PROBLEM
I am receiving an error that my catalog database is corrupt and that it has not passed verification. What steps can I take to resolve this issue and get my catalog back to work?
SOLUTION
There are several steps to take to recover a catalog that has suddenly got corrupted.
Run Verify Catalog or Session over the affected file.
Go to File -> Verify Catalog or Session... and point to the corrupted catalog or session.
NOTE: If the document is currently open, you will be prompted to close it.
Capture One will then attempt to verify the integrity of the database. Here is an example of a successful verification.
If your catalog fails to be verified, select Repair and allow Capture One to amend the database. Once the repair process is over, press Verify once again. If the process ends with the line in green stating "Database Verification OK", feel free to open the catalog. If it fails again, repeat the Repair command until it is successful. At this point, with the catalog open, you should make a backup if you have not done that yet. If this fails continuously, move on to the next step.
Copy the cocatalogdb file to your boot drive
In some cases, a catalog may fail verification if it is located on an external drive or a network drive. Copy the cocatalogdb file to your local boot drive and repeat the first steps. You can access the cocatalogdb file by right-clicking on the catalog package in Finder and selecting Show Package Contents (on macOS) or open the catalog package folder directly in Explorer (on Windows). Find the file with the .cocatalogdb extension and copy it to your desktop. Run the verification steps mentioned above.
Backup with Test Integrity and Optimize
Open a catalog. Select File -> Backup Catalog and tick the Test Integrity and the Optimize Catalog checkboxes. Both options assure a basic maintenance of the database file which may recover the database from its corrupt state.
Close a catalog and reopen it again. If it behaves correctly, you have successfully recovered the database. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
Upload a backup of the catalog
In the File section of the main menu, select Restore Catalog.
In the dialog box, select the backup you would like to use.
Then click Next. When the backup is complete, you will see the notification similar to that in the image below.
Import the corrupt catalog into a new catalog
It is possible to import a corrupted catalog into a new catalog and bypass the existing corruption. Prior to importing, the new catalog will do an integrity check of the existing one to look for any corruption.
First, select File -> New Catalog to make a new catalog and locate it where you want it to be saved. It is recommended to choose the desired location at this moment from the start. Afterwards, select File -> Import Catalog -> Capture One Catalog.
Select the corrupt catalog file and allow Capture One to import the existing catalog. All images should be imported to the new catalog from the current location (as they were in the existing catalog) and the adjustments to those images should remain intact.