PHOTOSHOP WITH LAYERS

Question

i have read a lot of comments about how aperture handles photoshop files with layers. there seams to be quite some confusion.
how does aperture lose photoshop layers...
the answer is as simple and easy as it is annoying:
aperture imports photoshop files with layers just fine (check filesize or open the lib to varify. it's all there). however, as aperture treats every import as a new master, it will create a copy of the master before it opens it in photoshop. while doing so, aperture "expects" the master to be "just a photo" and therefore copies only the underlaying (combined) layer of the photoshop file. you end up with a flattened file in ps.
once this is done, you can open the file (your version) in ps and add layers. save it and they will be ok (and remain) in aperture. open the file again from aperture and all layers are ok. why? because aperture doesn't create another copy of it, it treats this (real new) file "only" as a version.
here's the problem:
if you have a gazillions of photos with layers like i do, you can import them into aperture but never access the existing layers anymore. you might ask: why would you want to do that anyway, just flatten them? simple answer: all curves, colour adjustments etc are used as layer settings, keeping the "original" photos untouched. call it "photoshop" versioning if you want. so it makes a lot of sense actually.
meta date
another major problem is that aperture doesn't allow changes to the most basic tags such as date, camera type, iso/asa etc. what about those 300'000+ photos from the archive, shot with "boring old" 35mm and middle format? being able to set some of the most basic data is a essential features i would have expected from a "pro" app!
apple: i'm generally a big fan of your products, but this time you really stress our "love-relationship" a lot! let us ps users treat files like adults (so we decide if we want to edit the master or not). allow to edit meta data. and for all the non-american users (yes, there is some secret land outside of the us, surprise!) change the keyboard shortcuts. and for those users who can only affort one bigger screen, allow them to use it (meaning, use the browser on a second smaller screen) or simply call it "switch monitors" if you like. and of course - dear aperture: if you create a "version" from the master, make it a "true" copy, not a flattened one. that would make all the difference.
(note: if my english *****, that's just fine, i'm just a 1.0 first release! or in non-apple-terms: a swiss guy with limited english)
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Answer 1

aperture imports photoshop files with layers just fine (check filesize or open
the lib to varify. it's all there). however, as aperture treats every import
as a new master, it will create a copy of the master before it opens it in
photoshop. while doing so, aperture "expects" the master to be "just a photo"
and therefore copies only the underlaying (combined) layer of the photoshop
file. you end up with a flattened file in ps.
OK I think I'm getting it, thanks. I think I'm a pretty bright guy but I'm having issues keeping track of all this Master/Version stuff in Aperture (probably because it's not easy to know which is which).
So if I have this correct, here's the way it works:
1. RAW files (the primary reason I'm playing with Aperture).
You start with a RAW master. It can't be altered anyway (by Aperture or any other RAW converter). However, you need to end up with a rendered color file (the role of a converter). When you do this and ask for the image to end up in Photoshop, you get a version. If you add layers while in Photoshop to this file, saving back in Aperture provides yet another version with layers or it's flattened? I'm assuming you end up with a new version (the 2nd) and this has layers. If you want to access it, you're going to have to do this outside of Aperture otherwise, opening from within Aperture (open with external editor) will produce a flattened new copy (version). Is that correct?
2.Existing PSD files with layers.
You import a file into Aperture with layers because you want to use the DAM features of Aperture. The file has layers and they remain intact but should you wish to edit it FROM Aperture, the file you get will be a copy and it will be flattened (because Aperture doesn't want to mess with the original). Correct?
IF you export the master (PSD with layers) file, you get your original file with layers. But if you alter it in Photoshop to keep layers intact, and you want to bring it back into Aperture, you'll end up with a new Master (again with layers intact). So you have this kind of round-robin where the original master, layered PSD can be accessed but if any alterations take place from Aperture, the original is left alone but the version is flatted.
Seems what we need/want is an option to take the Master out of Aperture, edit it and have it reinserted back into the Aperture library in such a way that it replaces the original (something Aperture tries not to do).
once this is done, you can open the file (your version) in ps and add layers.
save it and they will be ok (and remain) in aperture. open the file again from
aperture and all layers are ok. why? because aperture doesn't create another
copy of it, it treats this (real new) file "only" as a version.
So here I'm not clear. When you say open your version in PS, is this using the Export or Open with command? Export should provide a layered file since you're asking for the Master right? Open With creates a copy yes?
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