How to transfer .xmp files

[shotis]

Hi,

I've just finished a first cull of images on my laptop with PM, but now need to continue culling the images on my iMac (I have the original raw files on both computers).

I've worked out how to copy the .xmp files created by PM but I'm not sure how to now transfer/copy them over to my iMac so that PM reads them alongside the original files (as sidecar files). The folder of images consists of about 14 subfolders (memory cards) so I don't think I can just paste the files into the parent folder.

Any help on how to do this would be really appreciated!

Many thanks,

Lou

Ps. I'm running Photo Mechanic Version 5.0, build 18040 (9e75cf5) on Mac OS X 10.11.6 (Intel)

[Kirk Baker]

Using something like "rsync" is the way to go for things like this.  You only want to copy the new/changed files, such that the folders on both systems are identical.  Rsync is an excellent tool for this.  Unfortunately it isn't a simple tool to use and must be from from a Terminal window.  But there are GUI versions available.  Checkout http://www.opbyte.it/grsync/

HTH,

-Kirk

[neiram44]

Hej,

If I can add my contribution I used Bit Torrent Sync for this type of need.

It's pretty easy to setup and very efficient. I preferred it to any Rsync solution that as Kirk mentioned is not super userfriendly

[shotis]

Thanks for your reply Kirk, I'll give that a go!

Just a thought...if I copy all my xmp files from the subfolders and then copy them into their own folder, would PM scan all the folders and import the new xmp folder along with the original image files?

One last question, I've just noticed that the number of xmp files in the original folder is different to the number of images selected in PM. I've culled my images and colour rated them as red. PM shows that 2400 images have been selected. However, in the original folder there are about 2580 xmp files. DO you know why there would be a discrepancy (I'm worried that PM might not be showing all of my selected images)?

Thanks for all your help!

Lou

Ps. thanks neiram44 

[Hayo Baan]

Just a thought...if I copy all my xmp files from the subfolders and then copy them into their own folder, would PM scan all the folders and import the new xmp folder along with the original image files?

PM doesn't need to import anything, you just open a contact sheet for the folder(s) you want to view the images in. The .xmp files need to be at the same location as the corresponding image though. If they're not, PM will not see them as belonging together (and rightly so as you could have duplicate filenames in different directories).

One last question, I've just noticed that the number of xmp files in the original folder is different to the number of images selected in PM. I've culled my images and colour rated them as red. PM shows that 2400 images have been selected. However, in the original folder there are about 2580 xmp files. DO you know why there would be a discrepancy (I'm worried that PM might not be showing all of my selected images)?

What does PM tell you in the status bar? It should tell you exactly how many files there are in the contact sheet and how many you selected. Selected xxx of xxx (xxMB) | xxx + xxx = xxx total | x unknown

[shotis]

Hi Hayo,

Thanks for your help! If I filter the contact sheet by my red selections then the status bar states that there are 2400 red images selected. It states "Selected 0 of 2400 (0.0MB) | 9247+2581=11828 total | 0 unknown"

The thing that's confusing me is that there are 2581 xmp files in the original folder but only 2400 being shown as selected in PM!

Cheers,

Lou

[Hayo Baan]

Hmm, instead of selected, I think you mean to say Filtered, am I right?

Anyway, the numbers shown (9247+2581=11828 in your case) can be bit confusing to be honest. They show the raw respectively the non-raw files on the contact sheet (directory). The number of non-raw files includes the xmp files though. So if your contact sheet only contains raw  (+xmp) files then you indeed have 2581 xmp files in that contact sheet. Two possibilities:
1. You have xmp files that do not have a matching raw file – these should show up as proxy icon when View|Unknown files as proxies is enabled.
2. Those xmp files do not match your filter setting.

Does this explain what you are seeing?

[shotis]

Hi Hayo,

Sorry for the delay in replying! Thanks for your help...I've figured it out now. The discrepancy was caused by the fact that PM seems to create an .xmp file whenever an image is selected (with a colour flag). As I was going back and forth culling the images, I ended up deselecting/unflagging various images. Therefore there is still an .xmp file associated with the original file, albeit no longer flagged and therefore not visible in PM.

Many thanks,

Lou

[Hayo Baan]

Excellent, thanks for letting us know you figured it out. So it was caused by number two: those XMP files didn't match your filter (any longer)

And to explain why you got them: whenever you rate, colour code, tag your images PM will immediately writes that to the file metadata (in this case the XMP file). So indeed if you rate an image 5 stars and then revert to 0 stars, you will have an XMP file which (in this case) wasn't really necessary.