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user0 · Post by **user0** » Mon May 12, 2025 6:35 am

ISSUE
By default, XnViewMP saves all user-modified metadata to Catalog (unless its explicitly 'written').
XnViewMP will not be able to associate saved metadata with files in a new location if you move files using an external file manager,
eg you moved:

from
D:/Photos_OLD/2024/2402/240219_event_name/

to
E:/Photos_NEW/2024/2402/240219_event_name/

and app does not show your Tags/Rating/Labels/Categories(Keywords)

SOLUTION
It's required to fix paths in database.

A - one by one
0. prerequisites

make backup of your XnView.db

rename current root folder with your images (eg Photos_NEW to Photos_NEW1) and do not open any image inside with XnView.
You need to make sure that XnView has not indexed this new location.

1. goto Settings > Catalog

select single folder

2. press Relocate button

update new Path (Note: its are case sensitive)

press OK

B - batch processing
0. prerequisites

make backup of your XnView.db

rename current root folder with your images (eg Photos_NEW to Photos_NEW1) and do not open any image inside with XnView.
You need to make sure that XnView has not indexed this new location.

download DB Browser for SQLite or DBeaver (or any other database administration tool)

1. open XnView.db in db tool

2. (optional) open Browse Data tab

select Folders table

check pathnames (you can edit them one by one, but its slow)

DBBrowser4SQLite_BrowseData_Folders.png (6.13 KiB) Viewed 323 times

3. Execute SQL query

open Execute SQL tab

paste query
NOTE: use Slash and not Backslash, paths are case sensitive
Code: Select all
```
UPDATE Folders
SET Pathname = REPLACE(Pathname, 'D:/Photos_OLD', 'E:/Photos_NEW1')
WHERE Pathname LIKE 'D:/Photos_OLD%';
```
DBBrowser4SQLite_ExecuteSQL.png (6.67 KiB) Viewed 323 times

press Ctrl+Enter

4. Write changes to db

press Ctrl+S