4.11. Project files

Project files created by Imerge use a unique file format, and are saved with the .imerge file extension. Imerge scans your file system to find all .imerge files on your machine and lists them on the projects screen.

Backward compatibility

Project files created by Imerge are backward compatible, meaning that any project files saved with an older version of the software can be opened in a newer version of Imerge. However, projects saved with a new version, cannot be opened in older versions of the software.

Therefore, if you have a project file that was created in an older version, and want to open it in the current version, you can do without issue. However, if you think you may have any reason to open the file later in the previous version, then it is recommended to copy the project file first, so the original remains intact, and you can open the copy in the current version, and save it to the updated format.

Image referencing

When you import images into your project, the actual images are not copied or stored in the project file. Instead, Imerge uses referencing – it stores the location of the source file, so it can open the file into the project. The original source image remains unchanged on your drive. Any adjustments made to the image, such as color adjustments or keying, are stored in the Imerge project file, so the adjustments can be applied each time the project is opened.

Transferring project files

Image referencing has a decided advantage in that the editing process in Imerge is non-destructive, and never alters or damages your source images. However, it also means that if you want to transfer the project from one computer to another, you need to remember to transfer the source images as well.