Catalog backup as Zip/Tar/7Zip
What problem do you see this solving?
Along side with sessions which I use for pro work, I have a big catalogue (15 Gb).for all my private and own projects. It's big and old (was imported from Lr!). Trying to backup that catalogue takes about one day (yes 24 hours !). It looks like it contains a lot of empty folder (like >100k) so the copy seens quite complicated and takes soo much time.
In the end, I do not backup it a lot because it's too slow.
When was the last time you were affected by this lack of functionality, or specific tool?
Each time I try to backup my big catalogue
Are you using any workarounds or other solutions to achieve your goals in Capture One?
Yes! I'm using the little tool "7Zip". Instead of asking C1 to do the backup ot to copy manually in Explorer the catalog folder, I just "7zip" it info the backup drive. It takes 20-25 minutes.
Are you happy to be contacted further about this suggestion or request?
Yes.
-> Instead of copying the whole folder with héach subfolders and files, pack everything in a zip/tar/7zip/lha (whatsoever).
-> Try to not create empty subfolder in the catalog
-
How many images are indexed in your legacy catalog imported from LR? Are they Stored inside the catalog or Referenced? Stored and Referenced catalogs are backed up the same.
Catalog backups do not include the Originals or Cache folders. They only include the catalog database and Adjustments folder (layer masks).
I just exported a collection to a new catalog and included the referenced images in the exported catalog. This made the exported catalog a Stored catalog.
1 -
I agree a compressed format also would be better. I provide 1-on-1 assistance to Capture One users over Zoom. Multiple users I have helped have gotten themselves into trouble because they opened and started using one of their backups. Each backup folder looks exactly like a catalog folder. Making it a compressed archive format of some type would prevent that.
1 -
SFA has a great suggestion.
- Create a new empty catalog.
- File > Import Catalog > Capture One catalog.
This will safely import the catalog and perhaps not recreate all those empty folders. Once that import is complete you can check if the new catalog has the same empty folders. If it does, provide that feedback here. If it doesn't then try backing up the new catalog. See if it goes faster.
1 -
Nicolas Det – did you try importing your catalog into a new catalog? I'm anxious to see if this cleans up your catalog folders.
1 -
15GB are for the database file or everything including photos?
0 -
Not a single photo in the catalog.
The main issue for the bakup is not the data but mostly the empty folder C1 created.
0 -
Can you look in the backup folder and tell us the path of the "empty folder"? See my edited reply above with screenshots.
The Adjustments folder contains all of the layer masks of all the images. It can grow quite large. Here is a screenshot of my backups folder showing the latest backup from my primary catalog "Masters". That catalog references 66K images.
Note the Adjustments folder is nearly 3GB. The more images with more layers, the larger Adjustments will grow.
0 -
sure. Hier some examples:
0 -
Have you run a File > Verify Catalog on that catalog? I don't know if that would clean these up. My suspicion is that it will not. I have also observed that Capture One isn't the best at house keeping in some areas.
I wonder whether this should be considered an "Improvement" or a "Bug". In my opinion Capture One should keep a very tidy folder tree – only create these folders for images with layers, and remove empty folders if all the local adjustment mask (LAM) files inside are deleted.
The Verify Catalog process includes a checkbox for "Optimize". I imagine that only applies to the SQLite catalog database.
0 -
Have you run a File > Verify Catalog on that catalog? I don't know if that would clean these up. My suspicion is that it will not. I have also observed that Capture One isn't the best at house keeping in some areas.
Sure. It makes no difference
I wonder whether this should be considered an "Improvement" or a "Bug". In my opinion Capture One should keep a very tidy folder tree – only create these folders for images with layers, and remove empty folders if all the local adjustment mask (LAM) files inside are deleted.
Or even better, but everything in a single database file - and optimize that. (?)
The Verify Catalog process includes a checkbox for "Optimize". I imagine that only applies to the SQLite catalog database.
On Mac? On Windows I could not see that.
0 -
Or even better, but everything in a single database file - and optimize that. (?)
Is SQLite3 capable of holding that kind of binary layer mask data efficiently?
Would Capture One be slower if updating a layer mask stored in a database vs a file?
0 -
Could you make a copy of the catalog, find and remove all the "empty" directories in the copy, and do a verify on that copy? Does Verify complain of missing folders? Does a backup go faster? Is the backup tree smaller? This is all just data gathering to provide to Capture One to more fully inform a solution.
0 -
I do not know. They should just make it better :))
0 -
I actually never "dare" to touch to much my catalog. But indeed, it might help. If wou wish we could keep in touch and try next week. I am running out of time.
Do you work for C1 ?
0 -
Yeah, there might be some trick to clean the catalogue.
However, empty catalogue have a HUGE effect on filesystem / IO performances. Unfortunately.
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
15 comments