During installation, Excire Foto asks for a directory in which to create the default database.
In fact, this directory will later store not only the database file, but also other data such as thumbnails, preview images and the program cache (temporary storage). These data can consume some disk space over time, so it makes sense to make sure that there is enough free space on the selected hard disk.
The Excire databases require about 250 MB of hard disk space for 100,000 photos. The preview memory is then about 25 GB at the highest quality, and when a preview is generated for each photo.
Moving the default database to another hard drive
It is also possible to manually move the database to another hard disk afterwards. To do this, Excire Foto must be closed and the selected directory with the required files and subdirectories must be moved to the new location. The next time Excire Foto is started, it will detect the missing database and ask where to create a new default database. If you select the new location of the folder here, the database will be opened from this location from now on.
These files and folders must be moved in the process:
- 1to1.exfoto
- previews.exfoto
- thumbnails.exfoto
- excire_foto.local.db
- excire_foto.local.db-shm (if existing)
- excire_foto.local.db-wal (if existing)
- backend.db
- backend.db-shm (if existing)
- backend.db-wal (if existing)
You can find these files and folders under:
Windows (10 and 11):
"%APPDATA%\Roaming\Excire Foto"
Mac OS X:
"/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/excire-foto"
Additional databases
For some photographers it may be useful not to manage all photos in a single database. They can create an additional database in the selected directory via the menu command "File -> Choose folder for new database".
Via "File -> Open database folder" it is then possible to switch between the existing databases. To do this, the program is automatically closed briefly and reopened with the selected database.
