trwalp,
The answer to your question is detailed in many of the posts I did those last days.
For backing up one's photo library, is it okay to use a separate backup program (e.g., Syncback), provided it retains the same folder structure as the original and retains all attributes and timestamps? Likewise, how about simply making a copy of the catalog in C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Elements Organizer\Catalogs?
Making a copy of the catalog folder does not work if you have to restore on a different drive (or drives) as the original ones. You can copy or move the catalog folder practically everywhere, but its contents don't change. All links stored in the catalog for the location of the pictures include not only the path in the folder trees, but the identification of the drive. If the drive is missing, all files in the copied catalog point to a missing drive. The catalog is unusable. Also, the present 'reconnection' tool in the Organizer can't reconnect a big library, contrary to what Lightroom can do.
So, any external backup tools will work only if the restore is done on the same original drive(s). Or at least with a new drive with the same identification, which would require a cloned drive, a Windows command to change the drive identification or a change of the contents of the Organizer with an Sqlite tool.
I prefer to avoid proprietary backup schemes because the results are inaccessible and unusable if corrupted in the slightest way.
Just consider zipping your media folder tree: it's a valid backup scheme even if you don't understand what's in it. The real issue with the organizer catalog in this respect is that you can look into it and alter its contents. The backup folders contains
- a 'catalog.buc' file which is a renamed copy of the 'catalog.pseXXdb' database.
- renamed copies of each of the media files (including xmp sidecar files)
- a special file 'backup.tly' which stores lists of files to restore the folder structure and manage your backups, full or incremental. If this file is missing, that means your backup is corrupt. It's the last file written into the backup folder.
- other accessory data or database such as the thumbnails cache and face recognition and other data.
So, using an external backup tool can't work, and that's true for all catalog based softwares.
For me, the real issue with the old backup scheme in the organizer is that you can't easily 'reconnect' to the same folder structure like what is possible in Lightroom. I suppose that trying to apply the same workflow in the organizer would require a total overhaul of the catalog structure and management. However, I can imagine that with today's growing power of AI, Adobe could manage to improve its reconnection feature if the folder structure is exactly the same.
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