Photoshop Elements problem

[skip]

I'm using Photoshop Element 5.0.2. Recently I have been unable in import files or delete files from the PE catalog. When I try to do either, I get a message that says, "{MICROSOFT}[ODBC Microsoft Driver] invalid argument." I have been importing/deleting files for the last few days, so this problem just happened. Any thoughts?

[Steve Grisetti]

Can you be a bit more specific, Skip, about what you're trying to do and what's happening?

What steps are you taking to delete your files? Are these photos files or video? Are you working in Photoshop Elements or the Elements Organizer?

[skip]

Steve - I'm working with photo files. I had a large number of photos that I batch processed in order to lower the resolution on each photo (getting ready to send to Premiere Elements). The batch processing went just fine and I stored those files in a separate folder. When I tried to import the photos into the organizer, I received the message above. When I x'd out of the message, I received a second message that said Photoshop did not import any files because the files were not the correct format (the files are jpegs so there shouldn't be any problem) or the photos are already in the organizer. I then thought I'd delete some of the high resolution photos and import the lower resolution photos. When I tried to delete those pictures out of the organizer, I received the same message. When I tried to delete photos from several years ago, I received the same message. It appears I can't delete anything out of the organizer. NOTE: I don't know whether it makes any difference, but I can export files from the organizer to Premiere Elements.

[Barb O]

Skip,
Since it seems that you are able to start the PSE Organizer but then have a problem when doing tasks which would update the Photoshop Elements Catalog (like the import or the delete), I suggest that in the 5.0.2 PSE Organizer, you do the File > Catalog > Recover command (which does a general cleanup of the PSE Catalog).

Post back
-- with the results of that command. If the command says it is successful, try an import again and report its results.
-- EDIT -- you responded to this while I was submitting my post, so ignore this item END of EDIT
please do respond to Steve's request explaining how (what commands you are using for the Delete process) and whether you are working with photo or video files.
-- tell us
1) what version of Windows you are running
2) if your photo or video files reside on an internal hard drive or an external USB connected hard drive
3) for importing the photos, do you start the Import process from a command in the Organizer workspace or do you use the Adobe Downloader separate task ?

FYI - The Catalog > Recover command has resolved problems for many people: however if it does not solve your current problem, there are other suggestions that we can make for your next step in troubleshooting.

[Barb O]

I then thought I'd delete some of the high resolution photos and import the lower resolution photos.

Skip,
I recommend against deleting the high resolution photos -- at least until you are totally finished with this project and actually I would recommend against deleting them at all.

Additional questions
-- Approximately how may photo files did you Export and did you keep the same file name for the reduced resolution photos ?
-- Does it appear that all reduced resolution photos are successfully present in the folder that you specified?

[skip]

Barb - thanks for the input. I'm using Windows XP SP2 as the operating system. The photo files are located on a USB connected external hard drive. I import files using the command in the organizer. Agree, not to delete the high resolution photos. I was trying to delete them without removing them from the hard drive. I figured if the delete command worked, I could just have Photoshop import the files again.

I just tried several times to use the File>catalog>recover function to no avail. Each time it started to recover (made it about 33% of the way), Photoshop froze up, became non-responsive, and had to be shut down.

I may need somemore of your ideas....skip

[Barb O]

Barb - thanks for the input. I'm using Windows XP SP2 as the operating system. The photo files are located on a USB connected external hard drive. I import files using the command in the organizer. Agree, not to delete the high resolution photos. I was trying to delete them without removing them from the hard drive. I figured if the delete command worked, I could just have Photoshop import the files again.

I just tried several times to use the File>catalog>recover function to no avail. Each time it started to recover (made it about 33% of the way), Photoshop froze up, became non-responsive, and had to be shut down.

I may need somemore of your ideas....skip

Let the Catalog Recover command run longer: it may still be working even though it appears to be hung. This appearing to freeze/hang has happened to other people and then allowing it to continue to run, it has completed.

Also, please post an estimate of how many photos you have in the PSE Catalog so we have some idea.

AND
Is your external hard drive ALWAYS assigned the SAME Windows drive letter ? this is important for a PSE v5 catalog

[skip]

Barb - no luck on the catalog recover command. I let it "run" for about five minutes and PSE remained hung up. I have quite a few photos/movies in the catalog, around 30K. Also, the drive letter for the external hard has changed in the past. Often I have to help PSE find the missing files even though they are at the original location on the same external hard drive. The drive letter did not change today when I started having the problem....skip

[Barb O]

1 -- It is possible that 5 minutes was not a sufficient amount of time for your 30K catalog. Unfortunately I don't know a way to do any specific predictions as to how long it should take for your Recover command.

2 - Some things for you to try are

-- let the Catalog > Recover command run longer. Half an hour or even an hour.
Even if Windows says that PSE is non-responsive, people have experienced that PSE is still running. If this command does complete and says it completed successfully then I suggest that you post back here for additional discussion prior to trying other actions..

-- If the Catalog Recover does not complete even after a long time period, then make a new catalog (use the same command of File > Catalog)and import photos only from the folder where you saved those downsized resolution photos. (The objective here is primarily to learn whether a totally new catalog can function.) After completing that import of the downrezed photo files, then delete at least one of those downsized resolution photos from this new catalog (you can recreate the downsized res photo later).

-- the Preferences file for the PSE Organizer can become corrupted.
Your symptom error message does not directly point to that situation: however if while PSE is not active, you delete (or rename) the psa.prf file which contains the preferences, that file will be recreated when you next start the PSE Organizer. Then you need to re-enter any changes you previously made to the defaults of the Organizer preferences. (On my Windows XP system, the Preferences file is under Documents and Settings\Barbara\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\5.0\Organizer -- (this is a HIDDEN file, so you must set Show Hidden Files under the Folder Options of Control Panel
in order to see this Folder structure and the psa.prf file itself.)

3 - Do you have a recent backup of the PSE Catalog ?
Of course I hope that your catalog is OK and that the source of the problem is elsewhere. However I think it is relevant to know if you have a backup of that catalog and how recent that backup is.

4-- It is possible that some of the PSE code has become corrupted and that an uninstall and re-install would solve your problem. This can be discussed further after the results of the above suggestions are known.

If I have posted detail here without giving you necessary background to understand what I am suggesting or if you need more detail - tell me and I will provide more explanation.

[skip]

Barb - Success!

I let the recovery command run for 1.5 hours and the recovery was successful. I brought in my smaller resolution photos and am able to delete files. Is there anything I need to do to prevent this problem in the future? Delete a bunch of pictures from the catalog? other?

Thanks so much for your help. You guys are really good!...skip

[Steve Grisetti]

That's our Barb!

[Dave McElderry]

[Barb O]

Barb - Success!

I let the recovery command run for 1.5 hours and the recovery was successful. I brought in my smaller resolution photos and am able to delete files. Is there anything I need to do to prevent this problem in the future? Delete a bunch of pictures from the catalog? other?

Thanks so much for your help. You guys are really good!...skip

Skip, that is good news.

For your future question - a couple of general ideas for PSE v 5
-- do the Catalog > Recover command periodically : this command does a general cleanup of the catalog and that is why it is useful as maintenance (so its name of "recover" is somewhat misleading and actually has been changed in later versions of PSE)
-- make backups of your PSE Catalog file plus a few other related folders on a periodic basis -- so that if you experience a problem like the current problem where your photo files are OK but the PSE Catalog is not OK, then you could bring back a "recent" if not totally up to date catalog (this will need more details discussed)

other considerations
-- for your external hard drive -- with version 5 of PSE you should permanently assign a Windows drive letter to that external hard drive (you can do that with the Windows Disk Management functions and it is most practical to assign a letter further in to the alphabet)
-- I think that you are on SP2 for Windows XP. I mention this because I had been advised that it was important to install XP3 for Windows XP.
-- I have not mentioned Backups in general -- but if we have more discussion it would be useful to know if you usually do the PSE Organizer File > Backup command -- or -- if you use other backup programs to backup you photo and video files.