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cz35895897
Inspiring
January 14, 2018
Answered

Process multiple files and place in source directory seems difficult

  • January 14, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 1579 views

When I attempt to process multiple files in either editor or organizer (either name change or batch color adjust) it appears that the "place modified files into source directory" check box is always grayed out. Program is obviously capable of doing this (overwriting the original files) because when I manually select write to original directory in the "browse" directories window, it goes ahead and does it.

So does anyone have a clue as to why the "source directory" is grayed out?

Thanks

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer MichelBParis

    cz35895897  wrote

    When I attempt to process multiple files in either editor or organizer (either name change or batch color adjust) it appears that the "place modified files into source directory" check box is always grayed out. Program is obviously capable of doing this (overwriting the original files) because when I manually select write to original directory in the "browse" directories window, it goes ahead and does it.

    So does anyone have a clue as to why the "source directory" is grayed out?

    Thanks

    My guess is that it is and has always been as 'intended'.

    You may feel it's a safe option for you, but remember that Elements is used by a huge number of beginners who have no idea of the risks they are taking, especially when renaming. Anyway, the fact that such an old request has never been implemented does not give much hope.

    By the way, did you experiment with the new ability of the organizer 2018 to batch edit without going to the editor?

    What makes the organizer very powerful for batch editing:

    - The 'Export' function. Smart workflows don't make you save necessarily all your variants for all purposes. The 'export' function is and should be used heavily when outputting temporary files for a specific output purpose (the output files are not managed in the catalog but you can re-export them from your albums)

    - The above batch feature of the organizer 2018

    - The ease to use version sets

    - The smart use of the ACR module to edit a batch, not only of raws, but also of jpegs. The parametric editing saved in xmp sidecar files (raws) or in the file metadata header does not require creating an output file.

    1 reply

    MichelBParis
    MichelBParisCorrect answer
    Legend
    January 15, 2018

    cz35895897  wrote

    When I attempt to process multiple files in either editor or organizer (either name change or batch color adjust) it appears that the "place modified files into source directory" check box is always grayed out. Program is obviously capable of doing this (overwriting the original files) because when I manually select write to original directory in the "browse" directories window, it goes ahead and does it.

    So does anyone have a clue as to why the "source directory" is grayed out?

    Thanks

    My guess is that it is and has always been as 'intended'.

    You may feel it's a safe option for you, but remember that Elements is used by a huge number of beginners who have no idea of the risks they are taking, especially when renaming. Anyway, the fact that such an old request has never been implemented does not give much hope.

    By the way, did you experiment with the new ability of the organizer 2018 to batch edit without going to the editor?

    What makes the organizer very powerful for batch editing:

    - The 'Export' function. Smart workflows don't make you save necessarily all your variants for all purposes. The 'export' function is and should be used heavily when outputting temporary files for a specific output purpose (the output files are not managed in the catalog but you can re-export them from your albums)

    - The above batch feature of the organizer 2018

    - The ease to use version sets

    - The smart use of the ACR module to edit a batch, not only of raws, but also of jpegs. The parametric editing saved in xmp sidecar files (raws) or in the file metadata header does not require creating an output file.

    C
    cz35895897Author
    Inspiring
    January 15, 2018

    I tend to agree based on endless confirm this and confirm that dialogs. Previously I was using another software which allowed me to opt out of multiple confirms in the system options. I have all of my photos original captures backed up to an external drive, so when I edit I do want it to "over write", always. Sometimes, and I have yet to figure out how un-intentionally I did it either thru the Editor or the Organizer, I would end up having my files saved with a -1 added to the file name. I would have thought that was another safety feature, but the original file is not there anymore

    Ironically I started out looking for batch processing in the Organizer and when I did not find it I moved on to the Editor. Based on your comment I went to the export function. However it does not appear to have any "processing" functions.

    I had a number of old video frame capture which had a purple hue, that needed to be batch edited. Even with the Editor batch process I was not 100% satisfied, the processed files were better, but not right. Seems the neutral grey assumption was not valid on all frames.

    On a side note regarding this, my "other" software has what turned out to be a very useful function on color correction feature. When dealing with a large number of similarly bad color balance shots (ie the video captures), once you find one with a good correction, you can apply the same correction to all of the others.

    PS Thanks for ALL your thought out rather than canned answers. Especially since so many questions in the forums seem to lend themselves to canned answers. Sorting thru must be a chore.

    MichelBParis
    MichelBParis
    Legend
    January 15, 2018

    Sometimes, and I have yet to figure out how un-intentionally I did it either thru the Editor or the Organizer, I would end up having my files saved with a -1 added to the file name. I would have thought that was another safety feature, but the original file is not there anymore.

    The usual situation when you find a -1 suffix (without 'edited-1') is when you import (donwload) files which are already in the current catalog with the same filename. That may happen in different situations even if the download dialog is supposed to filter importing already cataloged files (those 'duplicates' are recognized by the same size in KB .AND. the same date_taken). If you have imported the the same files with the same names in the same folder, the filter does not work... but the OS requires a different name. Hence the -1 suffix.

    Based on your comment I went to the export function. However it does not appear to have any "processing" functions.

    Yes, the export function is not for editing. It is for formatting, renaming, changing compression, converting raws if necessary, not for edition. If you compare with Lightroom, you don't have the option to re-import the files automatically in the catalog; it's another manual importation.

    On a side note regarding this, my "other" software has what turned out to be a very useful function on color correction feature. When dealing with a large number of similarly bad color balance shots (ie the video captures), once you find one with a good correction, you can apply the same correction to all of the others.

    Test the batch options of the organizer: the 'instant fix' button lets you apply such similar edits to a lot of selected images.

    In nearly all of my big editing session (latest one: 600 pictures, raw or jpeg with different cameras and smartphones) I process all the files in the ACR module. I can open 100 files at the same time, but usually it's more like 10 or 20 similar images. I can apply the same edits by selecting some of the files in the batch, edit separately each file (lossless cropping among others) reselect them for a common edit. When I am done I click on the Select all button over the filmstrip and either click 'Done' (saves the parameters with the images) or 'Open' to continue in the Editor and save a version or print the image. And there is nothing more powerful than the ACR color corrections, particularly white balance. Other possible edits: sharpening, denoising, clarity, B&W conversion.

    You can imagine a session where you do all your editing in ACR without opening the editor.

    In the organizer, you select the files for a given output, maybe create an album with custom sort order. You export temporary files for printing or display. With sorted albums, you can export with a common starting text plus order number (handy to prepare a slideshow).

    You may have an album for printing, an album for small web display... no file duplication, the temporary output can be reproduced at will.

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