Saving in PS cc2020 sends to an unknown file folder.

[Stephen Douge]

I recently saved a photo of my GD and did not notice the file where it was sent. I could not find it on my computer nor in the cloud. I opened the file under open recent and then tried to save as again. Chose My computer and was given a location to a file folder called "D". I have no such folder name. I searched my computer, all drives, the cloud, nothing. I saved the file with a very specific name and searched again for the save and found nothing. It is obviously somewhere but where? Any idea what this mysterious "file folder D" is? I also noted that many other files have been saved there probably by my not watching closely and not reusing them again. I can drag them off, only one at a time to my desktop and they leave the folder. None of them show in a search either. Does anyone have an explanation for the mystery folder?

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

Hi

Since you are on a Mac, hold the Command button and click the title bar. In PS, you have to make a floating window first (Window menu or drag the title bar down). This will show the entire path. Click the folder to navigate to it in Finder. What do you see here?

~ Jane

[Stephen Douge · Accepted solution]

Thanks. I found that and it worked to a point. It led me to Apple's Photo library then the last two folders were not to be found. However, it must have to do with the Apple library even though I can't find the files. 

[jane-e]

Hi

Have you looked in the Photos application itself?

OR: Can you click on "originals" or "D" to navigate to either folder? 

If you take a photo with your iPhone or iPad, it will go in the Photos app. You can right-click it and edit it in PS, but it stays in the app. What I do it drag the photo from Photos to the Desktop, then move it to the proper folder before I edit it.

~ Jane

[Stephen Douge]

Yes I managed to find the folders in "show package contents". A number of file folders are there that must be automatically opened by the photo app. I chose a few items and searched by date and found most of them in the photo app. The folders are labeled 0-9 and A-F. I sorted all the files in each and the odd thing is they are not linear. Folder B contains files from 2017 -2021. And so does folder 3. It's not like one got full and then another was started. With your help I figured out the mystery. Now that I know what is happening I won't worry any longer where things went. I just think it strange you can't find any of this in spotlight and the files save things seemingly randomly. 
Thank you soo much for your insight. 

[jane-e]

You're welcome, @Stephen Douge .

You can customize Spotlight in Preferences, but I don't think it will look in package contents. I usually just open the Photos application itself and the photos are sorted by date.

~ Jane

[Stephen Douge]

Yes they are. I just never knew they were kept out of sight in weird little folders with single-digit names. With a few thousand photos in that app, after saving them I would not intuitively know they went back to where they came from but in a named file I didn't recognize. You fixed my understanding of it all. Mucho Thanks.

[Stephen Douge]

Scratch that. I opened the show package contents of the "photo Library.photoslibrary and found folders 0 through F. I do find it interesting that this is semi-hidden and not findable with spotlight. At least you led me in the correct direction. Problem solved. 

Thanks