Settings to save categories

[Reclip]

Good morning!
I installed xnviewMP this spring in order to manage a vast collection of pictures. I was surprised how quickly the labelling and categorizing went. Then other things were more important, and when I went back to carry on organizing to my disappointment all the categories had vanished, no ratings were visible.
I took to the forum and tried to figure out where this information should be stored, but couldn't trace any of the databases mentioned.
I didn't really fool around with the settings when I started, so maybe I just missed the one crucial button to click...

I'm using the free version - might that be an issue?
Do I have to import pictures before assigning categories?

Thanks for your help!

[xnview]

Categories is saved in catalog (database), and can be exported in file's metadata.
Windows?

[Reclip]

Yes, windows.
I can't find this database anywhere on my computer - so my guess is, that it's accidentally just stored somewhere temporarily and is deleted when the pc has been switched off for some time.

[cday]

I can't find this database anywhere on my computer...

Have you checked Tools > Settings... > Integration > Paths for the location?

[michel038]

... and the name of the file where the database is stored is Xnview.db

If your aim is to categorize jpg photos, the safest thing to do is to enable export options (settings,metadata) so that categories are also saved as iptc or xmp metadata in the photos.

[Reclip]

Thanks for your kind assistance!
I went down the easy road and reinstalled the whole thing, et voilá: database is, where it's supposed to be and the everything seems to work nicely.