Moving my files after importing

beckyh  wrote I just bought a new computer.  I loaded Adobe Elements 2018 on it.  I imported by pictures from a network drive. When I did the import I really wanted to copy all my pictures to the new computer but I think they are still on the network. QUESTION: How do I copy the picture files and catalog file to my new computer and leave the files that are on the Network drive there as a backup?

First, the explanation.

The organizer (like Lightroom) is based on a catalog. It does not contain any media file, only links to their physical location on your drives.

"Import" has two meanings depending on which media you are getting your photo files.

- If you import from camera or card reader (considered 'removable' media like DVDs), the downloader module assumes you want to copy the media to your computer. After which it registers and indexes the information about the files in the catalog

- If you import from your computer, somewhere on your internal drives, from an external USB drive or from a network, the organizer considers the files are already on your computer and does not create copies. It only registers and indexes.

What you want to do is partly a very common situation, it's moving your library (the photo files tree) and your catalog (the database folder) to another computer.

Move Elements Organizer catalog

But you also want to keep the files on the network as a 'backup', which is uncommon (the first time I see that request).

Note that if you follow the regular procedure above to move your library and catalog to the computer, you create a library copy with its own catalog and the former library on the network is still there and working. Maybe that's what you want as a backup.

Backup:

The "backup" solution provided by the organizer and used in the move process:   it's not a simple copy of the files tree. It's a special folder to be used ONLY for restoring from the organizer restore command on the same or another computer or drive.

Back up or restore catalogs in Elements Organizer 2018

Does this help?