I think what you’re asking about is round-tripping. Regardless what external editor you set in Aperture (menu Aperture > Preferences… > Export > External Photo Editor:), when you open the file from Aperture into that application, using the Edit with [app] command, then save it in that app and go back to Aperture, you’ll see your changes reflected there.
If you then make a change to that photo in Aperture, and decide to open it again in the External Editor, Aperture will have to flatten the image and create a new version. It has to do that because the adjustments made in Aperture can’t be translated to another app, just as any other application’s adjustments can’t be translated back to anything else. So it’s good practice to try to make ALL of your adjustments in one app at a time, vs. going back and forth. At least, if you want to maintain things like layers, it is.
Don,
I think what you’re asking about is round-tripping. Regardless what external editor you set in Aperture (menu Aperture > Preferences… > Export > External Photo Editor:), when you open the file from Aperture into that application, using the Edit with [app] command, then save it in that app and go back to Aperture, you’ll see your changes reflected there.
If you then make a change to that photo in Aperture, and decide to open it again in the External Editor, Aperture will have to flatten the image and create a new version. It has to do that because the adjustments made in Aperture can’t be translated to another app, just as any other application’s adjustments can’t be translated back to anything else. So it’s good practice to try to make ALL of your adjustments in one app at a time, vs. going back and forth. At least, if you want to maintain things like layers, it is.
Does that help?
-Joseph @ApertureExpert
@PhotoJoseph
— Have you signed up for the mailing list?
Thank You