Posted by mark miller on October 3, 2010 at 2:08 PM
Does anyone know how to check history in PhotoShop on any particular image saved from a previous session? That is, I adjusted an image, saved it as a tiff (without saving adjustment layers), and then later re-opened it. I then want to know if there is any kind of record what had been done before on that image. With sharpening, I know I can make educated guesses at 100% by noting 'halo' effects, but is there anything in PS history information that still remains? 9I know, using layers is what I should do in the future)
Thanks. MM
Posted by mark miller on October 3, 2010 at 2:16 PM
I forgot to say, I am able to see what I did under RAW adjustments when re-opening the RAW file. But there is no history information I can find when opening jpegs or tiffs.
Posted by David Bostedo on October 3, 2010 at 4:28 PM
I don't think PS saves history information once you close a file Mark, so there's no way to see it once you've closed the file. With RAW, all of the adjustments are saved in the XMP file (or other database file) since RAW edits are never actually made to the file.
Essentially, when you process a RAW, you're simply creating instructions for the program to use, not doing actual editing of the original image (which is called "non-destructuve" editing). The same is not true with a JPG or TIFF, unless you use layers to accomplish the same thing, or use PS smart objects to do things in a non-destructive way.
Posted by Keith Bauer on October 3, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Actually, there is a way to save a log of the history of things you've done to an image in Photoshop. It isn't like the history panel when you're working with an image, ie. you can't go back in time. This text is from the help file in PS CS5:
Set Edit History Log options
You may need to keep careful track of what’s been done to a file in Photoshop, either for your own records, client records, or legal purposes. The Edit History Log helps you keep a textual history of changes made to an image. You can view the Edit History Log metadata using Adobe Bridge or the File Info dialog box.
You can choose to export the text to an external log file, or you can store the information in the metadata of edited files. Storing many editing operations as file metadata increases file size; such files may take longer than usual to open and save.
If you need to prove that the log file hasn’t been tampered with, keep the edit log in the file’s metadata, and then use Adobe Acrobat to digitally sign the log file.
By default, history log data about each session is saved as metadata embedded in the image file. You can specify where the history log data is saved and the level of detail contained in the history log.
Choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > General (Mac OS).
Click the History Log preference to toggle from on to off or vice versa.
For the Save Log Items To option, choose one of the following:
Metadata Saves the history log as metadata embedded in each file.
Text File Exports the history log to a text file. You are prompted to name the text file and choose a location in which to store it.
Both Stores metadata in the file and creates a text file.
Note: If you want to save the text file in a different location or save another text file, click the Choose button, specify where to save the text file, name the file if necessary, and click Save.
From the Edit Log Items menu, choose one of the following options:
Sessions Only Keeps a record of each time your start or quit Photoshop and each time you open and close files (each image’s filename is included). Does not include any information about edits made to the file.
Concise Includes the text that appears in the History panel in addition to the Sessions information.
Detailed Includes the text that appears in the Actions panel in addition to the Concise information. If you need a complete history of all changes made to files, choose Detailed.
Posted by mark miller on October 5, 2010 at 11:25 AM
Well Keith, you learn something every day. It never ends. Great information. I just tested it on an image, and it worked great.
I'll use "Detailed" history as my general default on all images. That way, if I go back to an image, in particular I can determine if I sharpened or not by opening "History" under "File Info", and if so, how much., Good stuff!
I am also going to implelment adjustment layers and save them that way.
This will be helpful.
And David, I never knew what the .xmp files did either. I usually considered them as litter, little annoyances so I just deleted them. Oops, now with a test, I realize what you said, they save the RAW history. Yikes.
So, now I just returned to Recycle Bin and found 666 .xmp files I hade previously deleted, selected them all, and restored them, and they all zipped back to their respective places immediately. So now, I have at least restored all that data.
Discussion
4 repliesThanks. MM
Essentially, when you process a RAW, you're simply creating instructions for the program to use, not doing actual editing of the original image (which is called "non-destructuve" editing). The same is not true with a JPG or TIFF, unless you use layers to accomplish the same thing, or use PS smart objects to do things in a non-destructive way.
Set Edit History Log options
You may need to keep careful track of what’s been done to a file in Photoshop, either for your own records, client records, or legal purposes. The Edit History Log helps you keep a textual history of changes made to an image. You can view the Edit History Log metadata using Adobe Bridge or the File Info dialog box.
You can choose to export the text to an external log file, or you can store the information in the metadata of edited files. Storing many editing operations as file metadata increases file size; such files may take longer than usual to open and save.
If you need to prove that the log file hasn’t been tampered with, keep the edit log in the file’s metadata, and then use Adobe Acrobat to digitally sign the log file.
By default, history log data about each session is saved as metadata embedded in the image file. You can specify where the history log data is saved and the level of detail contained in the history log.
Choose Edit > Preferences > General (Windows) or Photoshop > Preferences > General (Mac OS).
Click the History Log preference to toggle from on to off or vice versa.
For the Save Log Items To option, choose one of the following:
Metadata Saves the history log as metadata embedded in each file.
Text File Exports the history log to a text file. You are prompted to name the text file and choose a location in which to store it.
Both Stores metadata in the file and creates a text file.
Note: If you want to save the text file in a different location or save another text file, click the Choose button, specify where to save the text file, name the file if necessary, and click Save.
From the Edit Log Items menu, choose one of the following options:
Sessions Only Keeps a record of each time your start or quit Photoshop and each time you open and close files (each image’s filename is included). Does not include any information about edits made to the file.
Concise Includes the text that appears in the History panel in addition to the Sessions information.
Detailed Includes the text that appears in the Actions panel in addition to the Concise information. If you need a complete history of all changes made to files, choose Detailed.
I'll use "Detailed" history as my general default on all images. That way, if I go back to an image, in particular I can determine if I sharpened or not by opening "History" under "File Info", and if so, how much., Good stuff!
I am also going to implelment adjustment layers and save them that way.
This will be helpful.
And David, I never knew what the .xmp files did either. I usually considered them as litter, little annoyances so I just deleted them. Oops, now with a test, I realize what you said, they save the RAW history. Yikes.
So, now I just returned to Recycle Bin and found 666 .xmp files I hade previously deleted, selected them all, and restored them, and they all zipped back to their respective places immediately. So now, I have at least restored all that data.
Thanks, MM