HT202255: OS X Lion: About Auto Save and Versions

Learn about OS X Lion: About Auto Save and Versions
Ellyenne

Q: How do I disable "versions" in preview

When I make a reduced size copy of a file in Preview (using tools) I want it to end up SMALLER.  With "versions", it just ends up getting bigger. Can I disable "versions" or do I have to go back and delete all the versions every time? 

This is NOT helping.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Apr 4, 2015 11:12 PM

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Q: How do I disable "versions" in preview

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  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Apr 4, 2015 11:24 PM in response to Ellyenne
    Level 10 (139,572 points)
    iLife
    Apr 4, 2015 11:24 PM in response to Ellyenne

    What part f 'copy' is not clear.

     

    If you're making a reduced size 'copy' then you export it from the original - that's why it's a copy

  • by Ellyenne,

    Ellyenne Ellyenne Apr 5, 2015 1:14 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 5, 2015 1:14 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    And, when I copy it, export it, or save it is the same size as the original (2MB).  While the picture is smaller (500KB), the file is still 2MB.

    I found a way to disable the whole version thing.  Much happier without the computer thinking for me.  This is not supposed to be Windows.

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Apr 5, 2015 1:34 AM in response to Ellyenne
    Level 10 (139,572 points)
    iLife
    Apr 5, 2015 1:34 AM in response to Ellyenne

    You'e not being very clear.

     

    when I copy it, export it, or save it is the same size as the original (2MB)

     

    What export settings are you using?

     

    This:

     

    While the picture is smaller (500KB)

     

    and this

     

    the file is still 2MB.

     

    What picture? What file? How are these two related? Where do you get the file sizes from?

     

    Much happier without the computer thinking for me.  This is not supposed to be Windows.

     

    Yes, well, it will always seem like the computer is thinking for you if you don't understand how it works.

  • by Ellyenne,

    Ellyenne Ellyenne Apr 6, 2015 12:10 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 6, 2015 12:10 PM in response to Terence Devlin

    Perhaps I should have been clearer.

    I opened the file I wanted to have a reduced copy of.

    In the past (MacOS back to 8.4 on 4 computers, and GOK how many Windows computers), I would open the file (a JPG), make my changes (reduce the size) and Save-As to a new file name. The original file would be unchanged.  The new file would be smaller, equal to the size Preview calculated for the the new, smaller image.

     

    In Lion (MAC OX10.7.5), I opened the file (2MB), made the changes (Preview gave me the new size of the picture: 500K) and exported the file to a new file name. Imagine my surprise when the original file was now the size that Preview gave me for the smaller size of the picture (500K), and the new file was the same size as the original file (2MB).  BUT, when I opened the new file (2MB) in Preview, it said that the image was 500K. 

    I then read the information on "versions", and deleted all the past versions on the modified file. While the image was still 500k, the file remained at 2MB.

    I was able to recover my original from Time Machine.

     

    I have also been able to disable this deviant behavior. 

    And in the future, I will duplicate first, and work on the copy of the file. I am just annoyed that I have to modify how I've worked for years.

    Luckily, I did not update iWork or iLife, so I do not have to deal with this problem.