RAW Lab

[Patman]

After I've downloaded my images (RAW file format) I select which ones I want to edit. When I do this the "RAW Lab" opens. I am not ready for the RAW Lab as I prefer to make adjustments to a duplicate
image rather than the original image. I am unable to locate a pathway back to the RAW Lab after I've made a duplicate of the original image. It would be nice to have this pathway.

[Forriner]

The RAW lab doesn't change the RAW file when you edit it, changes are stored in a database -if you check 'Save image settings' in the dialog. That way you can always revert to the unedited form by clicking the Reset button.

The database settings are used, if saved, as a starting point for further editing if you need/want.

If there are stored edits to a RAW file, you'll see "RAW" in the lower left corner of the thumbnail in the organizer.

Hitting the Apply button stores the database and closes the RAW editor, while Edit applies the changes and sends the image to the normal Editor for further editing. You have to save a file from the normal editor to get usable file formats, like TIFF, JPG etc. for sharing/publishing etc.
If you have RAW files with stored changes you can use a batch process (File/Batch process...) to 'convert' them from RAW to any format that PSP supports. But this doesn't include any changes made in the Edit workspace unless you made a script for those changes.

For PSP X4 under Windows 7 the database is stored in \users\Your Name\appdata\local\corel paint shop pro\14.0\database\rawsettingsDB.db. Other versions of Windows/PSP possibly/probably under a different folder.

[Patman]

I just went back and, using a test photo, changed the filter in the RAW Lab, selected edit and then performed a "Save As" with a modified image title.
The filter change was reflected in the original image after saving the change with the "Save As" option thus changing the original image without the
opportunity to keep the image as exceptionally "original."

[df]

Patman, what you're seeing is the program remembering the settings that you've chosen. The raw file is still the same file. If you were to open the raw file in another editor or even Windows Photo Gallery then you'd see nothing but the original unmolested image. To get back to the original in PSP's raw lab click Reset when the raw lab opens.

You can open these files without using raw lab as well. Click File> Preferences> File Format Preferences and uncheck Open RAW images with Camera RAW Lab. Then you can copy, duplicate, etc, to your hearts content.