Unable to open backup catalog

[KeithRJ]

Windows 10, PM+ Build 5376

• My catalog and photos are on an external SSD
• I closed PM+ and copied my catalog and photos to a backup external USB drive
• I Ejected my SSD drive and opened PM+
• I tried to open my catalog using Locate Existing Catalog
• Catalog open failed (see screenshot)

I did make sure that all file permissions were correct for the backup catalog.

My SSD drive is formated as exFAT and my backup drive is NTFS.

I have attached the log files which included CATALOG DEBUGGING.

[Kirk Baker]

Keith,

Windows 10, PM+ Build 5376

• My catalog and photos are on an external SSD
• I closed PM+ and copied my catalog and photos to a backup external USB drive
• I Ejected my SSD drive and opened PM+
• I tried to open my catalog using Locate Existing Catalog
• Catalog open failed (see screenshot)

I did make sure that all file permissions were correct for the backup catalog.

My SSD drive is formated as exFAT and my backup drive is NTFS.

I have attached the log files which included CATALOG DEBUGGING.

Did you Forget the original catalog before opening it (Locate Existing Catalog) at the new location?

I see a number of errors/warnings about several catalogs failing to open:

E:/All Photos/2019 Coral Bay/Photo Mechanic/2019 Coral Bay
E:/All Photos/2020 Coral Bay/Photo Mechanic/2020 Coral Bay
E:/All Photos/2019-20 Namibia/Photo Mechanic/2019-20 Namibia
E:/All Photos/Ningaloo Fish/Photo Mechanic Plus/Ningaloo Fish E2
E:/All Photos/Ningaloo Fish/Photo Mechanic Plus/Ningaloo Fish E3
E:/Test/PMP/IPTC
E:/Test/PMP/Test

Is the "E:\" drive the external SSD that you ejected?  If so, it contained several actively known catalogs on it and they can't be located.  You could forget all of them too if that is really your intent.

-Kirk

[KeithRJ]

I think I understand what is happening. My original Catalog is still registered in PM+ and I am trying to open the backup of the same Catalog and PM+ is getting confused.

Firstly, is there any reason why I can't have both the original and backup registered simultaneously?  They both reference their own photos on seperate drives.

Secondly, it would be much cleaner if an appropriate error message was displayed explaining why this error occurred rather than the existing message.

[Kirk Baker]

Keith,

I think I understand what is happening. My original Catalog is still registered in PM+ and I am trying to open the backup of the same Catalog and PM+ is getting confused.

Firstly, is there any reason why I can't have both the original and backup registered simultaneously?  They both reference their own photos on seperate drives.

Each catalog has a unique ID.  You've duplicated it and so they share the same ID, it's not unique anymore.  If the backup catalog is really a backup, you'd only ever really use it is if the original were to become compromised and in that case you would forget the damaged one and then locate the backup.  Do you need to use a mirror of another catalog simultaneously?  If so, I think we'd have to add a way to make the backup be unique in that one respect.

Secondly, it would be much cleaner if an appropriate error message was displayed explaining why this error occurred rather than the existing message.

Agreed.  You've done something we hadn't imagined someone would do.

-Kirk

[KeithRJ]

Hi Kirk,

Thanks for your reply. I don't think you need to make any changes to accommodate my 'playing'.

This is what I do for backups/archives:

I have different Catalogs for different sets of photos/events in a specific folder structure which enables me to backup the folder structure to my backup drives. I would normally access the backup if I needed to find old photos.

What I was wanting to test is how the Catalog would work in the backup environment, i.e. are paths to photos relative to the drive's root folder or some other folder?

My aim is to be able make backups of my catalogs with their corresponding photos without having to update paths in the Catalog.

I can test this now that I know what the issue is but if you have any other info on how the Catalog locates photos (absolute or relative paths) would be helpful.

Many thanks again 

[KeithRJ]

Still unable to open a backup catalog.

I 'Forgot' the old catalog then tried to open the backup and got the error.  I closed PM+ and re-copied the catalog and then tried again and still got this error.

Screenshot and logs attached.

[KeithRJ]

Some more information:

My original catalog is on an external SSD drive connected via USB-C

If I copy this catalog to my internal drive it opens correctly but if I copy it to any other external USB drive it does not open and gives the same error.

[KeithRJ]

Any progress on this?

I should be able to backup my Catalog to another drive then forget original Catalog and open the backup Catalog.  This is not possible at the moment.

I make backups to large hard drives which are then put in a fire-proof safe.

[Kirk Baker]

Keith,

Any progress on this?

No.  We're on a much needed holiday vacation.  I'm checking in each day to help out, but we're otherwise on vacation.  We'll see what we can do when we return next week.

I should be able to backup my Catalog to another drive then forget original Catalog and open the backup Catalog.

I agree completely.

-Kirk

[KeithRJ]

I did not know you were on holiday! Sorry for bothering and you all sure do need a well-earned break.  Enjoy it 

[KeithRJ]

Hi Kirk,

any progress on this issue?  I tested with the latest build 5414 but the issue still exists.

Regards Keith

[Bill Kelly]

Hi Keith,

If you copy the working catalog to another location on the same drive, and then find it in PM via "Locate Existing Catalog", does the copied catalog work in that case?

I'm wondering if it's an issue particular to your backup drive, so I'd like to rule that out for diagnostic purposes. (We're able to make copies of catalogs successfully here.)

Regards,

Bill

[KeithRJ]

Hi Bill,

Copying to the same drive works fine but I have tried a couple of different USB drives which both fail.

My original Catalog is on an external USB SSD drive and I copy to another USB normal mechanical drive.

[Kirk Baker]

Copying to the same drive works fine but I have tried a couple of different USB drives which both fail.

My original Catalog is on an external USB SSD drive and I copy to another USB normal mechanical drive.

What is the format of the USB drives that fail?

-Kirk

[Bill Kelly]

What is the format of the USB drives that fail?

Also, Keith, what happens if you try to create a NEW catalog on one of these drives?