How to STOP generation of XML files on import?

[lateulade]

I've been a Photo Mechanic user for over a decade, and after switching from the 5D MKIII to the R6 MKII, Photo Mechanic has begun generating XML files upon import. This is an issue for me because I have an offsite editor, and when uploading the files to Dropbox, I have to remember to delete the XML files every time for several photoshoots per day so that the file count on their end is correct.

How can I stop the generation of XML files? Thanks!

[Kirk Baker]

What is the file format that you're working with?  CR3?  Something else?

-Kirk

[lateulade]

Yes, CR3.

I haven't changed any PM settings since upgrading from the 5D3, and XML files were never generated there.

As a bonus, my DJI drones import all kinds of random DJI specific files -- is there any way to set a filter to only import certain filetypes? That would be amazing.

[ahoward]

Photo Mechanic cannot currently embed metadata into CR3 files like it can for most other RAW-formats. Ingest always does some small metadata updates, and those need to be written somewhere, so since it cannot embed it in the file, it gets written to XMP. You can use Copy/Move to copy CR3 files without creating XMP (although any further metadata changes that you make to your files will create an XMP anyway).

my DJI drones import all kinds of random DJI specific files -- is there any way to set a filter to only import certain filetypes? That would be amazing.

You may be able to use the Filter Files option on Ingest to only copy the RAW files and not other file types.

[lateulade]

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm not seeing how to move files without creating XMP, unfortunately (despite being a longtime user, I have a very specific workflow and don't know how to do anything outside of that).

[Kirk Baker]

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm not seeing how to move files without creating XMP, unfortunately (despite being a longtime user, I have a very specific workflow and don't know how to do anything outside of that).

How are you moving your files?  Please describe your workflow.

-Kirk

[lateulade]

I import my CR3 files into dated folders -- during import, the files are renamed to the serial of the camera followed by a sequence #. From there, I transfer the needed photos to a Dropbox folder shared with my editor using the "Copy/Move Photos" command with the following settings (see screenshot).

[ahoward]

I import my CR3 files into dated folders -- during import, the files are renamed to the serial of the camera followed by a sequence #. From there, I transfer the needed photos to a Dropbox folder shared with my editor using the "Copy/Move Photos" command with the following settings (see screenshot).

Since we have no function called "import" I assume you are using Ingest. Ingest will create the XMP file. If the XMP file exists then Copy/Move will bring it along.

[lateulade]

Apologies, it's ingest (with the settings below). Is there a way to disable XMP creation when ingesting?

[Kirk Baker]

The short answer is: no.

The long answer is that because your images (coming off the card) have four digits in their filename, PM wants to preserve those digits so that you can use them for other purposes later on (for instance to use the {frame4} variable) and this produces the initial XMP sidecar file.

We're considering adding a 'pure copy' option that when enabled wouldn't produce an XMP sidecar file in this case but you'd lose the ability to access the {frame4} variable later.

But even with that feature, if you were to lock an image in the camera and you have PM set to 'tag' locked images, it has to store the tag data somewhere and that would produce an XMP sidecar file.

Also, any keywording, captioning, etc. will also cause and XMP sidecar file to be created.

If we can manage to implement a method of embedding the XMP safely in a CR3 file (with the ability to restore a file to its original condition), then there will be no XMP sidecars if you have set PM to embed XMP into RAW files.

-Kirk