metadata library could not be loaded

[gudrun683262]

New Windows 10, 64 bit, machine, newly installed Photoshop Elements 2019 (version 17.0).

When I do file -> file info. on an image I get the error message: "Could not complete the file info command because the metadata library could not be loaded."

I have tried uninstalling Photoshop Elements and reinstalling it and I still get the same error message.

[Greg_S.]

Is this a new catalog or have you restored the catalog from an old machine?  If so, how did you restore it? And was the old catalog built under a prior Elements version?

I've never seen this error message, but you can try repairing the catalog under File>Manage Catalogs.

[gudrun683262]

I don't have any catalogs, so there are none to manage.  I just have some folders of images on my computer. I've never had any catalogs, and did not restore a catalog from an old machine.

I get the same error message when trying to view metadata on old images I have added to the "my pictures" folder moved over from my old computer, and I also get this same error message with a new image I just saved to my desktop on the new machine that I saved directly from email.

In previous versions of photoshop elements on other machines, I could edit photos and their metadata without actually having or making catalogs.

[Greg_S.]

Sorry, I didn't read your post carefully enough.  I see that somebody had the same issue a couple of years ago, but the Adobe staff member who responded gave no quick answer. 

At this point, the only thing I can suggest is to reset the preferences.  Hopefully, someone else can come by with a more helpful response.

[ChipDoctor2604]

I fixed the problem on my PC by downloading from Microsoft  and installing:

Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2012 Update 4

That was recommended on a similar thread elsewhere here.