Catalogs "Unexpected error opening catalog". What is the issue?

[hbwilliams22]

Lightroom Version

Lightroom Classic version: 8.4

Operating System

1. macOS 10.14 Mojave

I am running Lr Classic. "8.4 Release" on Mac Mojave Version 10.14.6.

My catalog that has all of my pictures, and that I have always used on a daily basis, will not open and giving me the error: "Unexpected error opening catalog".

What is the issue?!

 

[clee01l]

The catalog file is a collection of related and integrated tables. If the file does not get closed properly, the proper integration could be lost and the message that you get could look something like this.
There are several options at this point. The first involves using one of your most recent backups.
If you can locate one, we can work at replacing the non working master catalog with the backup.
How recent is your backup and how much work in LR have you done since that backup?

 

[hbwilliams22]

The catalog file is a collection of related and integrated tables. If the file does not get closed properly, the proper integration could be lost and the message that you get could look something like this.
There are several options at this point. The first involves using one of your most recent backups.
If you can locate one, we can work at replacing the non working master catalog with the backup.
How recent is your backup and how much work in LR have you done since that backup?

Unfortunately, my most recent backup is 1 month ago. A pretty decent amount of work has been done. So ideally, I could get my primary catalog working. I'm not sure if it helps, but below is an image including the location of my Primary and most recent Backup.

 

[clee01l]

Let's keep that option open and look at an alternative. Victoria has a contact with a programming type from Adobe that has been able to recover some LR catalog files. Let's see if she will come on here and give you directions on how to send her the file.

 

[hbwilliams22]

Let's keep that option open and look at an alternative. Victoria has a contact with a programming type from Adobe that has been able to recover some LR catalog files. Let's see if she will come on here and give you directions on how to send her the file.

OK great. Thanks for the info. @Victoria Bampton, any thoughts?

 

[clee01l]

Thanks for finding that old post. Same error but different OS and LR version. You are on the latest version of LR Did you recently upgrade to 8.4 and after you did the upgrade were you able to open the LR catalog without getting this error?

 

[Paul McFarlane]

Some have found rolling back to 8.3.1 helps - could be worth trying (in the CC App, 8.4 Manage, Other Versions)

 

[Victoria Bampton]

There seems to be a bug in 8.4 that is throwing errors trying to open some catalogs - but it's only some catalogs. Adobe's still looking for a pattern. So, as Paul said, roll back to 8.3.1 and see if that does the trick. If it does, you've done the right thing by reporting it Lightroom Classic: Unexpected error opening catalog on macOS | Photoshop Family Customer Community. It may also be linked to this issue Lightroom Classic 8.4: Hanging on launch (Mac 10.14.6) | Photoshop Family Customer Community

 

[hbwilliams22]

This might be trivial, but how do I safely roll back version to 8.3.1 as you mention?

 

[Paul McFarlane]

No, it's a good question. So:

- Select the version you want to roll back from in the CC App (the one that says v 8.4)
- Click the disclosure arrow to the right of Open
- Click Manage and the options of Uninstall or Other Versions will be offered. Select Other Versions.
- Go back to the version immediately previous (assumes things worked fine until the latest update) so select 8.3.1 Install. This will overwrite the current version with the previous one.

Hope that helps, but of course say if you need further guidance!

 

[hbwilliams22]

I am using Classic not CC. Does this change your directions above?


Update: very similar process as above, just for Classic

 

[Paul McFarlane]

No, this is for Classic. But the Adobe app is still called the CC app (Creative Cloud). Yes, I know, they removed the CC from all the product names!!!

 

[hbwilliams22]

Hey folks, was really hoping the roll back to 8.3.1 would help but, unfortunately, still getting the same error...

 

[hbwilliams22]

If we get on the topic of the Logitech plug-in being an issue, it doesn't look like I have it installed. Plug-ins below:

 

[clee01l]

While I think Paul and Victoria are on the right track. I am curious for an answer to my earlier question. "After you did the upgrade were you able to open the LR catalog without getting this error?"

 

[LouieSherwin]

If we get on the topic of the Logitech plug-in being an issue, it doesn't look like I have it installed. Plug-ins below:

The Logitech plug in would be in your System Preferences.

-louie

 

[hbwilliams22]

@clee01l Thanks for following up. Regarding "After you did the upgrade were you able to open the LR catalog without getting this error?", I believe the answer is yes. I am unsure when my version updated to 8.4 as my Lr was on "auto-update" so, I'm unsure when that happened. With that said, I was actively using Lr without issue 7 or so days ago or.

 

[hbwilliams22]

The Logitech plug in would be in your System Preferences.

-louie

It is in fact there. It's what my Logitech MX Master 2 mouse uses.

 

[hbwilliams22]

Hoping to have this resolved by the weekend. Any other ideas? @clee01l @Paul McFarlane @Victoria Bampton

I appreciate your help.

 

[Hal P Anderson]

Sometimes resetting your Lightroom preferences helps solve odd problems.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/comm...the-lightroom-preferences-file-updated.25197/

 

[hbwilliams22]

Sometimes resetting your Lightroom preferences helps solve odd problems.

Thank you. Anyone else confirm? Would hate to lose some crucial settings that I couldn't get back.

 

[Victoria Bampton]

If you want to zip up the catalog and use www.wetransfer.com to send it to me (uploads AT lightroomqueen DOT com), I'll see if it opens here. That'll rule out a bunch of stuff on your computer in one fell swoop and determine whether it's really the catalog or something else.

 

[Hal P Anderson]

Would hate to lose some crucial settings that I couldn't get back.

That's covered in the post I linked. You can always set your preferences to whatever you want.

 

[hbwilliams22]

If you want to zip up the catalog and use www.wetransfer.com to send it to me (uploads AT lightroomqueen DOT com), I'll see if it opens here. That'll rule out a bunch of stuff on your computer in one fell swoop and determine whether it's really the catalog or something else.

OK great. I just sent my zipped catalog through wetransfer.com. Thank you for taking a look!

 

[clee01l]

You could rename your preferences file to force LR to create a new one. If it does not solve the problem, you can replace the new Preference file with the old and not loose anything. I'd recommend doing this while waiting on the results from Victoria. If you need to do work on new images, I'd suggest creating a new empty catalog for the new imports. you can merge this catalog into the master catalog when you get the problem resolved with the master catalog.
Also while you are waiting, make a copy go the master catalog that you sent to Victoria and set it aside. This will preserve a "snapshot" of where everything was before you encountered the error.