suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

I have been sorting through old (2011-later) digital images on external drives and reorganizing. My work flow has been to copy the files back to the computer to review, make changes etc. When I pull up an old Raw file, it opens under Camera Raw - But the older version under which it was originally edited. I may want to re-edit under the most recent version of Camera Raw since there have been improvements in software editing. Is this possible?

Another question along the same lines. I store my older stuff on external drives. If I open an image directly from the drive (rather than moving back to the computer and opening) it opens in OnOne instead of Photoshop. Where can I change this?

Thanks for your help.

Chops Loc: Long Beach, CA

Interesting problem to have. To my knowledge, updates to Camera Raw always replace the old one, so that original version shouldn't even be around. The idea that it is raises all sorts of questions, but I'll start with "what editing app are you using?"

Machinedoc Loc: Yorktown Heights, NY

The answer to your first question is "yes" As to your second question, it sounds as if you are double clicking on the file on your external drive to open it. Rather than double clicking on it, right click on it and you should see a dialog box open up with a choice of "open with" or something similar depending on whether your operating system is Windows or Mac. If you don't see a choice of Adobe Camera Raw, you may have to navigate to find it.

blue-ultra Loc: New Hampshire

I would take a guess and say that when you last had the file open before saving it to your external drive you were in On1 and so the computer thinks you want to continue that process. But, as I said I am guessing...

Bob

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

Is there a "sidecar" file with each processed file? If so I would delete that (on a copy) and then open with the new/updated program.

Kuzano

One way to change the default settings for opening files is the "open with" command in the properties menu of the file.

In File Explorer locate one file that you want to change the opening properties on. Right click on the file, and in the popup menu, one of the selections should be Open With.
A list of options (all the options that could be used to open such a file) should be shown. Pick the program you want to open the file. There should also be a check box for making this the default opening file for ALL files with this file extension. Check that box to make the program the default for those files.
If the program you want to use is not listed, there should also be a "browse" function to allow you to roam to other programs that will open that type of file. Find the executable command for the program you prefer to use and choose that as the new default (If it will actually open that file format).

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

Ok with all of your help I discovered the answer to both of my problems.

If I right click on the image on the external disc it will give me a choice of opening it with any of my software. I was double clicking and that was opening the image in OnOne for some reason. It will also open the image to the latest Camera Raw.

If I transfer or copy images from the external disc back to the computer and open the Raw image it will default to the Camera Raw that was original to the image.

That's all very interesting isn't it. Although probably not for those that already knew that.

I should have mentioned from the onset that I have an iMac

Also sorry I didn't get back to you all before but I just now got back to the computer to continue organizing.

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

Thanks Kuzano and I will look at this.

Kuzano

Yes.... I should have asked if you had a Mac. My tip was for Windows but conceptually similar. I taught Microsoft OS for so long, I operate on the presumption that if you know all the file and folder management of any OS...like Windows, MAC or Linux, you will actually be a leg up on any system that purports to organize files and folder by proprietary software methods.

That is one reason why I think that Adobe, with their funky and poorly designed "catalog" organizer system is the strongest point for running far, far away from Adobe for organization. One can design their own much easier to use system properly using the files and folders management system proprietary to any one OS.

I do support Adobes photo editing programs, but their original version of Bridge that came ancillary to early Photoshop was the only vaguely usable management or organization system for files/folders. From there, Adobe progressed steadily downhill on organization, by simply moving away from the logic of OS file management.

That's when I quit Adobe altogether after they took the emphasis off Bridge and began all the CS versions of Photoshop, CS1 and beyond.

Keep on, Keepin' on.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

There’s also the issue of ‘process version’ that maybe should be considered, assuming you’re working in Lightroom.