Best way to rescue a lagged catalog?

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alpshiker

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Hi,
I'm new here and needing some advice. I work with LR 2.5 on Intel iMac. One of my catalogs, a middle size one got damaged. I'm not sure what caused it, maybe a disk error. Unfortunately I copied it to my backup before I noticed the problem.

The catalog itself still works (but for how long) and the links and edits are available. However, I can no longer use the command-shift-i (synchronize) tool to import and keep it updated. What happens then is that the tool lists most images and folders as if they were not there. Even with the "do not import suspected duplicates" check box checked, LR wants to import the images again and delete those that are already there. I have tried all I could: redefine paths to folders, check catalog integrity, everything seems fine until I run Command-shit-i. Should I let it run, it will import duplicate folders besides the originals (not moving files however). I just fear for all my image edits that the next step will make me loose my work. Do you see a possible cure for this problem? Thanks!
 
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Alps, welcome. If it were I, the first thing I'd do is Save Metadata, for the images in the problem catalog. Maybe work folder by folder, until you're comfortable. Once that data is safely saved, you'll have a route to recovery of most of your work, even in the event your problem catalog corrupts totally. I would then start 'Export as Catalog...' manageable chunks/folders of the problem catalog, with the goal of eventually reassembling the pieces into a new catalog.

While this method has worked for me in the past, there are several ways to approach this. Let's see if anybody else has additional thoughts before you rush off and commit to a process.
 
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I have done it some time ago in the opposite way Brad. Yes save out metadata first, then I start a fresh catalog and use import from catalog to obtain the files from the old catalog. (Work with a copy of the old one) If import cannot be done due to errors then I worked by exporting chunks but still import them into the fresh "master" catalog.
 
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[quote author=Brad Snyder link=topic=8491.msg57455#msg57455 date=1259171675]
Alps, welcome. If it were I, the first thing I'd do is Save Metadata, for the images in the problem catalog. Maybe work folder by folder, until you're comfortable. Once that data is safely saved, you'll have a route to recovery of most of your work, even in the event your problem catalog corrupts totally. I would then start 'Export as Catalog...' manageable chunks/folders of the problem catalog, with the goal of eventually reassembling the pieces into a new catalog.

While this method has worked for me in the past, there are several ways to approach this. Let's see if anybody else has additional thoughts before you rush off and commit to a process.
[/quote]

Hi Brad, thanks for your suggestions!

I already tried exporting the catalog in chunks with the aim of reimporting them again. But although the new catalogs seemed fine, running command-shift-i on them brought up the same issue just as with the parent.

Yes I will try again the metadata export (not sure I did that right in the first place). Should the edits be fully editable or will they be flattened after import in the new catalog?
 
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[quote author=Kiwigeoff link=topic=8491.msg57457#msg57457 date=1259172917]
I have done it some time ago in the opposite way Brad.[/quote]
Kiwi way... :p
 
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[quote author=Kiwigeoff link=topic=8491.msg57457#msg57457 date=1259172917]
I have done it some time ago in the opposite way Brad. Yes save out metadata first, then I start a fresh catalog and use import from catalog to obtain the files from the old catalog. (Work with a copy of the old one) If import cannot be done due to errors then I worked by exporting chunks but still import them into the fresh "master" catalog.
[/quote]

Oh of course, this is something I should have tried in the first place! I will try to import a new catalog from the old one. Thanks for suggesting that, Geoff. Oh btw, did you do that with copying the files as well in a new location?
 
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[quote author=alpshiker link=topic=8491.msg57462#msg57462 date=1259173637]
...I will try to import a new catalog from the old one.[/quote]
In fact, Geoff told it the other way: Open NEW and import from OLD.
 
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No I didn't move files at all.Thanks Denis, yes it is the Kiwi way - you guys are all upside down.........or is it us!!!! :D :D :icon_lol: Alps, you live in a very nice country, I have visited it many times and enjoyed myself. Say hello to Zurich especially!! ;)
That is correct start a fresh catalog and import from the old. I did find sometimes the import would get stuck on checking for duplicates. If so cancel and try again. If it still gets stuck, then try exporting chunks from the old and then importing those chunks to the new.Thanks for the help Denis!! ;)
 
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[quote author=Kiwigeoff link=topic=8491.msg57464#msg57464 date=1259174388]
No I didn't move files at all.Thanks Denis, yes it is the Kiwi way - you guys are all upside down.........or is it us!!!! :D :D :icon_lol: Alps, you live in a very nice country, I have visited it many times and enjoyed myself. Say hello to Zurich especially!! ;)
That is correct start a fresh catalog and import from the old. I did find sometimes the import would get stuck on checking for duplicates. If so cancel and try again. If it still gets stuck, then try exporting chunks from the old and then importing those chunks to the new.Thanks for the help Denis!! ;)
[/quote]

BINGO!!!

Salvation came from down under this time! The new catalog was built seamlessly and seems perfectly fit.

Goeff, good guess but sorry, I am from the frog part of Switzerland! Just as you have your North Island and South Island. BTW, my best friend is a kiwi. I sure am indebted with your country now ! must visit sometimes (know Australia more for the time being).

Many thanks to all for the help and for being back on the rails in no time!

Alpshiker
 
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Great result!!!I see you have some Kiwi lingo already so you would fit in here well mate!! :icon_lol: Which region are you from?
 
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Great result!!!I see you have some Kiwi lingo already so you would fit in here well mate!! :icon_lol:
Click to expand...

I guess I would, mate, no worries! Love the sea, sunshine, and the easy going life. BTW, 1955 too (if your profile page is up to date). Great vintage I reckon.


Which region are you from?
Click to expand...

But for the time being I'm stuck in bloody cold Switzerland... I'm from near Lausanne and Valais is my photo playground.
 
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Certainly a great year is 1955!! :icon_lol: Best you start planning for a northern winter down here then, nice 23º down here today, sunny too!!
 
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[quote author=Kiwigeoff link=topic=8491.msg57471#msg57471 date=1259179732]
Best you start planning for a northern winter down here then, nice 23º down here today, sunny too!!
[/quote]

Lovely! Nice country and friendly people. My son will visit in a month. He'll probably make my mouth wet when he comes back with his photos and stories!

Take care!
 
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[quote author=alpshiker link=topic=8491.msg57473#msg57473 date=125918'9'9]
Lovely! Nice country and friendly people. My son will visit in a month. He'll probably make my mouth wet when he comes back with his photos and stories!
[/quote]
Just tell him to remember to rotate his photos 18'ª before swowing them to you! :icon_lol:
 
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[quote author=Denis Pagé link=topic=8491.msg57485#msg57485 date=12592'1377]
[quote author=alpshiker link=topic=8491.msg57473#msg57473 date=125918'9'9]
Lovely! Nice country and friendly people. My son will visit in a month. He'll probably make my mouth wet when he comes back with his photos and stories!
[/quote]
Just tell him to remember to rotate his photos 18'ª before swowing them to you! :icon_lol:
[/quote]

Ha, ha Denis ever considered that you may be upside down!! By the way it's not swowing down here, it's summer and sunny!
 
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[quote author=Brad Snyder link=topic=8491.msg57455#msg57455 date=1259171675]
If it were I, the first thing I'd do is Save Metadata, for the images in the problem catalog.
[/quote]

To be continued!

Well, although the new catalog made by importing the old one seemed all right when I launched the sync check right after, I was again in the same situation as before when I launched it anew this morning... So I had to resign on the XMP method. The new catalog made from importing the images again is fine. There are two down sides however:

- I lost all the collections

- The TIFF and Phtoshop files have no longer the edit history. I was asked during import if the settings for images edited outside LR should be flattened to disk. As this seemed to be the default option, I clicked yes. I'm sill not sure what that did exactly ? The settings should be preserved with new import this way? Where are they recorded?

From now on I should keep updated backups of the catalogues. What would you suggest as the best method? LR offers to backup at launch. However, if the catalog has been damaged by a computer crash, USB failure or power cut or similar, will it be overwritten with the damaged file before I have a chance to check it thoroughly? Is it better to count on a regular disk backup?

Thanks again!

alps
 
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I could revover some of the collections contents: In old catalog, right click on the collection main folder at top (or on any sub-folder) and > export collection as a catalog (without negatives). Then in the new catalog, > import from catalog. I had to deselect "import new images" as this would have imported the duplicate images and folders again. And in "Images already there", I chose "Import metadata and settings only". This way I could recover more than half of the collections. The rest could not be imported for inconsistencies as LR reported.
 
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Well done for getting some of it working again. As a preventative measure, you'll probably want to let LR backup at launch - it doesn't overwrite previous backups, but simply creates a folder with the date/time and places the backup in that folder. That way you'll end up with versioned backups which wouldn't be replaced by a corrupted one.
 
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[quote author=Victoria Bampton link=topic=8491.msg5758'#msg5758' date=1259434198]
Well done for getting some of it working again. As a preventative measure, you'll probably want to let LR backup at launch - it doesn't overwrite previous backups, but simply creates a folder with the date/time and places the backup in that folder. That way you'll end up with versioned backups which wouldn't be replaced by a corrupted one.
[/quote]

Yes, I'm glad I got some good help here and on the Adobe forums! Took me 3 days to figure how to get that catalog back to work, but at least most of my work is now saved. Thank you Victoria for clarifying the backup issue for me. Then it seems safe to use the automated backup. And so, when working intensively for a day for instance, quitting and launching again every few hours would provide backups as I understand. Great tip.
 
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