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Author Topic: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?  (Read 9875 times)

gchappel

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I am upgrading to lr5 from lr4.  I am following all the lulu videos hints.
I had several different catalogs in the past, new catalog each year and a couple of others- specific wedding, etc.
I thought this would be a good time to combine them all into one large catalog-over 100,000 images
Everything is going smoothly- except for one catalog.   I get "Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error"
It makes the database, then gives me the import photo dialog box.   When I click ok- I get the error message a couple of seconds later.
The catalog works fine in lr4. 
I was able to import a copy of this lr4 catalog into lr5 as a separate catalog and it works fine.  But when I attempt to import this lr5 catalog into my main catalog I get the same error??
There are no missing photos
Any ideas, I am at wits end here
Thanks for any help
Gary
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wolfnowl

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2013, 01:05:45 am »

I don't know what it would get you, but since you've successfully created an LR5 version of this catalogue, have you tried:

a) creating a new blank catalogue and importing it into that - may or may not work.
b) creating a copy of your main catalogue and importing it into the one that's giving you the trouble - creating a new main catalogue?

Might not work, but it might be worth a try.  Backups!  Backups!!

Mike,
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gchappel

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2013, 05:38:54 am »

Thanks
I did not think of reversing the merge- may give that a try later today.
I do have lots of backups- lr4 files are still completely separate and only backups of the catalogs are being touched by lr5.
Gary
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john beardsworth

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2013, 09:07:45 am »

In the bad catalog, try selecting all pictures and creating a new catalogue using File > Export to Catalog. If that works, import it to your main one and the job's done.

However, when I have hit this kind of problem, it's because one or more pictures were corrupt in some way. In one case I exported the first x thousand images again and again until I found the problem item. That took time but I wanted to figure out the problem. Or you could try saving your work back to the originals with CtrlS or CmdS, then importing the pictures directly into the new main catalogue.
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Rhossydd

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2013, 01:21:06 pm »

it's because one or more pictures were corrupt in some way. In one case I exported the first x thousand images again and again until I found the problem item.
Would rebuilding the previews reveal the problematic image ?
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john beardsworth

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2013, 01:30:15 pm »

Quite possibly. The surest way is to delete the previews folders in Explorer/Finder.
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gchappel

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2013, 02:14:21 pm »

I tried deleting the previews folder earlier- no luck.
Will try exporting the catalog later today and see what that turns up
Gary
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gchappel

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2013, 02:57:26 pm »

Just tried exporting the catalog from lightroom 4.  That worked without difficulty.
Tried importing to lightroom 5, same error. 
I guess I will have to try a couple of thousand images at a time.
Gary
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gchappel

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2013, 04:17:14 pm »

By exporting small groups of images I was able to narrow it down to 3 images, one of which would not import.  One psd, one nef, one virtual copy of the same image.
Views fine on LR4. No idea why LR5 does not like it- maybe it has better taste, it was not a very good picture.  I just deleted it and everything imported.
Otherwise the upgrade has been smooth.
Thanks for you support here
Gary
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wolfnowl

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2013, 01:55:14 am »

Glad it worked out for you!!

Mike.
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john beardsworth

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2013, 03:25:53 am »

Gary

If the nef is important to keep, try going back to your backup copy of it. But if that doesn't work, it would be hard to pin down the original problem (eg card reader, connection, disc error etc).

John
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gchappel

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2013, 06:10:40 am »

No, the picture was not a keeper by any means. 
Pushed the delete button and all was ok.
I agree, if it was a picture I wanted to keep I would have fiddled with it. 
I do have several backups.
Now I just have to figure out how long to keep the lr4 catalogs after the upgrade.
Boy, the catalogs and preview files get  big.
Thanks for you help
Gary
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john beardsworth

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2013, 12:25:40 pm »

You're welcome. I suggest you dump the preview files. As for catalogues, they zip down to under 10% of the original file size.

John
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gchappel

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Re: Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error- help?
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2013, 01:34:12 pm »

good ideas- thanks again
Gary
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