Backup catalog

[pierre]

Hello
First I apologize for my English
I understound from Photoshop Element that when the catalog is created it contains only information pointing to the files containing the pictures.

When I tried to save the catalog I was expecting to have only the file called catalo.psa In place I ended with a file 6 go containing all my pictures

What is wrong ?

Regards

Pierre

[dj_paige]

Nothing is wrong. That is how the command File->Backup Catalog is supposed to work.

[Michel B]

From Adobe's PSE6 pdf help file:
"The Backup Catalog command copies your catalog, along with your photos (both the original and any edited version you’ve made), video clips, audio clips, PDFs, and projects onto a CD, DVD, or local network hard drive. It’s useful to have a spare copy of your catalog and media files on your hard drive (if your computer has extra space) in case you need to restore them after a problem or accident."

[pierre]

Thank you for your quick answer
I am surprised because in the french help version it is written :

Important : les fichiers photo restent à leur emplacement d’origine, sans être enregistrés dans Photoshop Elements. Au lieu de cela, Photoshop Elements crée un lien vers les fichiers d’origine. Si vous supprimez un fichier d’origine, Photoshop Elements ne peut plus l’ouvrir

Which for me means that the pictures where not in the catalog so I was wrong or the help is not clear

[Michel B]

You are right, the catalog is only a database keeping links to the real photo files. But the purpose of the organizer is to provide all the necessary tools to manage your photos. You could backup only the catalog, but that would not give you the possibility to restore your photos after a disk crash or problem. You could not use your backup to transfer your files to a new disk or computer. This explains why the backup saves both catalog and all photos.

[johnrellis]

Part of the confusion lies in the multiple meanings assigned by Adobe to the term "catalog". Sometimes Adobe documention uses "catalog" to refer to just the database file that stores information about the photos, and sometimes the documentation uses "catalog" to mean that database file and all of the photos. Most of us here also use both of those meanings, and sometimes you have to read closely to figure out which is meant.