Transferring from Photoshop 9 to Photoshop 15

[kenbowlt]

I have bought a new Dell laptop and have transferred and upgraded my Photoshop Elements(PE) from version 9 to 15.

I had loads of photographs linked into PE 9 on my old laptop and ideally would like to bring my PE 9 set up over to my new version of PE on my new laptop, rather than have to set up everything again.

By "set up" I mean the Albums, Keyword Tags, Keyword Tag Hierarchy, Category, sub Category, etc.

I want to avoid having to set everything up again.

[MichelBParis]

kenbowlt  wrote

I have bought a new Dell laptop and have transferred and upgraded my Photoshop Elements(PE) from version 9 to 15.

I had loads of photographs linked into PE 9 on my old laptop and ideally would like to bring my PE 9 set up over to my new version of PE on my new laptop, rather than have to set up everything again.

By "set up" I mean the Albums, Keyword Tags, Keyword Tag Hierarchy, Category, sub Category, etc.

I want to avoid having to set everything up again.

Read that paper:

Move Elements Organizer catalog

To move your image folder tree together with your catalog, you have to do a full backup on a removable media such as an external drive, then from the new computer and new software, run the restore process to the new location. That restores all your 'set up'. At the end of the restore, you are prompted to 'convert' the restored catalog to the new PSE15 version.

The problem may be to 'merge' your old restored catalog with the new one into a single new catalog.

Photoshop Elements 6/7/8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

[kenbowlt]

I have done all of that but I don't appear to have brought through the Tags that I had set up whilst using Photoshop Elements 9.

Do I really have to go through my 22,000 plus photos re-tagging them?

If I do, is there a quicker way to do it than going through one by one?

[hradobe]

If there is a quicker way, I have'nt found it. Luckily I only have 7000 pictures to re-tag.

All your tags come in as "Imported Keyword Tags" in a list. Your categories or sub-categories are gone. Unfortunately you cannot move them back in order.

You are also forced to used the Keyword Tag Names  provided, such as "Color, Nature, Photography, Other, etc and cannot create any new ones or change the name. However you can create new tags under these names, but you cant move the existing categories under them as sub categories.

Sorry

[MichelBParis]

hradobe  wrote

All your tags come in as "Imported Keyword Tags" in a list. Your categories or sub-categories are gone. Unfortunately you cannot move them back in order.

That is what happens if you 'import' the files in a new catalog. Importing means 'referencing / indexing' your photo files in a catalog. In the process the metadata present in the files are read and included in the catalog.

There is a way to save your keyword hierarchy before the import so that the keywords go into the right category or subcategory. It's to use the drop down menu on the right side of the 'Keyword' title to save that hierarchy into a text file which will be restored the same way in the new catalog before the import.

You are also forced to used the Keyword Tag Names  provided, such as "Color, Nature, Photography, Other, etc and cannot create any new ones or change the name.

You can freely create new tags, new categories, subcategories, edit their names, change categories to subcategories or tags or the other way round... you can move tags to other categories etc.

In summary:

- to transfer your catalog, don't re-import, use the backup and restore method which restores everything as before

- you need to learn how to edit your tags and categories.

Tag your media in Elements Organizer

Start with that help file and ask for more details on particular tasks like those you describe above.

Note that there is a similar way to save the albums hierachy in a text file, but I don't really see the point since reimporting can't recover albums, stacks or version sets...

[hradobe]

Thank you for the reply. The reason I went to PE15 was because my PE11 no longer worked due to "complications" with Windows 10 (from what I read in your forums). My catalog was no longer available and my Organization screen was stretched into 4 screens. Adobe Technical support had me remove PE11 before I downloaded PE15.

When I downloaded PE15 I never noticed anything of a warning that to Import would be a problem, I expected Adobe PE15 would work just fine.

Enough of that one, its history.

My question now is:

I can easily create new Categories & Sub-categories, but how do I move the Keywords in Imported Keywords to these new Sub-Categories? Drop & Drag doesn't work. It appears I can only drop & drag to under a Category Level.

Can you have sub-categories under sub-categories (3 levels).

[MichelBParis]

hradobe 

My question now is:

I can easily create new Categories & Sub-categories, but how do I move  the Keywords in Imported Keywords to these new Sub-Categories? Drop & Drag doesn't work. It appears I can only drop & drag to under a Category Level.

If the sub-category is already created, you select your keyword, or your list of keywords with Ctrl click or Shift click (click on the tag name, not on the checkbox) and move the selected items at the same time to the sub-category. It's obviously faster to select many items instead single ones.

Alternatively, highlight a single tag to transfer and right click and select 'Edit'. Select your category or subcategory.

hradobe 

Can you have sub-categories under sub-categories (3 levels).

Yes.

You can always change a keyword of the lower level to a subcategory. If you right click on that new subcategory, you can add a new keyword to it, and convert the keyword to a sub-subcategory and so on.

Those changes are not always obvious, don't hesitate to ask if you need screenshots.

[hradobe]

Thank you. It works as per your explanation.

Have spent a good 3 days reading through Key Concepts, Forums, Support write ups, & watching Videos and found nothing. Yet your simple explanation covered it perfectly.

Thanks again for the support.