Lightroom: Opening a catalog crashes Lightroom (Catalog is named with image file - e.g. IMG_2059.jpg.lrcat)

Per Dan Tull's comment, I marked this topic as acknowledged (and added bug metadata to the topic) so that we make error checking on this more robust in the future.

The solution to the problem is here if you encounter it.

Thanks everyone for your help on reporting this one and providing the workaround/solution.

This issue is fixed in Lightroom 4 and later.

Hi Tom

When you say you're trying to open a file, can you please confirm whether that's a catalog that you're trying to open, or whether you open a catalog ok but can't import images into it?

If it's the catalog that you can't open, can you please hold down the Ctrl key while starting Lightroom and see if you can start a new catalog somewhere? We just need to exclude a few possibilities.

Also, do you remember what you were doing when it last was working? Did it close cleanly last time you used it?

Hi Victoria:
Yes the file is a catalog. Tried the Ctrl key while starting Lightroom, same result. With or without CTRL key it trys to open the same catalog. The name of the catalog is the last file I was working. I do think it had trouble closing, but not for sure. Thanks

The Ctrl key should bring up a dialog that asks you which catalog to open, and has a 'create new catalog' button. Are you not seeing that dialog?

What's the name of the last catalog it tries to open? It doesn't have an odd file extension in the name, such as IMG_2059.jpg.lrcat, does it?

Look here Tom: http://www.lightroomforums.net/showth...

Geoff: Looked through the link you provied. I guess I need to get the preferences file redone. However, I have not located the folder in Lightroom. I am using Win 7, where is the file located? Thank you.

Tom,

See this post on how to rename your preferences file on Win7.

Beat

Catalog name is _5195818.ORF.Ircat. to answer Victoria's question.

Thank You The problem is solved! You guys are great!

Thanks for reporting back, glad it worked out for you. And now remember: When creating a new catalog, you want to enter a new catalog name (which will be a folder name containing a catalog of the same name) in the "Name" field. The problem you had was created by pointing to an existing .ORF file instead of entering a new name.

Beat

Thanks Tom for reporting back - that little trap has caught a few players!!
Now just Enjoy LR!!

Geoff and Beat once again thank you. I think I understand your instruction about the catalog name. I imported a few files never created a catalog to the best of my knowledge.

Tom, if you search for files ending in .lrcat you will find the Catalog files. There will be two (with LR closed) one xxxxxx.lrcat and one xxxxxPreviews.lrdata, these are the catalog and the previews for your files so you can see them and adjustments.
You may just be able to change the name of both the cat and preview files from xxxxxx (the funny ORF name you have) to something like tomscatalog.lrcat and tomscatalogPreviews.lrdata then double click the .lrcat file to open Lightroom.

Sorry to intervene here, Geoff. But I think we should first establish what catalog(-name) Tom has in use right now. Because I don't believe that the xxxx.ORF.lrcat would be a legitimate catalog anyway.

@Tom:
Can you please confirm what catalog(-name) you're using right now? You can see this information by selecting Edit -> Catalog Settings -> General Tab.

Thanks,
Beat