How do I resolve this error while importing iPhoto 11 photos into Photoshop Elements 11?

Question

I am trying to import my iPhoto library into Elements.  It gets part way through the process and then tells me that the import failed and provides the following message:
2090 Media files have been imported.  19 Media files were not imported because the either already present in the catalog or are not supported
It unfortunately give you no indication about what you can do to resolve or fix this problem.  Can someone provide some guidance here?

Answer 1

Hi, I am not a user of elements however my wife is.  She has been complaining of this issue since we have over 75000 pictures and 15000 will not import into the catalog. After searching forum after forum I could not find a solution. So I gave it some thought. After a little testing I found out why. Remember that Elements catalog is like a long list of file names.  Like many people who take lots of pictures unless you sit and rename every picture to a unique file name then you will have this problem.  Example: Your camera shoots pictures and names them Img_0001, Img_0002, Img_0003 etc. when you download them to a folder called "76 class reunion" and add to elements. Then delete the pictures from your camera and take new ones. Your camera starts again with Img_0001, Img_0002, Img_0003 etc.  You import them to a folder called "78 trip to thailand". Then try adding them to Elements and the message "...media files were not imported because they are already Most cameras keep numbering up but not all. At some point they repeat so it could be a year in between before your pictures present...."
Or course they are after thousands of picutres you will duplicate the files names several times. Just rename the image files in "78 trip to thailand" to be like 1978-Thailand-img_0001, 1978-Thailand-img_0002 etc and then import/add to elements and success.  You might ask why they are in differing folders I am importing them from it should catalog the folder and file. Well I could go into a long discussion about databases however just know this. If you try to copy Img_0001 from "78 trip to thailand" to the folder "76 class reunion" you will get a message saying do you want to overwrite the file. This is because they have the same name (can exits in different folders but not the same). Elements takes all the file names and places them in a list so each file name is UNIQUE and cannot be duplicated. Then it catalogs where they are found (ei the folder/directory).
If you are now depressed that you need to rename all your files one at a time.  Try Bulk Rename Utility. It is great and has many renaming capabilties to rename files to your delight.