Read only images- how to unlock

[Adobe_lawsuit_coming]

This is the kind of thing that drives me insane.  Hours ago I wanted to open some images in "bridge".  The images are all RAW files- images of the the Milky Way (night sky) that I wash to stack, with the idea that multiple images of the same night sky will show extensive detail when stacked, etc. The problem is they have a pad lock symbol on them.  This makes them a 'read only' image.  There is no obvious way to open these images.  Two books on photoshop provide no answers in the index.  Secondly, I want to auto- align these images, but there does not seem to be a way to do this in CS-4.  Any ideas are appreciated.

Now for constructive critisim of Adobe.  For the extremly expensive product you sell, you do a horrible, horrible job providing your customers with what they need to use the software.  Why isn't a DVD included with the software that provides extensive, detailed information needed so a question can be easily answered?  Why do you force your customers to your web site?  To use your web site I had to accept your spyware, lower my security settings, deal with password and login nonsense.  And if one does not have high speed internet, forget it- loading your site takes forever.  I've wasted hours to get to this point.

And I will never buy CS5.  I will never buy Adobe again- the frustration level is way to high.  Does anyone suggest a photo editing software that they like better than CS4?

[Adobe_lawsuit_coming]

Hi Noel,

Yes, I own all the images- this is not a problem in CS-4, only in Bridge.

After loading the images (RAW files) into Bridge I want to stack them.  But I can't stack them because they remain locked.  Trying to unlock an image opens CS4.  So unless there is a way to unlock these "read only" images Bridge does not work.

Simple question:  How to unlock these images to stack them in Bridge?

The (new) computer in question is dedicated to only CS4- and does not go on line for  security reasons.

Owning multiple books on CS4/Photoshop illustrates a fundamental problem I think Adobe has- while the software may be powerful, they have yet to divise a way to make it user friendly so that a fairly straight forward question does not become a major headache that consumes inordinate amounts of time.  Adobe's business model seems to be:  "We'll let others figure out how to explain how the software works, because we can make more money that way."  This may be why I see so many books that try to explain their program- and why I have purchased several.

[KC29]

  Secondly, I want to auto- align these images, but there does not seem to be a way to do this in CS-4.  Any ideas are appreciated.

  Why isn't a DVD included with the software that provides extensive, detailed information needed so a question can be easily answered? 

With Photoshop open, click on the Help icon across the top menu bar.

In the Search field, type in Align

The first five answers seem to be extremely relevant.

That seems to be pretty straightforward. Would a  DVD have been easier?

[Elisabeth26118537b4p6]

Try Luminar NEO.