is there any hope for a solution to my problem?

[Maik Qualmann]

> I just found it, its a square outline only and its invisible until the
> mouse pointer is well centered on it, no damn wonder I could not find it
> from your description of a round button next to the trash can icon. Now
> lets see if it works.

Have you installed the Breeze Icon theme and activated it in the digiKam 
settings?

> When I click on update with Pictures highlited, it opens a requestor and
> looks like I have to do it one subdir at a time, probably over 200 times
> for all of it, why can't I just do the whole thing in one swell foop?

You have created 200 collections? You added all subdirectories as collections, 
seriously?
Sorry, start digiKam from scratch with a new database and configuration and 
familiarize yourself with the digiKam collection idea.

https://docs.digikam.org/en/getting_started.html
https://docs.digikam.org/en/setup_application/collections_settings.html

With your other error messages, it is not possible to say without having a 
sample image whether these images are defective or what the problem is. I'm 
out of here now.

Maik