CDFinder Support


Basic troubleshooting
CDFinder relies on the consistency of the catalog files and the directory structures containing them. If you encounter crashes, please try this:


Also, any time CDFinder crashes, please make sure to send us the crash log file, located in
/Users/yourName/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/CDFinder.crash.log


CDFinder crashes when creating a new catalog of a particular CD-ROM or DVD. What can I do?
That usually only happens when CDFinder opens a damaged archive file, or tries to create a preview for a photo file.

Any time CDFinder crashes, please make sure to send us the crash log file, located in
/Users/yourName/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/CDFinder.crash.log

Fortunately, CDFinder has a powerful tool to help you find a problematic file quickly (requires CDFinder 5.0.2 at least):

1. You can at any time catalog the disc completely when you turn off the creation of previews , or the ability to look inside archive files, using the CDFinder Preferences, even only for that disc.

2. When you run CDFinder, there is an entry named "Log Media Paths" in the Scripts menu. Run that and tell is to "Yes", log the paths.

3. That will cause CDFinder to generate a text file named "CDFinder Debug Log.txt" on your desktop, and to write in that text file the path of every single media file it catalogs.

4. If CDFinder crashes or locks up, the last entry in that file is either the culprit, or the file just prior to the culprit.

5. Copy over the suspects into a new folder on your desktop and let CDFinder catalog that to verify that you have indeed found the culprit.

6. Please contact CDFinder support to send us that file for analysis.

7. Make sure to turn the "Log Media Paths" option off again for normal work.

Also, always make sure to use the current version of CDFinder!


When performing a Find operation, CDFinder returns error -43. What can I do?
Error -43 means "fnfError", which is "File Not Found".

The most cases in which that happens is when a catalog file is moved from one folder to another one on the server, and a local copy of CDFinder running doesn't see that move immediately, and expects the catalog file in the old location.

So the solution is not to move any catalog files anymore. OK, just kidding.

To get around that:
1 . Make sure that the "Sync database folder" option in the Database Status window is active, and switched to "fast". That will enable CDFinder to quickly pick up all changes being done to the database folder from elsewhere.

2. Run the "Reload Database Folder" command from the Special menu. That will clear the local QuickLaunch Cache, and force CDFinder to check the whole database folder again.

3. Make sure you use the latest version of CDFinder!


When cataloging a disk, the error -5000 is returned
Error -5000 indicates that CDFinder does not have enough access privileges to write into the CDFinder Database Folder, or one of its sub folders.
Please open the Get Info window for that folder in the Finder, (not in CDFinder!) and check that you have write access to the folder and all subfolders. If not, change the access privileges.
Then run the "Reload Database folder" command in the Special menu in CDFinder to make sure that CDFinder can see the changes.

If the CDFinder Database Folder is located on a file server, talk to your network admin to make sure you have the proper privileges.


CDFinder can't find my catalog files anymore. What can I do?
CDFinder usually remembers the location where you put your CDFinder Database Folder. If for whatever reasons that may not be the case, simply open the Preferences in CDFinder, and show CDFinder where that folder was located.

If you forget where your catalog files could be located, search for a folder named "CDFinder Database Folder", as that is the default folder name that CDFinder uses (and it is located in your Documents folder).

Also, CDFinder creates one catalog file for every volume or folder you catalog, and it uses the name of the volume or folder for the catalog file name, so if you remember any disc you have catalogued with CDFinder, search for a file with this name...

Do you store the catalog data files directly inside the application folder? (Select Preferences in the CDFinder menu to display the current location of the catalog folder) If that is the case, please create a new folder in your Documents folder and put the catalog files in it. Then show CDFinder that location and most of the possible problems are gone.

If the problem persists, try to delete the file CDFinder Preferences, which is stored in the Preferences folder. You will have to enter your keyword again, though...

Also, make sure to run the current version of CDFinder!


Cataloging disks with CDFinder X.X is slower than before?
Every new version of CDFinder is usually able to read more meta data than previous versions. For example, CDFinder 5.0 now is able to read photo thumbnails. This is of course slower than before, but you can always turn off any new features like that, using the CDFinder Preferences.


Why does CDFinder not display IPTC or EXIF info for a photo file?
CDFinder can only display the EXIF or IPTC data of a photo file if the option to read that info is turned on when the volume is cataloged. For any catalogs created with previous versions of CDFinder, this info wasn't read and thus cannot be displayed.

Please also note that CDFinder only shows the EXIF and IPTC data in the Inspector, not in the Get Info window.


Error converting old catalog files. What now?
When CDFinder launches, it checks the Database Folder for the presence of old catalog files created by CDFinder 2.8 and earlier. If it finds any of these, it will ask you to convert them. If an error happens during the conversion, usually due to a defective file, CDFinder will display an error message, and you have to locate and remove the damaged files.

To do that, let the Finder show you the Database folder, and in list view, open all folder. In the Kind column, the old database files are of the "CDFinder Old Catalog Data File" kind. Remove these.