Suddenely Imports Duplicates -- Why?

I've been using Lightroom 2.7 (and earlier releases) for years, and I never had this problem before:
Both "File/Import Photos from Device..." and "File/Import Photos from Disk..." have imported **all** of the photos in the attached device or in the selected folder on the my latest two attempts, even though most of the photos were duplicates and I **did** check the "Don't re-import suspected duplicates" box. When I looked at the catalog, I then saw duplicate copies of the same photos in the same catalog directories. In each case several months had elapsed between the original and duplicate imports.
In the case of the camera, I don't see how anything about the image files could have changed. In the case of the disk, it's a new CD-R on which I transferred the images the second time. The images themselves have not changed, although the "Date Modified" of the files on the CD-R has.
Final twist: I just tried re-importing some of the same images from this latest, CD-R (after deleting the first duplicate copies, and this time Lightroom recognized them as duplicates (of the ones imported months ago!) and did not re-import.
I checked the forum and found a similar thread at "http://forums.adobe.com/message/3287374#3287374", but it doesn't appear to provide any answers. I've been backing up my catalog periodically, and the automatic checks have never reported any problems.
Any ideas? -- JClarkW

Since you have the box <Don't import suspected duplicates> checked, the only reason why "duplicates" are imported is that they have different file names than the images already imported.
As you probably know, Lr cannot recognize the content of images. For Lr two images are identical when their file names are identical; and images are not identical when their file names are different.
The file name includes the extension that designates the file format, such as "jpg", "tif", "psd". So, two image files with the same name are not identical when the file format is different.
Also, as I have noticed Lr "sees" underscore "_" and hyphen "-" as different things, and thus treats two images files that differ only in underscore vs. hyphen as different files.
Some people have selected - in their OS - that the extensions for "known file types" are not shown ("Hide extensions for known file types"). If you have done this change it back so that the extensions are always shown.
In Windows this is done in >Control Panel >Appearance and Personalization >Folder Options >View tab.

Similar Messages

Import wants to import duplicates--why???

I recently consolidated photos on my server from several places and reconnected all the photos in the PSE6 organizer. As a control to make sure that all of the consolidated photos were in the catalog as expected, I imported from that folder and its subfolders expecting maybe a few that had escaped but nothing else.
Instead, it identified over 7,000 of something like 15,000 files for import.
I spot checked those 7,000 and all the ones I checked are ALREADY cataloged by the organizer. Of course, tags and album assignments and updated dates/times (to unknown) all were missing from the new imports. So, to avoid 7,000+ duplicates in the catalog, I undid the import.
Why are these getting duplicated? What can I do to eliminate the duplicates but get PSE Organizer to know that it has all of these files in the first place???

Dick,
Youve stumbled on a new bug (new to me, anyway) in PSE 6 and 7. After reconnecting a file on a network drive, it fails to ignore case in the filename when you try to reimport that file. Heres how to reproduce the bug on Vista (havent tested on XP):
1. Make a new catalog.
2. Do File > Get Photos And Videos > From Files And Folders.
3. Drill down to a file on a network folder and then click Get Photos to import it. Notice that it will start with all upper case, e.g. \\MYSERVER\.
4. In Windows Explorer, rename the file to a new name.
5. Do File > Reconnect > Missing File to reconnect the file.
6. Drag the file from Windows Explorer into the Organizer window to import it. (This is the way I usually import photos.) It will fail to identify the file as a duplicate and import it again with a lowercase server name, e.g. \\myserver.
7. Examining the database that represents the catalog, the volume table has two entries, one for \\MYSERVER and one for \\myserver.
The only way I know of cleaning up this mess in your catalog is to open the database file with a database tool (e.g. sqlite3) and edit the tables. But youd need to be reasonably savvy about relational databases.
I cant predict the long term consequences of not fixing the problem. It may be simply that PSE fails to identify duplicates on import. Or there may be other consequences were not thinking of yet.
You could try contacting Adobe Customer Support. But theyre likely to take a very long time (weeks) to tell you that they cant do anything. Last year someone had a catalog mangled due to a bug, and he could no longer access tens of thousands of photos archived on CD. Adobe took many weeks to acknowledge it was a problem, had him send a copy of the catalog, but then failed to fix it.

Import duplicate detection not working?

I've done a lot of searching and can't seem to find the answer. All our photos live on my laptop. My wife's laptop has some of our photos but also a lot of ones for work. I'm trying to give her the complete set of all our photos.
I did some tests and found the "Import duplicate photo?" dialog box very helpful. So I went through and compared our libraries but there were thousands to compare. So I decided to make a folder on her desktop of all our photos from my computer. My theory was I could simply import all the photos and iPhoto would detect the duplicates and I could choose to not import them. It doesn't seem to work, I did a couple tests and all the duplicates got through.
I upgraded her iPhoto version to iPhoto '08 (7.1.2) just before doing this process since her old version didn't support the dupe detection. Interestingly when I import a photo in her current version it shows up as the filename without the extension but the existing photos all have the extension. I think this is why they aren't being seen as dupes.
Any ideas how to remedy this? My fallback will be to use Duplicate Annihilator but that will require copying in everything (thousands of photos) and then sifting. Seems scary and unnecessary.

iPhoto doesn't display the extension in the Info window at the lower left hand corner or in the Title field. If you use the Photos->Show Photo Info menu option you'll see the full file name. Also do you have the Finder set to display the extensions?
*Do not import a full library into another library with iPhoto. That imports the thumbnail, modified and original files as new files which is not what you want.*
What you can do is to use iPhoto Library Manager to merge the two libraries into a new, third library and use its duplication elimination features to cull out the duplicates. If the new library isn't what you want the original two libraries will be untouched.
Another possibility is to copy the Originals folder from your wife's library to the desktop and import that folder and subfolders into your library. I found that importing from folders on the HD do cull out duplicates successfully. Then you can copy your library to her laptop.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier versions) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. There are versions that are compatible with iPhoto 5, 6, 7 and 8 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
NOTE: The new rebuild option in iPhoto 09 (v. 8.0.2), Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup" makes this tip obsolete.

'Do not import duplicate images' does not work

For some weird and frustrating reason, the 'Do not import duplicates' checkmark doesnt seem to be functioning. Over the past few weeks, I have ended up importing duplicate and triplicate copies of images even though the checkmark on 'Do not import duplicate images' is checked. I dont know why this is happening.
My import settings are customized, but then this was done long before i started facing this problem.
I usually dont delete images till my card is full, and this results in duplicates before everytime I import images from a new shoot, images from the previous shoot also get imported, unless I manually deselect them.
Any help on this would be appreciated.

Leonie,
Yes I rename my files while importing. But I have been doing that for a while now, didnt face this issue earlier. Not sure what you mean by 'Signature'?.
I upgraded to ML a few days ago, so my sys config is MacOS 10.8 & Aperture is 3.3.2 (I've been facing this issue even before i upgraded to ML, so I dont think its related to ML).
I always import directly from my camera (i.e. card) and this issue seems to have cropped up somewhere after the release of Aperture 3.3.
Also, I have sent f/b to Apple on this issue (n vow, they seem to be collecting customer profile data thru this f/b. Look at the number of irrelevant questions they have).
cheers, Bhaven

"Do not import duplicates" doesn't work

Hi everyone,
I've been using Aperture 3.5.1 for a while and the import process always worked fine, until suddenly the "Do not import duplicates" feature stopped working. Now any time I plug my iphone or insert the SD card the photos I've already imported appear again on the import screen.
The funny thing is that if I open the library with iPhoto and import the images with it, the duplicate pictures do not show up, so it's definitely an Aperture issue. For the time being I'll keep importing stuff via iPhoto and then switch to Aperture for editing, but I'd like to get this thing fixed. I filed a bug report on Apple's bug reporter last week but got no reply.
Cheers

Well, it appears that if you
- import an image
- change your system time zone (going west, if that matters)
- plug the device again
then Aperure doesn't recognize you've already imported that image. I don't see how this could be considered a normal behaviour, I call it a bug (a bug iPhoto doesn't have btw).
You left something out: How did you set the Time Zone brick in Aperture's Import panel, when you made that test with a differnet Time Zone? Aperture uses the current system time zone to interpret the time stamps on the images as the default time zone, when you do not set the "camera time" and "actual time" correctly in the Import panel. This way you will import the images with a different time stamp, and then they will be different for Aperture. The date/time of the file are differnet, the file will be considerd to be different. But you can prevent that by setting the time zone correctly in Aperture's Import panel.

Import hangs when "Do not import duplicates" is selected

I am using iPhoto 6 with a Canon XTi camera. I import pictures directly from the camera via a USB connection. I prefer not to erase photos from the camera's CF card until I need space, as one more way to back up pictures, so when I do an import, I want to select "Do not import duplicates" and to check "apply to all duplicates" to avoid importing the same pictures over and over.
Lately, however, If I select these two options when the first duplicate appears,, the import hangs and nothing happens. After a while I cancel the import and start it again, choosing to import all duplicates. This makes the import work.
Any idea why the import would hang when I choose Do not import duplicates?
Thanks.
BC
Message was edited by: BCDrums

BC
This feature is not great in v6 of iPhoto. It will perform better if you first move the files to a folder on the desktop and then import. You can use Image Capture to move the files.
As to your specific query: try trash the com.apple.iPhoto.plist file from the HD/Users/ Your Name / library / preferences folder. (Remember you'll need to reset your User options afterwards. These include minor settings like the window colour and so on. Note: If you've moved your library you'll need to point iPhoto at it again.)
Regards
TD

"Do not import duplicates" IS importing duplicates

Why does "do not import duplicates" no longer work in Aperture 3?
I've upgraded to 3.1.1.
This "pro" app is making managing my photos really a pain in the rear.
What. Is. The. Deal?

This is one of those bizarre things. With my Cannon 40D as long as I don't rename the actual file name (not the version but the actual master file name) *Do not import duplicates* works like you would expect. The project I import into has nothing to do with it. It can be the same project or a different project, works in both cases.
Now one thing I did notice with my camera. It has different numbering modes you can set. One of them, manual reset, creates a numbering system that emulates a directory structure. That is each time you reset the file numbers it changes a prefix on the file name. If I select this mode somewhere in the import stream the file name is getting changed. So in this case it appears as if Aperture is importing dups but in fact the file names are different from import to import.
I urge you to try a quick experiment if you haven't already done so. Format your card, create a new empty Aperture library, take 3 or 4 pics and import them. The as soon as processing finishes reimport with *Do not import duplicates* checked. If Aperture imports the images again compare the actual master file names.
As I type this another thought comes to mind. I have all managed images, it is possible that it may not work with referenced images. Those who report this as not working do you have managed or referenced images?

Mail erases old messages - imports duplicates

The mail app. on one of my computers (a G4 running OSX 10.2.8) keeps giving me trouble. It will suddenly delete all emails in my inbox and sometimes it imports duplicate copies of emails (could be up to 500 emails at a time). I have the "remove email from server upon downloading" option checked. Any ideas what could be causing this?
G4 desktop Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Rebuilding the mailbox fixed it (I hope!)

When importing pictures from my iPhone, I select to NOT import duplicates, but it always does. How do I fix this?, When importing pictures from my iPhone, I select to NOT import duplicates, but it always does. How do I fix this?

How do I set my iphoto to not import duplicates when downloading from my i Phone. I always tell it to NOT
import duplicates, but it always does. Please help!!!

A good general step for strange issues is to renew the iPhoto preference file - quit iPhoto and go to "your user name" ==> library ==> preferences ==> com.apple.iPhoto.plist and trash it - launch iPhoto which creates a fresh new default preference file and reset any personal preferences you have changed and if you have moved the iPhoto library repoint to it. This may help
This does not affect your photos or any database information (keywords, faces, places, ratings, etc) in any way - they are stored in the iPhoto library - the iPhoto preference file simply controls how iPhoto works - which is why renewing it is a good first step.
LN

"Don't import duplicates" and question about the Last Import folder

*THE CLIP IMPORTING (TO IMOVIE) PROCESS*
Ever since the last time I uploaded clips and made movies with them, I have shot new footage. I never erased the clips that were in the Sanyo VPC-HD2000A.
This morning I uploaded the clips to my iMovie '11, including image stabilization. (Bypassed iPhoto '11 completely, on purpose.)
What caused me concern while the clips were uploading is that there were no prompts about +"only new clips, no duplicates"+ to be imported. There was one set of options saying "Importing checked, or Import checked," but the problem was that I saw nowhere that any of the clips in the box (I will call it the Sanyo Box) could be checked. Selected, yes, but checked, no. I tried to select all of the newly shot footage, but that was impossible. It was only possible to select one clip at a time.
I did not interrupt the file transfer because I did so once last month and it caused me problems.
I ended up with 36 files uploaded and imported.
*THE EVENT LIBRARY LAST IMPORT FOLDER*
_In the iMovie '11 Events Library, the Last Import folder contains clips that were uploaded last month to iMovie. If I am to understand the label, "Last Import" does not mean, "And also stuff from a previous import."_
I realize that having duplicates of clips can be solved by deleting clips, but I really want to know what is going on and also what ought to be going on. Shouldn't the Last Import folder contain only those clips that are in the most recent upload?
And why was there no prompt for all duplicates to be disregarded and not imported?
Did I possibly bollix up the preferences in my Sanyo VPC-HD2000A and did I accidentally tell it not to ask whether or not I want to import duplicates?
I can see that someone could say, "Make sure you delete all old clips before you shoot new footage," but that is an "of course." I need to know what happens when you keep clips in the camera and want to import only the new clips.
-L

No.
In LR3 it would ALWAYS pick up the duplicates if I inserted a card I'd just imported.
With no change to my workflow I'm now having instances of the same files being imported multiple times.

Tethered shooting/import duplicates

i can shoot tethered into aperture ...works great...except that if i shoot faster, i drop frames....the frames are shot to the card and to the HD, the faster i shoot, the more frames don't make it into the HD....aperture does NOT warn me, that: i am dropping frames or shooting too fast....but i am shooting it to card as well, so i can stop the session, take the card out of the camera and import directly into the same folder...BUT even with the "do not import duplicates" box checked, it does just that...imports ALL files and so i have doubles of the ones that already made it while i was tethered! i am not changing the file names or any meta data but still end up with a folder that has a majority of duplicate files? why even put the checkbox there if it does not register?
all this in 2.01....i actually haven't seen a difference at all...the .mac sync does not work for me either....

EOS Utility doesn't require a lot of memory. Just have it open in the background and Bridge looking at the folder you've specified. With Bridge CS3 they pop right up unlike earlier versions which often had issues.

Importing new photos with Iphoto6 without importing duplicates

In IPhoto 5 when I imported from the Ultra II reader a dialogue box appeared allowing me to say don't import duplicates. With IPhoto 6 this box doesn't appear. Or can I make it appear by clicking on something?

Manning:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. It should give you that option. Try loading some known duplicates from the desktop and see if you get that message. Some would not get the message when coming direct from the camera but would when coming from the HD.
Be sure to repair disk permission (after every software install or update) and see if that will help. You can try downloading the iPhoto 6.0.5 updater (if you're at 6.0.5 or 6.0.4 already) and re-install it. If you're already at 6.0.5 then you need to go to the HD/Library/Receipts and delete the iPhoto_605.pkg file before running the installer. Again repair disk permissions afterward.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.

How to scan my computer and external hard drives for pictures with out importing duplicates.

how do i scan my computer and external hard drives for pictures with out importing duplicates.

iPhoto doesn't scan anywhere. It imports files offered to it. If it spots a duplicate it will warn you.

"Do not import duplicates" is not working

The "Do not import duplicates" box is checked for all imports but is not working. This is both for my Nikon DSLR, my Canon S-95 and my iPhone. This was happening with both Snow Leapord and Lion as operating system. I have been using Aperture since the first release and only in the last few months has this been an issue. Any thoughts?

There's a known (and old) bug when duplicate identification fails on photos
that have been imported from another catalog.
Sent from phone.

HT5622 Actually um trying to update new iOS 7 for my iphone 4 but when i press the button to install new software suddenly it appears why " iOs 7 failed verification because you are no longer connected to the internet " even my phone is already connected

hie there Actually um trying to update new iOS 7 for my iphone 4 but when i press the button to install new software suddenly it appears why " iOs 7 failed verification because you are no longer connected to the internet " even my phone is already connected to net

I tried powering down and re-starting the iPhone (as suggested at http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1275). This seems to have cleared the "...not connected to the Internet" problem, and iOS 6.1 is now in the process of downloading.
Thanks very much for your feedback.

Suddenely Imports Duplicates -- Why?

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