I may have found out what went wrong.
I tried manually to stack an original and a copy that allready should have been included in a version set, had it worked the way it should. Trying this, I received a database error message. I then stacked to other different images – worked ok. Tried again to stack the first two again. This time it worked. Finally I edited the image I first explored this problem with. And – voila – the automatic version set function worked again.
What went wrong? Was the database index about to get corrupted? Is this a possible malfunction, and is it related to the size of the database, the number of tags and categories (I have quite a few)?
I live by Murphy’s law, and would very much like to be enlighted if anyone could share some experience or knowledge about this.
There have been a few reports of version set failures, but the situation is by no means clear.
Your catalog is a quite a modest size. Do you have a very large number of tags?
Do you routinely do a catalog recover from time to time?
You probably need to do a Catalog->Recover or Repair (can’t remember which right now, and I’m at the wrong comptuer). Do this periodically, as it fixes any problems in the database.
-Trish
I am a new elements user. I have just tried editing an image and I too did not get a version set after saving the edited image. The new image is saved, but it appears as just another image (but with the "-edited" suffix appended to the image name). All the stack and version stack options are greyed out. I can’t even create a stack from other non-edited images. I tried catalog> recover which went ok, but still no joy. Is there some setting that dis-allows stacks?
I have just over 3k images in my catalog, and I have a dozen or so tags, and maybe a half dozen collections.
Help!
-Alan
Is there some setting that dis-allows stacks?
Have you actually selected the images that you want to stack?
Yes, I’ve tried that too… But I’m really asking why when I edit a photo and then save the result the new image doesn’t get automatically stacked with the original image in a ‘versioned stack’. All the stacking options are greyed out, even when I select both the oroginal and the newly edited images. The images I’m editing are all .jpeg files, not photoshop files. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Alan
I think you are getting confused between stacks and version sets. They are quite different things [although they have some similarities].
Stacks are under your control totally – just select th epictures and stack them. Version sets can only be added to by Editor. When you save an image, you have a set of option boxes and you need to check the "save in version set" one.
A really good resource/book which focusses on Organizer is: <
http://www.photofanatic.com/>
Colin,
I think I do understand the difference between ‘stack’ and ‘versioned stack’. I can create neither. I cannot create a versioned stack by editing an image, nor can I create a regular, normal stack by selecting a set of images and right-clicking to select ‘stack selected photos’. All the stack options are greyed out, even when I have multimple images selected.
Alan
Sorry. You calling version sets "version stacks" is what worried me.
Have you done a catalog recover? [Always the first thing to check.]
Colin,
Yes, I read a posting (from "Tricia" I think), and tried the catalog recover. Did not have any noticable effect. I also saved all my images via a backup to an external hard drive which afforded me the opportunity to do a catalog recover first which I did. I’m still unable to create stacks or version sets.
I did notice in the help a mention of a feature: "This option is only available when the stacks are not expanded in the Photo Browser." I cannot find any other mention of this feature. Is there some setting that causes the browser to expand all stacks? If I have that feature turned on, then maybe that’s preventing me from creating a new stack…
Alan
I think the option you mean is the "expand/collapse all stacks" toggle on the View menu. This would not prevent you from creating a stack.
Let’s go through it carefully. Please do this:
Click on an image to select it.
CTRL-click on another image to select that as well.
Click on Edit and slide down to Stack.
Is "Stack selected photos" not available?
I did everything you recommended, and the "Stack selected photos" s still greyed out. This is true whether I use the edit pull-down menu, or if I right-click one of the selected images. In either case, the "Stack > Stack Selected Photos" option is greyed out (as are all the other options under the "Stack>" option.
OK. I just wanted to be absolutely sure.
Maybe a reset of PSE 3’s global prefs is in order:
Go to C:\Documents and Settings\<your login>\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements [replacing <your login> appropriately] and rename the folder "3.0" to "3.old".
And then what?
Start Organizer and try again. It will rebuild prefs automatically. This commonly sorts problems with many Adobe programs.
Ok, I renamed the 3.0 folder to 3.old and then restarted the PSE 3 browser. The "Stack > Stack Selected Photos" option was still greyed out. I verified that the 3.0 folder had been regenerated. What now?
I am running out of ideas. I guess a reinstall might be worthwhile [ensuring that virus checking is off during the process].
Before that, maybe you could try creating a new catalog, populate it with just a few images and see whether that functions.
I do confess to being at a bit of a loss as to why something that works faultlessly for me is such a problem for you.
BTW, where are you images stored?
Colin,
All my photos are stored on my C drive. (Under C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Pictures\…) I would be reluctant to uninstall and re-install unless we can come up with no alternative that might work. Creating a new catalog sounds fine. I’ll try that, but not today. Have to go to work now.
Earlier I read:
"There have been a few reports of version set failures, but the situation is by no means clear. Your catalog is a quite a modest size. Do you have a very large number of tags?" I have some tags and collections defined. Can you say anything more about what others have reported regarding this issue?
If you think of anything else please let me know.
Thanks for the effort.
Alan
All the stack options are greyed out, even when I have multimple images selected.
Alan, the stack commands are not available while viewing a collection. Please make sure you’re viewing all images or at least use tags instead of collections.
Alexander.
—
Canon Ixus 430 (aka S410) | x86 with XP Pro | PSE v3.0.1 with 3k images | 12" Powerbook soon 🙂
Alexander
Please make sure you’re viewing all images or at least use tags instead of collections.
Good point. I assumed that all images were on view.
Alan
I have some tags and collections defined. Can you say anything more about what others have reported regarding this issue?
Don’t worry unless you have hundreds of tags.
I cannot locate the thread that addresses some similar issues. But I know they were different – exclusively version sets. In your case, we need to crack the stack problem.
Why do you have such a downer on a reinstall? It is quite easy and should not have any adverse side-effects.
Alexander,
Thanks for the help. That’s what I needed. I was viewing a collection all the time. Ween I viewed all photos, I saw that the version set had indeed been created in the edit. I have not tried stacks in this mode yet. (I still have to go to work) but I’m sure it will work. I wonder why this interaction between collections and stacks and version sets. It seems really unfortunate that to see or create a stack or version set you must first leave the collection that you are interested in and be forced to wade through all the photos that you have. Maybe someone at Adobe can shed some light on this?
Alan
I wonder why this interaction between collections and stacks and version sets.
There has benn much and controversial discussion about the behaviour of version sets and stacks within collections here … don’t want to start it all again 😉
Alexander.
—
Canon Ixus 430 (aka S410) | x86 with XP Pro | PSE v3.0.1 with 3k images | 12" Powerbook soon 🙂
If only in post #11 I had started with "show all images" … Live and learn.
I think that the "exclusion" effects of Collections are part of the design logic. Broadly, the intended use of a collection is to gather images together, in a particular order for a specific purpose – like making a slideshow, exporting etc. It is assumed that they are finished images at the point that you create the collection.
Liie Alexander, I don’t want to debate the rights and wrongs …
