PSE 5 index / catalog duplicate filenames

How does the Photoshop Elements 5 catalog / indexer handle duplicate filenames? Or not? If you just upload your camera's native filenames, you're going to have a lot of _mg_3444.jpg, _mg_3445.jpg, etcetera, files over time. Is this why when you add photos to the catalog, PSE 5 reports back that new file wasn't added to the catalog because the filename alredy exists?

>Is this why when you add photos to the catalog, PSE 5 reports back that new file wasn't added to the catalog because the filename already exists?
I do not have that message in front of me but I think it says the File already exists rather than the Filename already exists.
The criteria that the Organizer uses to determine whether a photo file is a duplicate of a photo already in the catalog uses more factors than just file name - factors such as size, date and time.
Yes, I agree that there will be different photos that have the same file names. However, the use of the additional criteria should usually prevent different photos with the same file name from being rejected for import.
Usually when I see that message, it is because I have previously imported that photo. Perhaps I had the same photo in multiple folders on my hard drive or I already had a photo and then received it again from another source. Or I am importing from a camera card that still contains photos that were previously imported.
If I get a rejected as a duplicate photo and I don't immediately know why, then I may use the Organizer Find menu and do a Find by Filename to see all photo files with the name that was just rejected. Then I can look at all the photos with that file name to find which one duplicates my current attempted import.

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PSE9: Using File/Move; what happens with duplicate filenames

I have PSE9 on Win7.
I'd like to use File/Move to move a large number of images from one set of folders to a another location.
The new location would be a single folder.
I'm pretty confident that I have duplicate filenames. So the same filename exists in more than one
of my 'source' folders.
Using File/Move what is going to happen when I encounter these duplicates?
Thanks for any help or advice.

So I used a belt and supenders method of organization. Tags and folders.
Oh, how I hate that phrase. This has sent many people down the road of organizing two different ways, with a cost. You did twice as much work. And in my opinion, using two different ways to organize was totally unnecessary, and waste of effort.
But in all honesty I don't use a lot of the advanced features of PSE. So from time to time
Neither do I. But that is irrelevant to how your set things up so you can find your photos when you want them.
For my new downloads, I believe I will just put them all into a single 'My Pictures' folder.
Unless your version of PSE has more features than mine does, putting them into a single folder (without subfolders by capture date) is more work than using the default folder naming scheme, which is capture date! And it buys you nothing! There is absolutely no harm in using the default of putting photos in folders by capture date. Don't make extra work for yourself! Now if your version lets you put all your new photos into a single large folder ...
I read some web articles that gave me the impression that there might be another way to migrate rather
than Backup/Restore.
Not sure what you read. You could manually transfer all your photos AND catalog file from one computer to another, and if you get all the details right, everything still works! But the onus is on you to get all the details right.
It sounded like after writing all the metadata those images could be File/Get Photos... intoPSE. But I also saw there may be a need to use the Keyword Tags/+/Save Keyword Tags to File function as well.
Writing metadata to files does not let you rebuild your catalog completely. There is information in your catalog that will never be written to the files themselves. In fact, writing metadata to the photo files was NEVER intended to be a backup method; it was intended to be a method to allow PSE to communicate SOME information with other applications (like Flickr). So, should you want to make a backup, metadata is not the way to go. If you want multiple backup approaches, use the PSE method, and also make copies of your catalog file and photos using some other automated method.
I used the File/ 'Write Keywords and Properties... ' function to write all the metadata back into all of my files.That seems like a good idea because I use multiple file backup approaches. Is there a way to get
PSE to always write that info into a file anytime it changes? Like when I'm adding a tag?
There is no way to automate this.

Index/catalog & encrypt PDF files

Hi,
I wish to archive thousands of PDF invoices. I can do this quite easily by putting them on a CD or DVD and creating a catalog Index... however I also wish to encrypt each document and password protect it. Again this is easily achieved by creating a batch process to add Security. When I have done this the catalogue index does not work anymore - it doesn't work either when I select "Encrypt all documents except metadata (acrobat 6 and later compatible)".
Does anyone know how to index/catalog & encrypt PDF files?
I use Vista SP1 & Acrobat pro Extended 9.0.0
Thanks.
Elfed.

Right of course, I'm a little tired this morning.
I copied over my new js file(s) to the C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\Javascripts folder.
Now that I have done that, I run the following code and get the error shown at the bottom:
Type AcrobatCAcroAppType;AcrobatCAcroAppType =
Type.GetTypeFromProgID("AcroExch.AVDoc");
CAcroAVDoc avDoc = (Acrobat.CAcroAVDoc)Activator.CreateInstance(AcrobatCAcroAppType);
Type AcrobatPDDocType;AcrobatPDDocType =
Type.GetTypeFromProgID("AcroExch.PDDoc");
CAcroPDDoc pdDoc = (Acrobat.CAcroPDDoc)Activator.CreateInstance(AcrobatPDDocType);
try
if (avDoc.Open(fileName, "")) //open the PDF
pdDoc = (CAcroPDDoc)avDoc.GetPDDoc();
Object jsAcroObj = pdDoc.GetJSObject();
Type T = jsAcroObj.GetType();
object[] saveAsParam = { "test" };T.InvokeMember(
"TestFunction", BindingFlags.InvokeMethod | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Instance, null, jsAcroObj, saveAsParam);
Console.WriteLine("\tExport complete.");
if (avDoc.Close(1) != true) avDoc.Close(1);}
else Console.WriteLine("Cannot open: " + fileName);}
catch (Exception ex){
Console.WriteLine(ex);}
Code fails at
T.InvokeMember line with the following error:
System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x80020006): Unknown name. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80020006 (DISP_E_UNKNOWNNAME))

Reinstall PSE 8 catalog on windows 7

I needed to buy a new Windows 7 based laptop and successfully reinstalled PSE 8 on it. I have also successfully duplicated all applications and tranfered the data across to my new laptop incuding the pictures which formed the basis of my PSE 8 catalog. Already saved on an external hard drive are copies of my photos with caption embedded using PSE 8.
How do I load my photos including captions into the PSE 8 application on my new laptop?
Thanks
Shoopa

Hello Andaleeb
Sorry for my delay in communicating and yes my reinstall of PSE 8 catalog on Windows 7 appears to be successful. I am currently ‘Getting my photos from File’ and both the photos (.jpg) and captions are successfully loading into my catalog which I am storing into their original albums.
Regards
Shoopa

I want to move a PSE 5 catalog and photos from an old Dell Dimension desktop to already installed PSE 13 on a new Dell XPS. Can it be done?

I want to move a PSE 5 catalog and photos from an old Dell Dimension desktop to already installed PSE 13 on a new Dell XPS8700. Can it be done? If so, how? Link to any clear cut instructions?

Hi,
You can visit Common catalog upgrade issues | Organizer | Elements 6 or later and see if it works.
You can also visit Converting a catalog from previous versions | Learn Photoshop Elements 11 | Adobe TV for visual help.
Regards
Kishan

Import PSE 3 catalog into PSE 13?

I have an old PSE 3 catalog (.psa file) that I need to open in PSE 13. I downloaded, installed, and ran Adobe's dedicated converter, per Adobe's instructions and obtained a "successful conversion" message upon completion. However, when I open the resulting catalog in PSE 13 thumbnails for the "first" images display, but when I attempt to scroll down, or "Ctrl End" to the end of the catalog (there are more than 12,000 images in the catalog), PSE 13 hangs and "stops responding". Of course, what I care about is the tags attached to the images, and used to sort them in PSE 3. How do I recover/preserve/access this tag info? or, how do I "fix" the, obviously failed, conversion so that I create a catalog from my original .psa file that PSE 13 can correctly open?

On the new computer, in PSE9, select File->Restore Catalog, and point it to the backup you made from PSE3. You will be given several options about restoring the photos, including one that is to original directory location.
More details are here: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/402/kb402894.html (which was written for PSE6, but applies to later versions of PSE as well)

PSE 7 catalog questions

I made an abortive attempt to upgrade from PSE 4 to PSE 7 in May. When I had difficulty converting my PSE 4 catalog and did not have time to deal with it, I de-installed PSE 7 and reverted to using PSE 4. Now, I am trying to update again and have 3 questions about the catalog.
1. When I did the catalog conversion in May, many of my tags and tag categories were missing or rearranged. Is there something I need to do in converting my PSE 4 catalog to 7 to prevent this from happening?
2. Now that I have re-installed 7, the old catalog I converted in May is still there. I need to delete this PSE 7 catalog in its entirety and reconvert my current PSE 4 catalog. When I try that, I get an error message that says "My Catalog already exists - use another catalog name". How do I get rid of the version 7 catalog from May?
3. PSE 4 gave me the choice of showing my photos in either date sequence or in file name sequence within each folder. Does PSE 7 have the same ability to display in file name sequence? If so, I can't find it.
I've got Barbara Brundage's book on the way and it may answer some of my simple questions but, in the meantime, if anyone can help with these I'd appreciate it.

1. When I did the catalog conversion in May, many of my tags and tag categories were missing or rearranged. Is there something I need to do in converting my PSE 4 catalog to 7 to prevent this from happening?
The conversion process is pretty buggy. Make sure you do File > Catalog > Recover in PSE 4 before attempting conversion. If that doesn't work, see steps 2 and 4 of this FAQ:
http://www.johnrellis.com/psedbtool/photoshopelements-6-7-faq.htm#_Problems_converting_cat alogs
2. Now that I have re-installed 7, the old catalog I converted in May is still there. I need to delete this PSE 7 catalog in its entirety and reconvert my current PSE 4 catalog. When I try that, I get an error message that says "My Catalog already exists - use another catalog name". How do I get rid of the version 7 catalog from May?
You can delete the old catalog by doing File > Catalog, selecting My Catalog, and clicking Remove.
3. PSE 4 gave me the choice of showing my photos in either date sequence or in file name sequence within each folder. Does PSE 7 have the same ability to display in file name sequence? If so, I can't find it.
Display > Folder Location

PSE 7 catalog error when restoring backup from PSE 5

I am attempting to move from PSE5 on XP to PSE7 on Vista using the backup-restore method, . Catalog is about 75 MB, data set is 56 GB, all stored on external USB drive. Tried restoring in new folder using both with and without restoring folder arrangement.
On PSE 5, most images were online, scattered across E: partition and external USB disk. Restoring to PSE7, files are all restored to a new directory OK, but new catalog lists all files in E: as offline. Let me repeat... the images are moved into a new folder on the new system, but are shown in the organizer as still on a non-existent E: drive on the new computer.
I am left with thousands of untagged images, all of them ther newest and most important in my system.

Mahlon,
First, some additional questions:
1. Did you do File > Catalog > Recover and File > Catalog > Reconnect before doing the backup? Thats very important.
2. On the old computer, was E: a partition on an internal drive, an external USB drive, or a network drive?
3. In the restored PSE 7 catalog, are the suspect thumbnails shown with a yellow question icon in their corner or a red circle icon with a line through it (like the international power symbol)?
4. When you say files are still recorded in the catalog as being on the E: drive, is that as shown in Folder Location view in the left-hand folder heirarchy pane, in the center Folder Location pane, in the Properties pane, or all three? (Check all three, because sometimes PSE will show different drive letters.)
> This will take a dozen hours on the old system, and I'm skeptical that it will work. PSE7 already converts the PSE5 database in or out of the restore. But it can't correct the pathname on the old system to indicate that the files are local and not offline.
Recovering the PSE 5 catalog, reconnecting missing files, installing PSE 7, and converting the catalog to PSE 7 on the old computer should take about 30-45 minutes (doing a second backup will take much longer).
Converting the catalog on the old computer is different than converting it on the new computer. PSE 7 has a different catalog format than PSE 5 PSE 5 uses drive letters to identify hard drives, whereas PSE 7 relies on serial numbers, and the internal database format is completely different. When you restore to the new computer and try to convert the catalog at the same time, the conversion needs to both update the new paths of all the files
and convert from the old catalog format to the new one, changing drive letters to serial numbers. But when you convert to PSE 7 on the old computer, the locations of files and drives havent changed its just changing the database format. So its entirely possible that conversion will go correctly. Then when you backup the PSE 7 catalog and restore it on the new computer, backup/restore is just changing the paths of files, not converting from drive letters to serial numbers or changing database formats.
So thats why its quite possible (though not at all guaranteed) that converting to PSE 7 on the old computer and then doing backup/restore could produce different results different process, different results.
You have two other options, both of which might lose tags or other catalog information:
1. On your new computer in its current state, reconnect all the files in the catalog to their new locations. Because they are marked as offline (assuming they actually are offline, based on the answers to my questions above), the Reconnect command will tell there is nothing to reconnect. However, you can force PSE to reconnect offline files using a trick described in step 4 of this FAQ:
http://www.johnrellis.com/psedbtool/photoshopelements-6-7-faq.htm#_Quickly_reconnecting_la rge
This may or may not work, because its likely that the buggy conversion process has left your catalog in an inconsistent, unknown state, and there may be other problems still lurking. Also, persuading PSE to quickly reconnect whole folder hierarchies of files takes some patience (as youll see in the FAQ).
2. You can merge the PSE 5 catalog into a fresh PSE 7 catalog using this procedure: In PSE 5, save the tag definitions to a file, use File > Write Keyword Tag to write the keyword tags to the photos, copy the tag-definitions file and all the photos to the new computer using Windows Explorer, import the tag definitions into a fresh PSE 7 catalog, import the copied photos, and finally have PSE 7 automatically stack photos that used to be in version sets into stacks. These steps are described in detail in this FAQ:
http://www.johnrellis.com/psedbtool/photoshopelements-6-7-faq.htm#_Merging_Catalogs
This FAQ is written assuming the source catalog is in PSE 6 or 7, but I think it should also apply to a source catalog in PSE 5.
There are a number of problems with this. First, its time consuming. Second, youll lose version sets, stacks of photos that are *not* visually very similar or taken close together in time, collections (albums), and projects. The PSE File > Write Keyword Tag command has numerous bugs (in all versions), and youll most likely lose at least some, and perhaps much, of your tags, star ratings, captions, notes, dates/times, and GPS/map locations. If you have raw files in particular, youll very likely lose much or all of the metadata, but depending on the source of your JPGs and other file formats, those files could lose much information too. See the end of this FAQ for more details on the known bugs:
http://www.johnrellis.com/psedbtool/#_Writing_File_Metadata

PSE 8 Catalog Problems

I have lost access to my PSE 8 Catalog. When I opened PSE 8 the other day I received the error: The catalog could not be opened. It is either corrupt or the version is out of date and can not be updated.
I have called Adobe twice and they have not been able to help.
I do have a directory and file with the catalog name on my hard drive and it seems to have the correct date.
I have created a new catalog under a new name and reimported all of my photos, and while it did import some existing keywords, the structure of what I had initially created is not there.
What other info can I provide and what else can I do to try to restore this. (Shame on me for not having a good backup!!!!!)

I was able to open your catalog file in my PSE 8. My utility "psedbtool" was also able to read it, and I was able to browse around in it using SQLite Database Browser. Nothing appears amiss.
I wonder if it's not your catalog file but rather the thumbnail cache or another file in the catalog folder that's corrupted. Try this:
1. In Windows Explorer, make a copy of your catalog folder and call it "Test".
2. In the Test folder, delete all the files except for catalog.pse8db and the two subfolders of photos that should be there, "2009 12 13" and "2009 12 15".
3. In the Test folder, double-click catalog.pse8db.

Problem converting pse 6 catalog to pse 7

I am a longtime pse user, I started with Album. I have photos from a trip that I had in pse 6 on my laptop that I want to get into pse 7 on my desktop. I have not found a lossless way to merge catalogs in pse so I have three catalogs. I successfully converted my desktop catalog from pse 5 to pse 7 with no problems. I backed up two catalogs under pse 6 on my laptop and restored them to my desktop system. I tried to covert each one but the conversion failed. I found that I had two eSATA drives with the same volume ID so I backed up my desktop catalog (the photos resided on one of the drives) and reformatted one drive. Pse was still confused so I reformatted the other drive as well. Pse 7 now runs fine for my former pse 5 desktop catalog which I’ll call catalog A. I restored the first of my pse laptop catalogs, I’ll call it catalog B, and after multiple attempts got it to convert by restoring it with pse 7, the automatic conversion after the restore was successful. I did the same with the remaining pse 6 backup file, call it catalog C, restoring it with pse 7 but the conversion failed. I did catalog repair but it found no errors, did ‘repair anyway’. Convert failed again. I optimized it, convert failed again. I checked the convert log and it says the catalog copy failed. The log showed that pse tried to copy the catalog to the location of my photos for catalog A to a file named the same as my catalog C name. The last line in the log is - caught exception "catalog copy failed". This implies to me that it never got far enough to encounter a ‘poison file’.
I have run out of ideas and any help would be appreciated. My last choice option is to use ‘get photos’ to get the catalog C photos into catalog B to get everything running under pse 7 rather than under multiple products.
I am going to make another forum entry but it may matter here that the catalogs of catalog B and C are in the same directories that I restored their photos to and are only found when I ask to find ‘custom location’ directories. The psedbtool program never sees them.

I created a new folder ‘Black Sea and Spitsbergen CATALOG’ and moved the catalog and thumbnail files to it. Pse 6 opened it and displayed the thumbnails faster than usual. When I do the catalog option Black Sea and Spitsbergen CATALOG shows as the current catalog. I did the reconnect all missing files and got the no missing files message. Did the repair catalog and got the no errors message did repair anyway. No errors found, I did the reconnect again, no missing files. I closed pse 6. Opened pse 7 file>catalog>convert>find more catalogs and pointed to the folder ‘Black Sea and Spitsbergen CATALOG’.
Pse found the catalog, I highlighted it and clicked on convert. I got the conversion completed successfully message! Clicked OK>done>open and the converted catalog opens. Catalog manager now shows both catalogs under the Custom Location radio button, fantastic! I did a reconnect and got the no missing files message.
Ok; so I think I learned the following:
1)      The current catalog name is determined by the name of the folder it resides in.
2)      The catalog and thumbnail files need to be in the same folder.
3)      It works better if the catalog and thumbnail files are in a separate folder from the pictures. I suspect performance is improved because it finds the thumbnail file faster; I have 21,000 photos in the catalog.
I suspect this could also solve my catalog move problem because pse may be moving the contents of the folder where the catalog resides. I am going to try it, will post the result under that discussion.
If you would be kind enough to confirm the above three points I would appreciate it. I will keep this open for your reply.
Thank you again, it seems simple now that I understand a bit more, thanks for your time and for sharing your knowledge.

When I open itunes on my pc a message ä duplicate filename was specified

I cannot sync my ipad with my pc. when I open itunes on my pc a message appears - a duplicate filename was specified

Hi Lynton68,
If you are having a "duplicate filename" error when trying to sync your iPad, you may find the following article helpful:
iTunes: Troubleshooting issues with third-party iTunes plug-ins
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3430
Regards,
- Brenden

PSE 8 catalog issue with Lr3

I installed PSE 8 and then installed Lightroom 3 and did the catalog upgrade conversion.
but now my PSE 8 catalog has not updated in a few months and when I try to import or get PSE 8 to update the catalog - it stops due to errors.
And additionally, for whatever reason, it does not like the jpegs from my cell phone...
Should I start importing into PSE 8 from now on - and then secondly import into LR3 - or is there any benefit to that?
Thanks for your help

I'm sorry - I installed the new ACR 6.2 "64 bit" version and forgot that for whatever reason... the 64bit version does not work - so - I replaced it with the 32 bit version and I was able to import my files for the catalog.
I have win7 64bit.
So, not I have the PSE8 catalog running if I need it.
Thank-you!

PSE 12 Catalog Import To Lightroom

I have about 10,000 photos in my PSE-12 catalog. Can I import that catalog into Lightroom 5? Where is the PSE catalog located on my MAC?

Jimmay wrote:
I have about 10,000 photos in my PSE-12 catalog. ..... Where is the PSE catalog located on my MAC?
In PSE12, Menu Help / System info. A catalog is the whole folder containing the database file, catalog.pse12db plus accessory files and subfolders.

Converting PSE 4 catalog to PSE 7 catalog

I have several slideshows I put together in PSE 4 before saving them as wmv files to take over to Premiere Elements 2 to add a menu and burn to DVD. I had problems doing this and have just installed PSE 7 so I can save them as avi files instead but I am unable to find the original slideshows in the PSE 7 catalog. I did a search in Program Files for My Catalog and found the PSE 4 one but I'm not sure where to find the PSE 7 one, or how to move them over. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

1. When I did the catalog conversion in May, many of my tags and tag categories were missing or rearranged. Is there something I need to do in converting my PSE 4 catalog to 7 to prevent this from happening?
The conversion process is pretty buggy. Make sure you do File > Catalog > Recover in PSE 4 before attempting conversion. If that doesn't work, see steps 2 and 4 of this FAQ:
http://www.johnrellis.com/psedbtool/photoshopelements-6-7-faq.htm#_Problems_converting_cat alogs
2. Now that I have re-installed 7, the old catalog I converted in May is still there. I need to delete this PSE 7 catalog in its entirety and reconvert my current PSE 4 catalog. When I try that, I get an error message that says "My Catalog already exists - use another catalog name". How do I get rid of the version 7 catalog from May?
You can delete the old catalog by doing File > Catalog, selecting My Catalog, and clicking Remove.
3. PSE 4 gave me the choice of showing my photos in either date sequence or in file name sequence within each folder. Does PSE 7 have the same ability to display in file name sequence? If so, I can't find it.
Display > Folder Location

Conversion of PSE 6 Catalog to PSE 8 fails

I recently purchased PSE 8 and installed it on my computer. When I attempted to convert the PSE 6 catalog, I get the error message that the conversion failed and to repair the catalog with the original program. I had the program to seach for disconnected files (I found a few and either reconnected them or deleted them) and then ran the repair and optimize functions and then attempted to run the conversion again. The conversion failed again and the log shows the following:
conversion log: C:/Users/Bob Brown/Pictures/Adobe/Photoshop Elements/Catalogs/Bubbas Catalog to C:/Users/Bob Brown/Pictures/Adobe/Photoshop Elements/Catalogs/Bubbas Catalog temp 1
updating volume for creation 30186
updating volume for creation 33981
updating volume for creation 38992
updating volume for creation 115033
updating volume for creation 115046
updating volume for creation 115059
updating volume for creation 115068
caught exception "The path specified already exists in the database."
I am not sure what the last sentence means.

It is slightly more work but copy and paste does work between the two applications.
I am still curious, without copying them why so many round about steps are needed. For instance why not just copy the files off the thumbdrive instead of the convoluted process of getting the file icon in TextEdit? What is that supposed to achieve?
P.

PSE 5 index / catalog duplicate filenames

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