Here is what I wrote in that forum post:
When I am downloading the new PSE 2018 will there be a part during the installation process that states something like, "Do you have any old catalogs that you want to import?"
Not exactly. Remember you may have (like me...) many catalogs from any versions and even test or temporary catalogs. I have perhaps 20 of them because I keep catalogs from previous versions for support purposes. I also have temporary catalogs, test catalogs on 'default location' on my User library or in 'custom location' on external drives. For my own needs, I take care to use only the latest single catalog of the last version. The message you are quoting is only about the current catalog which opens when you open the organizer.
I have read on this forum about using a tool that Adobe has to UNINSTALL my previous versions of PSE. Is that tool available to me (a non-cloud user)?
No, it's only in rare cases where you have conflicts with updating software that you have to use CCleaner tool, which works with Elements like with Photoshop CC. I would recommend keeping older versions and old catalogs until you are sure you no longer need them.
Here is what I assume would be an adequate install:
1. Update and optimize any catalogs that I want to keep (one's that I want for my new PSE 18). 2. Uninstall all previous versions of PSE using the Adobe tool mentioned above .
3. Install my new PSE 2018 via the disk that I bought.
4. During the install it will ask me if I have any catalogs that I want to import into the new PSE 18. (I'm guessing here)
5. I tell it yes.
6. I navigate to that spot and do the importing of previous catalogs that I want to keep.
Depending on each user, the need to keep many catalogs for different versions on different media is so different that the program can't think for you. Even if you have good reasons to keep catalogs like me, only the current one is meaningful for everybody. It's up to you to know where your catalog folders are kept, especially when in 'custom' location on external drives.
So, what you have to do when installing PSE2108:
1. Don't uninstall previous versions, you'll do it later when you no longer need them and you are happy with 2018.
2. Be sure that your current catalog is the meaningful one (not any old or exotic custom location one)
3. Accept the conversion. That means your old catalog is read and a new catalog is created with the same name in the new version format. The old catalog is just renamed with a -1 suffix and works seamlessly with your old PSE version.
4. If you miss the conversion option, you can do it later whenever you want, even several times if necessary. If you need to convert other catalogs, no hurry. The catalog managers has the button 'convert' to help you find other catalogs, even already converted ones.
You are the boss. You have to decide what you have to do. Imagine an organizer which would search all my catalogs (without finding the ones on external drives), that would search for missing files, repair and optimize everything... I could wait for a whole week for a useless job.
Consider using only a single catalog, unless they have totally different contents (pro or personal for instance). Only keep older catalogs if you think they will be useful for safety reasons. For instance if you have a second computer which is 32 bits, it makes sense to keep the corresponding PSE version and its catalog on your new computer as a kind of backup.
(Edited)
Please ask if that is not what you wanted.
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. Forums are there to help with the thousands of issues or 'how to' questions where help is needed. The right thing is to always ask, as you are doing. Of course, searching the forum for similar issues (with the help of Google for instance) is recommended, but that's not frequent (unfortunately for other users trying to help).
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