How to Copy/Save files

[swingfast]

I am a new user - How do I know the best way to save/save as/copy a file (albums) to System or CD or Flash drives? And in what format?

I have downloaded my photo's into PSE and placed into Album's - What is the best way to Save/save as or copy. What is a good policy to follow? Or where do I learn what's best.

What format do I save/copy with?http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif

I have taken the Photo' - (I am new to digital Photo) some with JPEG and others RAW.http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/images/icons/icon7.gif

[dj_paige]

If you have imported your photos into the PSE Organizer, you don't have to do anything more to save the photos on your hard disk. They are still there, right where you put them. Advice: never over-write or delete your originals. Advice: Never (that's never) move or rename or delete the photos using Windows methods — use PSE commands to move, rename, copy or delete.

From the PSE Organizer, the File menu has many options for you to make copies, or move the file to CD, or make backups. Advice: make regular backups of your photo collection to CD or DVD or external hard drive, using the PSE File->Backup Catalog command.

As far as what format to use, that depends on what you intend to do with the file. If you are planning to send the file somewhere (like to someone else via e-mail, or to the web), the best format to use is .jpg. If you are editing a photo, many people save as .psd, which enable you to go back and tweak (or make major modifications to) your edits if you so desire. If your edits are simple and easily recreated in case you ever have to do it again, saving as .jpg works fine. Note: .psd files are larger than .jpg files of the same photo, using .jpg results in slight loss of quality (usually hard to detect by the naked eye), and are smaller. .psd files have no loss of quality and are much larger than .jpgs. The choice is yours.