ACR in PSE 2022

I'm not sure whether it is an intended limitation.  I will follow up with Adobe.  I don't recall this issue being raised before.  So, maybe they are not aware of it.

After editing a raw file in ACR I understand that if I open that file to Editer by pressing ALT OPEN COPY 

I should be able to open that same file again to make further adjustments i.e. making a stack for HDR photo.

Elements will not reopen the file for me.  Am I missing something?

 

By @LARRY259024425u4i

Hi @LARRY259024425u4i and Greg,

Before trying to explain how I think that the Alt Open does work in PSE ACR, I'll describe the tasks I regularly use to take advantage of this feature.

I have carefully edited in the raw ACR and I want to keep the settings unchanged for future use.

I need to get different 'versions' such as B&W, different profiles or crops, 16 bits or 8 bits,

I don't want to duplicate the original raw files nor replace the 'official' settings in the xmp sidecar file.

It's ok for me to manage the edited 'versions' in photo format (psd, tiff, jpeg...) in the catalog, but not to store the different xmp settings in 'virtual copies' like in PS or LR.

More details.

The actual raw file itself is never edited.

A single xmp sidecar of the same name (without the extension) is allowed.

The settings are written in - the xmp sidecar - the catalog - the 'last edit' memory if you click 'Open' and the converted image format is sent to the pixel editor.

If you click Alt Open, the original xmp settings are not overwritten by the new version settings. The new settings are lost as soon as the 'last edit' is overwritten by something new.

What if I want to keep the new settings separately? I would create a duplicate of the raw file in the organizer (possibly in the same stack) before applying the new settings.

A warning about using raw files for HDR:  I am not competent enough for that feature. What is stressed in many discussions is that using different 'versions' from the same original raw does not work well or even not at all. I'll leave HDR experts comment.

Same for the differences between the Elements and the Potoshop ACR. I have not made a comparison for the 'Alt Open' command.

Hmmmm . . . I've never noticed this before.  I get the same result as you.  It seems like this is a limitation of ACR in Elements.  When I tried it in Photoshop CC, I was able to open the file as a copy.  As you may know, ACR in Elements is more limited in its features than the full version in Photoshop CC.  So this may be one of its limitations.  I'm going to ping @MichelBParis  for his opinion on this.  Even if it is a limitation, there is what I would consider to be a bug in the label that is applied to the button with the Alt key.

Of course, you can always copy the raw file and open the multiple copies to create the stacking for HDR.