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Import the Organizer Catalog
Photoshop Elements have the Organizer (Mac Photoshop Elements
9.0 only).
You can import the Organizer catalog from Windows versions of
Photoshop Elements 6.0 through 9.0, and the Mac version of 9.0.
Two Cautions
Caution #1 - Five File Formats Only
Lightroom only operates with five file formats.
You can't import the bmp, pdf, and other file formats.
You can't import Photoshop Elements creations, either.
You can import these only these file formats:
• JPEG
• TIFF
• Raw
• DNG
• PSD
As described in detail below, your psd files must have been
saved in Photoshop Elements with the Maximize Compatibility
option selected.
Caution #2 - Varied Results
People who have imported their Photoshop Elements catalogs
into Lightroom report varied results.
Photographs
The photographs transfer, except:
• Photographs that were designated as Missing Files in the
Organizer.
Go to File > Reconnect > All Missing Files.
• Photoshop files (psd) that were saved without Maximize
Compatibility selected.
Maximize Compatibility is the default setting.
Check to see if you've been saving psd files with the
Maximize Compatibility option selected.
In Photoshop Elements, go to File > Preferences (Windows) or
Photoshop Elements > Preferences (Mac).
Click, on the left side, Saving Files.
Look for Maximize Compatibility menu in the center of the
screen.
Always should be selected.
Collections & Albums
Not all of your collections or albums may be imported, and
those that are imported, may not be intact.
You can add a keyword tag to the photographs in a collection
or album, designating the collection or album.
For example, the photographs in Sri Lanka could be tagged
with c_Sri_Lanka.
Then in Lightroom, filter using c_Sri_Lanka as the attribute.
Place the resulting group of photographs in the Sri Lanka
collection or album.
Keyword Tags
Write Them First
Your keyword tags won't import unless you write them to the
actual photographs.
In databases like the Organizer and Lightroom, keyword tags
are stored separately from the photographs.
You have to write the keyword tags to the actual photographs.
Go to File > Write Keyword Tag and Properties Info to Photos.
Hierarchy
Your hierarchy of keyword tags may be not be imported intact.
psedbtool
Consider using John Ellis'
psedbtool for
writing the keyword tags.
Version Sets & Stacks
Version sets are not supported by Lightroom.
When imported, they may or may not be converted to stacks.
Stacks created in Photoshop Elements may or may not persist
when imported into Lightroom.
Rotations
If you rotated photographs in the Organizer, the rotations
may not persist in Lightroom.
Notes Won't be Imported
In the Organizer, in the Properties pane or panel, there's a
Notes box.
Text entered into the Notes box won't be imported into
Lightroom.
Import the Organizer Catalog
Do the following the Organizer.
1) Go to File > Backup Catalog.
2) Go to File > Reconnect > All Missing Files.
Then, do the followig in Lightroom.
Lightroom 2
Go to one of the following:
• File > Import From Photoshop Elements 5 And Earlier
• File > Upgrade Photoshop Elements 6 Catalog
Lightroom 3
Go to File > Upgrade Photoshop Elements Catalog.
Resources
Migrating your catalog to Lightroom John R. Ellis
