.

Should I create a new catalog and save/back it up it on my external drive? Once I do that, can I delete the My New Catalog (63.6) and My New Catalog 1 (235 MB) folders on my laptop Pictures folder?
Is there a way for my catalog to be automatically updated as I add new photos to my Pictures folder?
Is there a way to automatically back up my catalog to my external drive?
Should the newly created Program Data folder in my Pictures folder remain there?
Will the Save Metadata to my Files function ensure that I still have my file data and album info in my Pictures folder if my catalog gets corrupted? What exactly does that function do?

Thank you.

Report · Dec 10, 2017

jenniferlaufer wrote
I finally successfully restored my catalog from my external drive to my new computer and upgraded from Photoshop 10 to Photoshop 2018. When I look at my new “Pictures” folder on my new computer everything looks the same except that I have three new folders that weren’t there before: My New Catalog (63.6), My New Catalog 1 (235 MB), Program Data (64.8MB). In the past, my catalog was stored on my external drive.

The location of the two catalog folders is logical if you have selected the default Windows 'My Pictures' as the destination master folder in the restore process.

That's not what I did advise: I would have created first a 'My New Catalog' just under the C: root folder, not under the default 'My Pictures' folder (restore to 'custom' location, not to original location'). Anyway, that can work both ways.

The catalog folder with the suffix 1 is the PSE10 version, it contains a 'catalog.pse10db' database.

The other one is the 'converted' to PSE2018 version. My guess is that it is smaller than the original because the thumbnails cache has not yet been reconstructed.

What I can't understand is why you have a 'Program Data' there!

Can you compare with the original computer? It's very small.

Should I create a new catalog and save/back it up it on my external drive? Once I do that, can I delete the My New Catalog (63.6) and My New Catalog 1 (235 MB) folders on my laptop Pictures folder?

First check that you can work as usual with the 2018 catalog (I would let the thumbnails be recreated in background task and check the folder size after that). As mentioned before, check that you have the same (or nearly the same number of files shown in the organizer).

Then you can delete the catalog folder with the 1 suffix.

For the 'Program Data', no hurry. You can check that there is another 'Program Data' folder just under the C: root drive. You may try to check if there are image file there.

jenniferlaufer wrote
Is there a way for my catalog to be automatically updated as I add new photos to my Pictures folder?

That feature is called 'watched folders' (under the file menu). You have options to let the organizer scan your folders to find photo files not already in the catalog.

Is there a way to automatically back up my catalog to my external drive?

There are external tools to 'sync' the contents of a drive to another one, such as the Windows Synctoy. I do use it after each editing session to save my pictures folders AND my catalog folders. Much faster than a full or even an incremental backup, but I do know that if I have to restore after a crash, the links in the catalog will be broken and I'll have to 'reconnect' everything. It's useful together with periodic organizer backups.

Should the newly created Program Data folder in my Pictures folder remain there?

See above.

If it does not contain photo files (jpegs...), rename it and see if everything goes well and see if that does not create 'missing' files in your catalog. Then you'll be good to delete it.

jenniferlaufer wrote
Will the Save Metadata to my Files function ensure that I still have my file data and album info in my Pictures folder if my catalog gets corrupted? What exactly does that function do?

That writes the tags, captions, notes, ratings into the metadata header of your jpeg files. Those will be available when you import them in a new catalog or if browse those photos in the Windows explorer or another editing software.

What can't be saved is mainly:

- albums

- stacks and version sets

- creations.

Report · Dec 15, 2017

MICHEL-PLEASE SEE BELOW IS RED CAPS.

jenniferlaufer wrote
I finally successfully restored my catalog from my external drive to my new computer and upgraded from Photoshop 10 to Photoshop 2018. When I look at my new “Pictures” folder on my new computer everything looks the same except that I have three new folders that weren’t there before: My New Catalog (63.6), My New Catalog 1 (235 MB), Program Data (64.8MB). In the past, my catalog was stored on my external drive.

The location of the two catalog folders is logical if you have selected the default Windows 'My Pictures' as the destination master folder in the restore process.

That's not what I did advise: I would have created first a 'My New Catalog' just under the C: root folder, not under the default 'My Pictures' folder (restore to 'custom' location, not to original location'). Anyway, that can work both ways.

The catalog folder with the suffix 1 is the PSE10 version, it contains a 'catalog.pse10db' database.

The other one is the 'converted' to PSE2018 version. My guess is that it is smaller than the original because the thumbnails cache has not yet been reconstructed.

What I can't understand is why you have a 'Program Data' there!

Can you compare with the original computer? It's very small.

ON MY OLDER WINDOWS 7 COMPUTER I FOUND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/ELEMENTS ORGANIZER (377 MB) AND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS (1.59 gig)

ON MY NEW WINDOWS 10 COMPUTER I HAVE TWO PROGRAM DATA FILES;

1) C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/ELEMENTS ORGANIZER (285 MB) AND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS (256mb)

2) C; MY PICTURES/PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/ELEMENTS ORGANIZER (64.7 MB) AND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS (108k)

Should I create a new catalog and save/back it up it on my external drive? Once I do that, can I delete the My New Catalog (63.6) and My New Catalog 1 (235 MB) folders on my laptop Pictures folder?

First check that you can work as usual with the 2018 catalog (I would let the thumbnails be recreated in background task and check the folder size after that).

HOW DO I LET THUMBNAILS BE CREATED IN BACKGROUND?

As mentioned before, check that you have the same (or nearly the same number of files shown in the organizer). HOW DO CHECK THIS?

Then you can delete the catalog folder with the 1 suffix.

For the 'Program Data', no hurry. You can check that there is another 'Program Data' folder just under the C: root drive. You may try to check if there are image file there.

WHERE WOULD I FIND THE IMAGE FILES?

jenniferlaufer wrote
Is there a way for my catalog to be automatically updated as I add new photos to my Pictures folder?

That feature is called 'watched folders' (under the file menu). You have options to let the organizer scan your folders to find photo files not already in the catalog.

Is there a way to automatically back up my catalog to my external drive?

There are external tools to 'sync' the contents of a drive to another one, such as the Windows Synctoy. I do use it after each editing session to save my pictures folders AND my catalog folders. Much faster than a full or even an incremental backup, but I do know that if I have to restore after a crash, the links in the catalog will be broken and I'll have to 'reconnect' everything. It's useful together with periodic organizer backups.

Should the newly created Program Data folder in my Pictures folder remain there?

See above.If it does not contain photo files (jpegs...), rename it and see if everything goes well and see if that does not create 'missing' files in your catalog. Then you'll be good to delete it.

jenniferlaufer wrote
Will the Save Metadata to my Files function ensure that I still have my file data and album info in my Pictures folder if my catalog gets corrupted? What exactly does that function do?

That writes the tags, captions, notes, ratings into the metadata header of your jpeg files. Those will be available when you import them in a new catalog or if browse those photos in the Windows explorer or another editing software.

What can't be saved is mainly:

- albums

- stacks and version sets

- creations.

Report · Dec 15, 2017

ON MY OLDER WINDOWS 7 COMPUTER I FOUND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/ELEMENTS ORGANIZER (377 MB) AND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS (1.59 gig)
ON MY NEW WINDOWS 10 COMPUTER I HAVE TWO PROGRAM DATA FILES;
1) C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/ELEMENTS ORGANIZER (285 MB) AND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS (256mb)
2) C; MY PICTURES/PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/ELEMENTS ORGANIZER (64.7 MB) AND C; PROGRAM DATA/ADOBE/PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS (108k)

What is significant in the size of the 'Program data' folder is the subfolder containing the catalogs.

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Elements Organizer\catalogs.

It contains the catalogs for older versions as well as for the new one. The size of this subfolder depends on the number of catalogs it contains. It also depends on the fact that the catalog cache (thumb.5.cache) has been completely rebuilt or not.

The 'ProgramData' folder under 'My Pictures' is probably the result of 'bulk importing', scanning all your folders to index files in the catalog. If there are .jpegs in the real C:\ProgramData, they will be imported in the catalog and the restore function will put them under the 'My Pictures' Windows folder.

HOW DO I LET THUMBNAILS BE CREATED IN BACKGROUND?

You do nothing, it's automatic. Look at the small spinning wheel in the bottom left of the organizer: it will stop when it's done.

As mentioned before, check that you have the same (or nearly the same number of files shown in the organizer). HOW DO CHECK THIS?

Just on the left of the dark bar on the bottom of the organizer screen.

Or

Open the Information panel on the right, select all your files (Ctrl A) and look at the list of files by type.

For the 'Program Data', no hurry. You can check that there is another 'Program Data' folder just under the C: root drive. You may try to check if there are image file there.
WHERE WOULD I FIND THE IMAGE FILES?

From the Explorer or even from the organizer is there is something in the catalog when you browse to that location.