Reverting to original RAW file

[percivalbragg]

I am new to PSP and and accidently saved a change to my original RAW file can this be reversed?

[MarkZ]

In File/Preferences/General Program Preferences/Auto-preserve is a check box to enable auto-preserve. If that is checked the original file is saved in a sub-folder named (surprise!) "Corel Auto-Preserve". This is created as a hidden folder so your browser has to be set to show hidden folders if you want to access the folder to retrieve that way. If you want to retrieve the original file go to Edit/restore original in PSP. If your response to the dialogue is to retrieve the file you will get the original but will lose the modified file. These comments refer to files in jpg format and similar. If the auto-preserve box is not changed . . . . . . !

In Preferences/File format Preferences the first tab is for opening RAW file in Camera RAW lab. If that is selected when you go to edit a RAW file the conversion process opens and one of the choices is edit. After editing when you save you need to choose the format into which you save - the last used, such as jpg is selected but below the file name is the box where you select the format. I do not see a RAW format (whatever designation your camera uses) as a choice. So I suspect your file was saved in a different format and your RAW file is in its pristine state.

Just to check, I opened a RAW file without using the RAW lab, made some changes and tried to save. As above, I could not save into the RAW format.

If you shoot RAW a lot I suggest you look into Corel AfterShot Pro for RAW processing - that is my preferred route, followed, when necessary by PSP. ASP is lossless.

[hartpaul]

I just tried to overwrite my Raw file in PSP from the Raw Lab and I could not. It seems to operate similar to the Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) which I mainly use for my Raw files. Because Raw files are so important I doubt that programs can change the data in the file, but can save a set of instructions which can be applied. Whether these are embedded in the raw file or as a separate data file I have not yet established, but I suspect they are embedded in some spare space in the file.

This reasoning comes from - I take a raw file and make some drastic changes , eg change the white balance to read as if the image was shot in tungsten and also heavily lightened and contrast increased. I save this (PSP = Apply) and in DPP save changes to Raw file.

I reload that image and it shows the changes I have made in that program, but if I then set the Scenario / White Balance to As Shot , it returns the image to the WB setting used in the camera. The brightness contrast stays as was set, but can be changed back to the original positions and so I have my original image again. Interestingly enough both images when opened in Irfanview use the original camera settings for all settings and the image is as taken. So the original settings are preserved and it seems cannot be changed permanently.

[Forriner]

Changes are not written to the RAW file itself but to Corel's own RawSettingsDB in the same folder as the Image database of the Manager tab.
For example, in X4 under Windows 7 it's in \users\yourname\appdata\local\corel paintshop pro\14.0\database.

If you want to re-edit from scratch, click the reset button on the bottom of the RAW edit screen.

[Forriner]

Delete: double post.

[percivalbragg]

Thanks to all for the help. I retrieved the original file and learnt somthing valuable at the same time.

[brucet]

My understanding is that you can't change a Raw file. Any editing is more than likely in a sidecar file.

The original Raw can only be deleted not changed.

regards