PSE 3 Relocating Catalogs on Conversion From PSA 2

Hi,

I just received my copy of PSE 3 bundled with Premier Elements. I have been using PSA 2 and PSA 1 before that. I have multiple catalogs with the largest contain over 10,000 images - mostly offline. Ths I'm easing my way into PSE 3 Organizer. I loaded one of my smaller catalogs, which seemed to go ok.

I then decided that I would like to locate all of the catalogs on a different hard drive which has more room than my C drive. I went through the Edit > Preferences and made the changes. I expected PSE 3 to copy the catalogs to the newly defined drive/folder designated, but it did not.

My question is why did it not do this? Does changing the location only effect future catalogs created after the Preferences are changed? When I convert my other copies, will they go to the newly defined drive/folder?

Finally, I still have PSA 2 loaded and don't want to destroy its catalog and structure, so I want to make sure I do the conversion right. I have a lot of effort invested in the PSA 2 My Catalog.

TIA

Don S.

Don

This is only the default catalog location. You can put them anywhere you like. PSE 3 will convert a catalog in the folder in which the old one is located.

I installed PSE 3 and my existing PSA 2 setup is quite intact and separate. Don't worry, but do make sure you have a backup [always!].

Colin,

Thanks for the encouragement and answering my second question. In rereading my post, I am afraid it was not as well worded as it should have been. I am still wondering about my first question.

I currently have one catalog converted to PSE 3. After converting it, I changed where I want the catalogs to be stored using Edit > Preferences. That catalog was not moved to the new folder. Why?

Now that I have made the changes will any future catalogs created/converted from PSA 2 be saved in the new location?

Thanks,

Don S.

I changed where I want the catalogs to be stored using Edit > Preferences.
That catalog was not moved to the new folder. Why?





Now that I have made the changes will any future catalogs created/converted
from PSA 2 be saved in the new location?




This prefs setting simply determines which folder the Catalog open etc. dialogs open at. You can navigate anywhere you like from there. So, when you create a new catalog, the dialog will indeed offer to save it in this folder.

The confusing [to me] thing is that the prefs define a folder, but PSE 3 looks in a sub-folder called Catalogs.

Colin,

I am still confused as to how it works. What I want to do is convert my PSA 2 catalog, which is called My Catalog, to PSE 3. But it is currently located on my C drive. I want PSE 3 to convert it over to the proper format AND save it on my D drive which I have previous to the conversion set in the Edit>Preferences in PSE 3. Is that what it will do, or will it just convert it naming the original PSA 2 catalog My Catalog-1.psa keeping the new PSE 3 My Catalog in the same folder on the C drive?

I realize all I need to do is try it, but because it is a large catalog I want to do it only once and right.

Don S.

Let the conversion occur on the C: drive. When it's done, shut down PSE 3 and move the My Catalog.PSA to the place you want on the D: drive. Now double-click on the file in Windows Explorer and PSE will open it.

The setting in prefs is only relevant if you have several catalogs [which is not really a good idea unless you have very strong reasons]. Each time you open Organizer, it will open the last catalog you used [where ever it is located].

AIUI No it won't copy it over, it will leave it in the original location
- as you surmise, the default location in prefs is just the default
location for new catalogues created in PSE3

Just copy over the catalogue you want to convert to the drive/folder you
want it to be in, then open PSE3 and convert that copy of the catalogue.
--
Chris French