Saving files

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2018-07-31 09:57:59

Can anyone point me at where I go wrong?
I open a file in Pixelmator. Change some settings. Click export and save the file to my harddrive. When I close the file, Pixelmator asks me if I want to save the file which I just did. Why does Pixelmator asks me where to save the file when I have just saved it on my harddrive?

I run into this in Pixelmator Pro but I ran into it using Pixelmator as well.

I hope someone can enlighten me. It would be appreciated very much.
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2018-07-31 14:53:34

There's actually an answer in your question itself:
Click export and save the file to my harddrive.
Exporting is not the same thing as saving.

Essentially, every time you open a file in Pixelmator Pro, it is automatically converted to PXD -- a native file format Pixelmator Pro works with. It's also the format only Pixelmator Pro can open and edit.

The Export option allows you to create a copy of your document in a format other than the native PXD, to be displayed on the web or opened by other apps. Though this copy contains all the changes made to the file since it was first opened, they haven't really been saved to the original PXD, that's why when you try to close it, Pixelmator Pro asks whether you'd like to keep the changes or not.

File > Save, on the other hand, saves all the changes, formatting, layers, and additional image information to the PXD, so you can go back and continue editing your project later. However, if you're pretty sure you won't be returning to make additional edits to this file, you can simply choose to delete it upon closing.
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2021-01-29 13:17:52

So if I want to open and make a quick edit to a JPG in Pixelmator I will have to export my JPG because it is in fact a PXD when opened in Pixelmator. Good to know.

Here's how I'm used to doing it (at least for the past 20 years or so with other apps):
Open JPG > Edit > Save > Done.

Here's how Pixelmator does it:
Open JPG (Converted to PXD) > Edit > Export JPG (Export? Huh? Oh ya this is different) > When Closing Save the PDX Message (Huh? wait didn't I already? Oh it's the PXD conversion thing again. Hate this extra step forced PDX save conversion thing) > Done.

Maybe it's just easier to use an app that can make simple edits and doesn't cost me any extra steps? I have to always:
(Step 1) export the JPG AND
(Step 2) decline to save the PDX at the end
(Step 3) my own step - hate Step 2

I get it's always nice to enforce saving in your proprietary file format. Helps with ensuring that once someone uses your app they continue to do so. Adobe along with countless other apps do the same thing. But at the cost of what? At the cost of adding an extra step for the end user each time they finish working with a file?

I don't always open Pixelmator to do serious work. If I open a JPG, the 'save' feature should save in the format I have opened (Not in the format you think is best for you). It's just intuitive.

You want a user to have enjoyed the process of using your app when they are done. Not have them hate the extra forced step right at the end and leave your app with a sour taste.

Maybe I wrong in how I am accustomed to using the 'save' feature in pretty much every app I have ever used? For example, I'm used to open txt files and when I hit 'save' it's saved as a txt file (I don't have the extra nonsense in my head that it maybe saving in a different format) What if every app did what Pixelmator does and if I want txt then I must export the txt otherwise I will be asked to save in a different format and I have to close the dialog box and go back and export and at the end decline to save in the apps proprietary format.

Wow what a headache if every app manufacturer did this!

Just open my image and let me get on with my work - without messing with my head.
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2021-01-29 13:52:39

by Bluebeep 2021-01-29 10:18:21 I get it's always nice to enforce saving in your proprietary file format. Helps with ensuring that once someone uses your app they continue to do so.
Not quite. While all our apps feature pro image editing tools, they are made with beginner users in mind. Most beginner users have trouble fully understanding how layers work and have even more trouble understanding lossy compression. So the issue here is twofold:

1. In cases where users don't know exactly what they're doing, if we quietly merge layers and nondestructive edits every time a user saves their edits, data would be lost. That's pretty much the worst possible thing that can happen.
2. If a user repeatedly saves the same JPEG file, its quality will degrade (irreversibly) for no apparent reason.

By automatically importing all images and saving them as PXD files, we ensure no unintended data loss or image degradation will happen when users perform simple tasks.

The good news is you have the freedom to adapt the workflow to your needs. If you open Pixelmator Pro preferences and turn off the "Import JPEG, PNG, and TIFF images" option, you'll get just the workflow you're looking for.
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2021-01-29 14:57:03

they are made with beginner users in mind
Beginners are used to opening files and hitting the 'save' button. I'm not talking about Layers or compression. I'm talking about 'saving'.
1. In cases where users don't know exactly what they're doing, if we quietly merge layers and nondestructive edits every time a user saves their edits, data would be lost. That's pretty much the worst possible thing that can happen.
2. If a user repeatedly saves the same JPEG file, its quality will degrade (irreversibly) for no apparent reason.
I'm talking about 'saving'. And we are aware of the degradation from multiple saves. But as I have pointed out I don't always open Pixelmator for high end work. Most of the times I don't care about the loss. It's the extra work during this 'most of the time' that's the problem.
By automatically importing all images and saving them as PXD files, we ensure no unintended data loss or image degradation will happen when users perform simple tasks.
Good come back. Not good for 'beginners' or what is considered 'normal' application usage though.
The good news is you have the freedom to adapt the workflow to your needs. If you open Pixelmator Pro preferences and turn off the "Import JPEG, PNG, and TIFF images" option, you'll get just the workflow you're looking for.
Thanks! This works. Hopefully Pixelmator will introduce a feature to leave alone other filetypes as well in the future and make this option deselected by default (Since beginners are in mind when developing).
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2023-04-02 12:57:18

Please help me to understand why some JPG files can be edited in Pixelmator (v.3.9.11) and I can close that file, and the file us saved automatically in the background, while other JPG files from the same scan batch have to be saved as JPG files even when I have not created any additional layers? (Just Clone Stamp or Repair tools are used.)