XMP sidecar not associating with image file

[SzurszewskiJ]

Given the following steps:

• Use Photo Mechanic to work through a folder and mark raw files with 0 to 5 stars
• Move the raw files with 1 or more stars out of the folder to another folder (note that only the raw files are moved, the .xmp files containing the rating info stay where they are)
• Use 3rd party software to process the moved raw files and generate corresponding .tif files back in the original folder

I expected that a .tif file, which has the same file name (except for the extension) would be recognized by Photo Mechanic as being paired up with the .xmp file of the same name and that the .tif file would show up in PM with the number of stars that the corresponding raw file had. But the .tif files just show zero stars in PM and refreshing and rescanning fails to fix the issue, even though inspecting the .xmp file shows the rating is not zero.

Aren't .xmp files tied to image files by having the same file name up to the extension? How do I get the .tif files to show the number of stars specified in the .xmp file with the same name?

[Kirk Baker]

Given the following steps:

• Use Photo Mechanic to work through a folder and mark raw files with 0 to 5 stars
• Move the raw files with 1 or more stars out of the folder to another folder (note that only the raw files are moved, the .xmp files containing the rating info stay where they are)
• Use 3rd party software to process the moved raw files and generate corresponding .tif files back in the original folder

I expected that a .tif file, which has the same file name (except for the extension) would be recognized by Photo Mechanic as being paired up with the .xmp file of the same name and that the .tif file would show up in PM with the number of stars that the corresponding raw file had. But the .tif files just show zero stars in PM and refreshing and rescanning fails to fix the issue, even though inspecting the .xmp file shows the rating is not zero.

Aren't .xmp files tied to image files by having the same file name up to the extension?

No.  XMP metadata is embedded into TIFF files.  TIFF is a standard, well-documented format that is expected to have embedded metadata like EXIF, IPTC, and XMP.  XMP sidecar files are associated with RAW files.

How do I get the .tif files to show the number of stars specified in the .xmp file with the same name?

Skip step two.  Use your 3rd party software to process your RAW files into TIFF files.  If that software understands XMP sidecar files and can produce a TIFF file, the TIFF files will have the XMP embedded in it and the stars should show up.

-Kirk