Newbie Finds File Saving Frustrating

I am using elements 2.0 - I retrieve a JPG file, insert a copyright notice and then save it. The software wants to save it with a PSD extension. I change it back to JPG in the pull down menu and it appears to save OK. When I try to exit I get a question about saving the PSD file. If I choose cancel I lose my changes to the supposedly saved JPG file. If I choose yes I get an unwanted PSD file taking ten times more disk space than the JPG file. When I look in folder holding the files, there are two JPG files, one with the original name and one with the original name plus the word "copy'. Is there any way to get elements to behave like a normal Windows program and simply save the existing file without changing the extension or creating a duplicate file ?

"Bill McCaffrey" wrote in
news:ha7nd.13202$:

I am using elements 2.0 - I retrieve a JPG file, insert a copyright notice and then save it. The software wants to save it with a PSD extension. I change it back to JPG in the pull down menu and it appears to save OK. When I try to exit I get a question about saving the PSD file. If I choose cancel I lose my changes to the supposedly saved JPG file. If I choose yes I get an unwanted PSD file taking ten times more disk space than the JPG file. When I look in folder holding the files, there are two JPG files, one with the original name and one with the original name plus the word "copy'. Is there any way to get elements to behave like a normal Windows program and simply save the existing file without changing the extension or creating a duplicate file ?

When you add text, it goes into a new layer. This is a good thing, because it enables you to come back to it later and edit the text, move it around, etc. But a JPEG does not have layers, so you should flatten the layers (see near the bottom of the Layers menu) before saving. Everything will then work as you wish it to.

"Bill McCaffrey" wrote in message

I am using elements 2.0 - I retrieve a JPG file, insert a copyright

notice

and then save it. The software wants to save it with a PSD extension. I change it back to JPG in the pull down menu and it appears to save OK.

When

I try to exit I get a question about saving the PSD file. If I choose

cancel

I lose my changes to the supposedly saved JPG file. If I choose yes I get

an

unwanted PSD file taking ten times more disk space than the JPG file. When

I

look in folder holding the files, there are two JPG files, one with the original name and one with the original name plus the word "copy'. Is

there

any way to get elements to behave like a normal Windows program and simply save the existing file without changing the extension or creating a duplicate file ?

The best scenario is where you save ALL files in PSD format for future editing and save a copy as a JPG. JPG format uses compression and doesn't support layers. So if you keep opening and saving a JPG in JPG format, it will degrade fairly quickly due to the compounding effects of compression. Artifacts will appear and become very noticeable very quickly. Plus, if you have text over the top of an image, you will not be able to edit the text, since it has been "flattened" into the JPG.

What is best is to modify the PSD file and when you have it he way you like, leave all the layers intact and save the file. Then "save as" a JPG. If it is going to be posted on the Web, you'll want to "Save for Web" to make the file size even smaller. This will keep two versions of the file in your folder--one that you will want to use for editing, the PSD, and one you will want to overwrite with the latest/best version, the JPG.

Peadge :-)