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Troubleshooting

Solutions to the problems we see most often in support. If none of them helps, contact support@videocataloger.com or ask on our Discord.

I cannot open my catalogs or create a new one

Two things usually cause this.

Windows Controlled folder access. If ransomware protection is on in Windows Security, Windows blocks programs from writing to protected folders such as Documents, which is where many people keep their catalogs. Allow Fast Video Cataloger through:

  1. Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage ransomware protection.
  2. Click Allow an app through Controlled folder access → Add an allowed app.
  3. Add VideoCataloger.exe from the installation folder (by default C:\Program Files\FastVideoCataloger).

Antivirus software removed a program file. Some antivirus products wrongly quarantine one of the program's DLL files during install or update. The catalog then fails to open with a message such as "Failed to open file", or you cannot add any videos. Check your antivirus log for a quarantined file from the Fast Video Cataloger folder, then:

  1. Restart the computer.
  2. Restore the file from quarantine, or temporarily disable the antivirus software.
  3. Run the Fast Video Cataloger installer again.

If the catalog itself is damaged, see How to Recover a Corrupt Catalog.

A video fails to index or does not play

By default Fast Video Cataloger uses its built-in filters, which read most video formats. If a file fails:

  • Check that the drive or network share with the video is connected, and that the video plays in another player.
  • Change Use windows filters on the Video Indexer tab in Preferences and index the video again. When checked, the codecs installed in Windows are used instead of the built-in filters. This helps for formats the built-in filters cannot read; unchecking it helps when an installed codec is broken.

Fast Video Cataloger crashes while indexing

The index queue is saved after every video. When you start the program after a crash, it asks Resume indexing? if videos are left in the queue.

If the program crashes again every time you answer Yes, the first video in the queue is causing the crash:

  1. Answer No.
  2. Open the Add Videos window and remove the first video from the queue.
  3. Click Start to index the rest.

If Use windows filters is checked, try unchecking it, since conflicting codecs are a common cause. If the program crashes on a video with the built-in filters, we would like to look at that file. Please contact support.

Fast Video Cataloger crashes at startup

Start the program from a command prompt with one of these command line arguments to find the cause:

  • -safemode skips loading plugins.
  • -ignorelayout skips loading the window layout.
  • -ignoresettings skips loading the settings files.

Drag and drop does not work

Windows blocks drag and drop from a program running normally, such as File Explorer, into a program running as administrator. If Fast Video Cataloger shows Running in Administrator mode, close it and start it again normally, not with Run as administrator.

A playlist does not import into DaVinci Resolve

Export the playlist as XML from the playlist window (see Exporting playlists), then in DaVinci Resolve choose File → Import → Timeline. If some clips fail to import:

  • The video is not accessible. If it is on an external drive, connect the drive. Check that the video plays in Fast Video Cataloger.
  • DaVinci Resolve does not support the format. WMV, for example, is not supported, and DaVinci reports "File not found in search directories" even though the file is there.
  • The clip has embedded timecode. Embedded timecode is not exported. Edit the timecode in the XML file, or drag the file into DaVinci Resolve manually.

Moving to a new computer

See How to Move Your License to a New Computer and How to Make a Backup of a Catalog.