NeoFinder Support


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

  • Check and repair all of your disk drives with Disk First Aid.
  • Delete the files NeoFinder Preferences and NeoFinder QuickLaunch Cache in the Preferences folder. (you will need to re-enter your license key again if you delete the Preferences file)
  • Delete the Preferences file named "de.wfs-apps.neofinder.plist" if you have trouble with any visual display of NeoFinder
  • If a single catalog file is damaged, it will often display completely weird folder sizes. Just open any catalog file that could have problems and check the folder sizes. If they are out of range, delete that catalog and create a new one of that volume.
  • There is a surprising large number of damaged archive files (any version!) out there. If you have problems while creating a new catalog file, uncheck the "Look inside archives" options in the Preferences window and try it again.
  • Also, since NeoFinder reads a lot of meta data now, any photo or audio file can cause problems as well. Try to turn off the reading of that meta data in the Preferences.
  • Don't keep the catalog files directly in the application folder. Create a new data folder outside the Applications area, and put your catalog data files there.
  • Make sure you use the most current version of NeoFinder.
  • If the problem remains, contact NeoFinder support!

Any time NeoFinder crashes, please make sure to send us the crash log file. You can find it in Apples Console.app, in the DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION section. The report will be named NeoFinder with a date appended to it.


NeoFinder crashes/hangs when cataloging/updating a volume. What can I do?
That usually only happens when NeoFinder encounters a malformed media or archive file.

Any time NeoFinder crashes, please make sure to send us the crash log file. You can find it in Apples Console.app, in the DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION section. The report will be named NeoFinder with a date appended to it.

Fortunately, NeoFinder has a powerful tool to help you find a problematic file quickly:

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 NeoFinder Preferences, even only for that disc.

2. Open Terminal.app, and type:
defaults write de.wfs-apps.neofinder LogMediaPaths 1

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

4. If NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder catalog that to verify that you have indeed found the culprit.

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

7. Make sure to turn the "Log Media Paths" option off again for normal work, typing in Terminal:
defaults write de.wfs-apps.neofinder LogMediaPaths 0

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

We will also find a better and easier way of doing that in a future version of NeoFinder.


When performing a Find operation, NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder 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 Inspector for LIBRARY is activated. That will enable NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder to check the whole database folder again.

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


When cataloging a disk, the error -5000 is returned
Error -5000 indicates that NeoFinder does not have enough access privileges to write into the NeoFinder Database Folder, or one of its sub folders.
Please open the Get Info window for that folder in the Finder, (not in NeoFinder!) 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 NeoFinder to make sure that NeoFinder can see the changes.

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


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

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

Also, NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder, search for a file with this name...

Do you store the catalog data files directly inside the application folder? (Select Preferences in the NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder that location and most of the possible problems are gone.

If the problem persists, try to delete the file NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder!


Cataloging disks with NeoFinder X.X is slower than before?
Every new version of NeoFinder is usually able to read more meta data than previous versions. For example, NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder Preferences.


Why does NeoFinder not display IPTC or EXIF info for a photo file?
NeoFinder 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 NeoFinder, this info wasn't read and thus cannot be displayed.

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


Error converting old catalog files. What now?
When NeoFinder launches, it checks the Database Folder for the presence of old catalog files created by NeoFinder 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, NeoFinder 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 "NeoFinder Old Catalog Data File" kind. Remove these.