Caution Making 2nd Catalog!!

[givenout]

Hi -

I made a separate thread to discuss this caution separately. After having a personal catalog crisis on account of a simple relatively unknown issue I hope I can help someone else.

Be very careful when adding a catalog not to name it the same as a folder that already exists.

It's best to avoid using "catalog" when making a new catalog.

It's wise to backup your existing catalog before adding a second one in case something goes wrong because the new catalog will automatically replace the original.

Perhaps some of the pros can be more specific and clearer.

Good luck!

Stacy

[Wendy]

Hi Stacy ..

Thanks for starting a new thread about this ... it is something that people really need to know about.

So sorry that you have had all the problems with it ..

Wendy

[estherf]

I was debating on adding a second catalog to Version 6 because of the limitation of the number of images put on the integration with Premiere Elements 4. It really is self-defeating to have such a limitation, considering that the new database with Version 6 will allow 100,000 images! Then to say that Premier Elements 4 does 'not do well' with a large catalog!!:eek:

[scrappinmomma2]

I don't understand what you mean about adding a 2nd catalog. it's possible to have 2 catalogs in one version of pse? I am probably going to install pse 6 this weekend and was wondering what i needed to do about my organizer from pse3. Is it recommended to back it up before loading the new software? For simplicity for myself, i would only want one organizer so when installing do you get the option to replace the catalog from previous version? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Cheryl

[troush]

Cheryl,

Once you install PSE 6.0, you can choose File->Catalog and then Convert, and it converts your catalog to something usable to 6.0. I think there are some things (like slideshows) that don't convert. There is a techdoc over at Adobe's web site that addresses catalog conversion issues. (PSE 3.0 uses an MS Access database for the catalog, PSE 6.0 uses SQL-lite for it's database.)

-Trish

[scrappinmomma2]

ok, now I'm a little confused. I read the information on adobe website lastnight and am I understanding this correctly that any PSD pages I have made in PSE3 cannot be edited in PSE 6 or will they just not show up in the organizer? If that is so, if I were to change the format to .png will that make them editable in PSE 6? Also, another question, if we uninstall PSE 3 before installing 6 will i be able to access the catalog to convert to 6?

Thanks,
Cheryl

[troush]

Hmm. I don't think it is .psd files - those are photoshop format, and I've been able to open them all in PSE 6.0. I'm guessing it is those special creations - I think they had a slightly different extension - like psf or something.

Here is what I would do. In PSE 3.0, do a Reconnect Missing Files, and a File->Catalog->Recover. Copy your catalog file to a safe place (maybe to a CD or something to be extra safe). Install the PSE 6.0 trial and convert your catalog. See what happens. Just don't do any work in your PSE 6.0 catalog (like tagging or adding new files). But, see what shows up and what you can access. It converts it to a new database type, so your 3.0 catalog will still be there. And, you can have both installed - it's just 3.0 won't see any changes made to the 6.0 catalog, and 6.0 won't see any changes made to your 3.0 catalog.

-Trish

[scrappinmomma2]

I know we can have both installed but hubby prefers not to have both on system. If version 3 is uninstalled and my catalog is backed up in another drive, would I still be able to access the catalog without the program being installed?

Thanks in advance,
Cheryl

[troush]

Cheryl,

Once you've uninstalled PSE 3.0, installed 6.0 and converted your catalog, you won't have anything to read your catalog, unless you reinstall 3.0. But, if you find 6.0 doesn't work for you, you can uninstall it, and reinstall 3.0 and then copy your catalog back and use it again.

-Trish

[babsup]

I run PSE 3, I am thinking about going to 6, I donot want to have but one PSE on my PC. are you saying, you have to keep the old version on the PC to use the pictures in the new version. please help.:eek:

[troush]

No, you don't have to keep the old version. Before you install PSE 6.0, do a reconnect missing files, and a File->Catalog->Recover in PSE 3.0. Also, make sure you have saved off (copied somewhere safe) any extra actions, layer styles, brushes, patterns, gradients and plug-ins that you installed into PSE 3.0.

Then, (making sure your antivirus software is disabled) uninstall PSE 3.0, and install 6.0. When you open the organizer in 6.0 you will have to select the catalog file to convert it to be read in 6.0. Then, you can work on installing your extras back into 6.0.

-Trish

[mom2bandc]

When I upgraded from PSE4 to PSE6 I was very confused about the catalog being different, but once you make the change almost all was fine. Since I had so many files, I had created (through PSE4) off-line DVD's to hold many of them but when I converted, PSE6 couldn't find the off-line items. It is strange because it tells me they are off-line & gives me the preview image, however if I try to reconnect with my DVD the disk drive is not an option available to me. I went to the Adobe forum & found little help so I actually copied all of my off-line media to an external drive which PSE6 is able to access through "reconnect my missing files." I only reconnect when I need to pull a file to the editor so it is not a big problem for me. I'm sure this is as clear as mud & if you didn't create off-line media you should have no problems converting your older catalog versions. I made sure to use a "6" at the end of my new catalog name so that I knew which ones were the new ones & which were the old ones. (I have a catalog for scrapbooking supplies & another for my photos.) I will tell you the conversion takes a while if you have a lot of photos & they are stored on an external drive!
I hope I don't scare anyone away from PSE6 - I actually like it better than PSE4!

[wendy01]

I know this question has probably been asked before so I apoligize for my "newbiness" in advance. I am trying to decide whether or not to use the organizer (version 6.0), I have tried it and do like it so far, however when I download pictures, one set goes into my picture file and one goes into elements. Isn't that taking up twice as much space on my computor? And then I want opinions on using the organizer (what you like don't like etc.) or not because I am sure there is a way to disable it ,or my picture file on my computor so they don't keep going into both.

[troush]

No, it is not making 2 copies! The Organizer is only POINTING to the files on your hard drive. It makes a thumbnail to display in the Organizer. I use a different organizer, but I think using something is good. You can "disable" it by not checking "Save in Organizer" when you save files in the editor. Then you just delete the database file.

-Trish

[caroleg]

Organizer will no longer launch in PSE 5 (using Vista) due to my effort to make a new catalog.

Initial Cause of Problem (I think)

I had previously run PSE 5 on XP and then converted to Vista home using the 5.02 patch from Adobe. Everything was fine. Then, I cleverly decided to follow instructions from Photoshop Elements 5 for Dummies on page 115 entitled "Splitting a big catalog into smaller catalogs". (File>Catalog; Duplicate catalog file by clicking Save as button in Catalog dialogue box; Save new name in File Name box and return to Organizer window.)The old organizer had over a 1000 pictures. Unfortunately, I did use the word catalog which Trish has just noted can cause problems.

When I did that, my organizer window changed its title to new name but remained empty (no pictures at all) and it just hung there with new title. If I tried to use File then the screen faded and said it was not responding.

What I have done so far....

Have tried following Trish's instructions to Gitchie back in May 2007 such as disabling Norton,uninstalling,reinstalling and re-booting each time; using ctl key while trying to launch. I even moved all my pictures off my hard drive in case that was the problem.

What is happening now

PSE won't launch at all from start window. However, I used explorer and could get Editor to launch.

Organizer will now launch through Editor and once I got the message "Organizer is not responding showing that new catalog name but otherwise, I get a message that says: "Action could not be completed because organizer not responding. It may still be loading or waiting for a response from you."

Trish, if you are reading this, I tried to follow some of the other May 2007 suggestions that you gave Gitchie and Sissy i.e. looking for catalog folders. I couldn't find them but the pathways are different for Vista than XP so that may be it.

I am not trying to recover the catalog as I can re-do it once I get Photoshop working again. I am wondering if missing catalog folders has anything to do with it. I have been working on this for days and have no idea what I should be trying next. Any help you can provide would be most appreciated. Thanks, Carole

[troush]

Carole,

If my understanding of Vista is correct, the Catalogs are going to be under C:\ProgramData

You will have to show hidden files and folders to see it. Some people say they do, still can't find it, but the next day it is there. I think if you show hidden files and folders and can't find C:\ProgramData then you need to reboot your computer.

In theory the path should be this, but as I don't have Vista I cannot confirm:
C:\ProgramData\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\Catalogs\

Notice that ProgramData is one word, no space.

-Trish

[caroleg]

Trish: Thank you so much! If you don't mind I would appreciate your advice on next steps. Keep in mind that I have removed all my pictures from my C drive so the organizer will not be able to point to any photos. But, maybe working at getting rid of the catalog I created using my Dummies book will undo the problem and let me launch the organizer again. That's the theory! Does the make sense to you? Anyway, assuming it does....Here is what the file looks like:
Under Catalog folders, there are two folders called My Catalogue and Original Catalog Dec 31 2007. The latter folder (Dec 2007) is the title I used when creating a second catalog. Within each of these folders are 5 file names:
backupct.dat; collstatus.dat; rmf.3.cache;tagstatus.dat;thumb.5.cache. If I try to open them it asks what program I want to use so I haven't tried to open them.

What is a little confusing to me is that there is also a another file folder under this called Catalogs and within this folder there are three files called: My catalog created on 1/1/2008; Original Catalog Dec 31 2007 created on 11/2/2008 with the type called Microsoft access record locking information (1 kb) and Original Catalog Dec 31 2007 created on the same date 6 minutes later with the type PSA and it has 31,000 kb in it.

Alternatives
When I refer to your advice back in May 2007, you suggested renaming the thumb.5.cache file to .old or.tmp. with the idea that it would force the organizer to rebuild itself. Bear in mind that I seemly have two catalog files with that thumb file name. But, I think Sissy actually had her organizer working again and she was just trying to recover the catalog.

The other advice I noted was the suggestion from Adobe Photoshop quoted by Gitchie where they say to delete the thumbnail cache and also to delete status.dat file. I have no idea if this something I should do.

I am also wondering if I should just completely delete all files related to the second catalog entitled Original Catalog Dec 31 2007. As I don't care about recovering the catalog, I think it might be worth a try. Sorry for such a long email but I thought it was important to give you an accurate picture of what was there. Maybe you can spot the problem. Thanks in advance for providing any advice you can think of. At least I have a little hope that this may have a resolution. Carole

[troush]

Yep. I would get rid of all the Original Catalog... files, if you're sure you don't want them. The .psa files ARE the catalog files. Deleting the status.dat and thumbnail files will not hurt. However, when you start elements again, it may take a long time to rebuild those thumbnails, so just do it right before you go to bed or something.

Then, when you open organizer, hit and hold the ctrl key. This should give you a dialog allowing you to open a catalog and/or do a recover. I highly recommend opening your old one and doing the recover.

-Trish

[caroleg]

Hi Trish: Unfortunately, each time I try to delete these files, it tells me that I can't as they are in use elsewhere. I don't have PSE open so not sure what the message means. So, looks like I am out of options. If you think of anything else, let me know. Thanks for your help. Carole

[caroleg]

Trish!!! I decided to give it one last try. I re-booted and the second catalog file deleted for me and then, miracle upon miracle, I clicked on my catalog and PSE started and the organizer opened and I just can't believe it. I then got really brave and started PSE from the desktop. It worked!! Thank you, thank you! What a time consuming mistake reading the Dummies book was. Out it goes! Thanks for taking the time to respond, Carole

[troush]

Great, Carole! I'm glad you are sorted out.

-Trish