Using Elements 6 with Vista Photo Gallery

[jadrma]

I just purchased a new computer running Windows Vista. I would like to use Vista's Photo Gallery for my everyday photo management including using the tags, etc. I would like to install my Elements 6 software but use it only to work with selected photos that I want to fine-tune edit.

If I remember correctly, Elements 6 automatically loaded all of the files in my Picture folder into its organizer. I don't want to duplicate Photo Gallery where they all now reside and are tagged per Vista. Can I have the Elements 6 Organizer only include the fewer selected photos I choose?

Jack
jadrma@aol.com

[johnrellis]

Just turn off the PSE Watch Folders feature -- File > Watch Folders. You don't ever need to go into the Organizer at all, if all you want to use is the Editor.

I recommend downloading the Windows Live Photo Gallery, which supersedes Windows Photo Gallery (built-in to Vista) and has many improvements. (Classic naming confusion from Microsoft -- where do they get those marketers?)

[jadrma]

Okay, so if I just use the Editor feature of Elements 6 then I just save the new photo to my Picture Folder and it joins the rest displaying in Vista's Photo Gallery...correct??

[johnrellis]

That's right.

[Dorrie H.]

Johnrellis,

Is the File > Watch Folders in the Editor or the Organizer. I couldn't find in the Editor Ver. 6 on my PSE. I only use the Organizer in ver. 5 that I also have on my computer. Is there a way to eliminate the Organizer in Ver. 6?

[johnrellis]

File > Watch Folders is in the Organizer.

Avoiding the Organizer is easy:

1. Turn off watched folders using File > Watch Folders.

2. When you save a file in the Editor, uncheck the option Include In The Organizer. That option is usually sticky, but a few people have reported that they have to keep unchecking it each time they save.

[Dorrie H.]

Thank you John,

I removed the "My Pictures" folder from the file > watched folders, however there are still four images still showing up in the organizer. If I delete them from the catalog, will it have any effect on my catalog for ver. 5 or will this be just for ver. 6?

[johnrellis]

Deleting the images from the PSE 6 catalog won't have any effect on the PSE 5 catalog, as long as you don't check the box to delete them from the hard disk. But there's really no need to do anything to the PSE 6 catalog now.

[Dorrie H.]

Thank you John for all your help. It's very much appreciated