2mdman

I miss the good old days of Picassa. You know you could organizer your files in folders, delete them, rename them, move them, and it all worked. When Google stopped support, I switched to PhotoElements. I’ve always had problems with the Organizer. Creating, renaming, moving folders has always been a fraught exercise. Instead of say editing a folder of pictures in my work area and them move the folder on-mass to my storage drive, I now create a folder on the storage drive and move the pictures individually. Attempts at using the more efficient folder move have rarely worked. Sometimes it moves the files, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes the new folder is there when Elements says its not. Its all rather silly.

The most recent failure by PhotoElements outdoes them all though. I moved some video files from my GoPro (using TeraCopy to ensure accuracy) to my photo work area. Since it was a MOVE operation, the original files were deleted. No problem, they’re now on my hard drive by a verified copy. I imported the pictures and video into PhotoElements and as I usually do, started to look at them and catalog them. I was looking at one video and decided to rename it. Simple – right? Well, NOOOO. After the rename, Photoelements goes into its endless loop scenario (happens many times), in which I have to use Windows to shut it down then relaunch it. After relaunching, I tried to view the video again (the name was still the original, not the rename). It wouldn’t load. It said it was an unrecognizable format. I went to the file directory and saw the file, this time under the renamed version (figure that out). I used VLC (a great program) to launch it and it wouldn’t load either. So, now I’m without a video (actually this happened twice). I had to do a deleted file recovery from the card to get the files back. Never will I allow Photoelements to do anything to my videos from now on.

How does a program blow a simple RENAME operation? It seems like PhotoElements was written before the Windows file system was invented and relies on some bizarre code to do basic file management. Reporting to Adobe will only result in a statement to upgrade which I’ll have to pay for and will not likely have fixed this issue. Such is life today in the brave new world of computing.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

And yet there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of users for whom PS Elements Photo Organizer works just fine. Perhaps when you're done ranting and lamenting the good old days of Picasa, you'll organize your thoughts and seek specific step by step help. Or simply use your Windows file management system and uninstall the PSE Organizer?

2mdman

The program has some serious bugs and fails in some of the simplest operations. You would think it would be a lot more robust after so many versions. To corrupt a video file on a rename operation, is unforgiveable. I’m pointing this out do that others are aware.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Yup.

Bill_de Loc: US

I think my first version of elements was 7, and I'm now using 15. A couple of times I thought the program had screwed up. Instead of ranting I would use Google to find a solution, and I did find them. In each case I was the one who screwed up. Go figure.

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tankdonovan Loc: Tennessee

I understand you can still use Picasa if you want. Just no support or upgrades.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Linda, how do you uninstall only the "PSE Organizer?" A few days ago I hoped to do just that, but was unsuccessful. It is not listed as a separate program in the W10 list of applications or any other utility program. And Google produced results like, "it's integral and can't be uninstalled independent of the main program."

maxlieberman Loc: 19027

I have used Elements since version 3.0, and am now on 1918. I have not had this problem. When I want to rename a file, I either use the "rename" function under the file menu, or I open the file in the editor then save it under the new name and delete the old.

Yes, I wish I could move a whole folder at once, but my work around is to create the target folder on the new drive, then open the original folder in Elements Organizer, click on the first picture, hold shift and click on the last to select them all, then use the copy/move function to relocate the pics to the target folder I just created.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Oh OK, thanks. Version 12 and 13 had a separate module and I never bothered to install it.

However, PSE can be used just fine without going through the Organizer. I do have the 2018 version now and have never opened the Organizer part

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I use 2019 the same way, Linda. The default opening screen got to be an annoyance. Looking at my “C:” drive and how much space the organizer takes up, removing it became a quest. And.... I guess it still is! 🤔🥴🥺

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I "think" I recall an opening window that asked if I wanted the editor or the organizer. After a couple of openings, I noticed the box that said "make default" or some-such. So the organizer is invisible to me aside from taking up HD space. I merely click on the icon in my taskbar to open PSE editor.

I like the free FastStone Image Viewer to browse the pics prior to selecting one to edit in PSE:
https://www.faststone.org/

Expanding on my earlier comments about Windows File Management, in case the OP wants to stop the merry-go-round of frustration and try something different:

I sort photo folders by year, month within that year, date, short description. For example
2017
June
6-10
eagles

The drawback is there are no keywords from which I can pull up all eagles from all years. Some people may want to do a yearly "favorites" folder also.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

You can set Elements so the opening screen gives you the option to open with the Organizer or the Editor. For video files, have you installed Premier Elements too? It allows you to edit video files.

maxlieberman Loc: 19027

I set up my folders exactly like 47greyfox does. I also have custom tags so I could create a tag for eagles, and also a tag for 2017 eagles, 2018 eagles, etc. I haven't done that for things yet, but I have for recurring events. That way, but clicking on the tag for, say, Atlantic City Air Show 2017, I can get just those shots, as opposed to all Air Show pictures.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

With PSE 2019, you are stuck with a screen that has no options. However, looking around the Adobe program folder, there is an application for just the editor. I created a link to just that application. I don't see the overall opening screen. The organizer is taking up drive space that could be (perhaps) better utilized. In the old days of Windows, you could right click on an executable and one of the choices was "uninstall." Not so anymore...

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I think you're referring to Linda From Maine's technique, which like yours, is very similar to how I organize picture folders.