Can I sync metadata changes made in CaptureOne with PM?

[rcohn]

When I make metadata changes in Photo Mechanic 6 (ITCP template, star and color ratings) there is a "Sync Metadata" command in CaptureOne. Is there an equivalent when I go back to PM? In other words, if I change star ratings or add color tags in CaptureOne I don't see a way to get PM to recognize it. Since I can do this in CaptureOne I'm assuming either it exists or it could exist.

The files are all Canon .cr3 raw files and PM adds a .xmp file for each.

I tried "Update IPTC/XMP" which doesn't do it. I have included a screenshot of my IPTX/XMP preference page in case it is helpful.

I'm on a Mac using PM6 and CaptureOne 23 Pro.

Thank you.
Ric Cohn

[Odd Skjaeveland]

there is a "Sync Metadata" command in CaptureOne.

I used Capture One (C1) for many years, but I stopped upgrading at v20 and they are now at v23 (or 16 in their old way of counting), so be warned: things may have changed and I may be completely wrong.

In my head:

• C1 Sync Metadata exports metadata from C1 database to sidecar (.xmp) file.
  
• C1 Load Metadata loads metadata from sidecar file and also from image file to C1 database.
  

Try:

• C1: Make sure auto sync is off
• PM: Change metadata on one image and close the metadata dialog
• C1: Select same image
• C1: In Metadata: observe metadata difference to PM
• C1: In Metadata: Load Metadata and observe change happen

Edited to add:
Color labels are special. C1 may not get it right unless you adjust the color label setup in PM.   
Try some other metadata first --star rating is fine--  and tune color labels when you get the hang of it.

[rcohn]

Odd Skjaeveland, thank you for your reply!. Using this information I was able to get it to work.

It hadn't occurred to me (obvious now) that changes in CaptureOne (C1) are recorded in its own files and not automatically recorded in the side car files. You are correct, clicking "Sync Metadata" in CaptureOne works both both ways: Both getting C1 to read changes made in PM6 from the side car file and getting C1 to write to the side car file so PM6 can show the change.

I'm not sure what "Load Metadata" is good for over "Sync Metadata".

It still does not work for .dng files, but I think this may be a limitation of the .dng files?

Ric

[Odd Skjaeveland]

It still does not work for .dng files, but I think this may be a limitation of the .dng files?

Yes and no, I'd say it is a limitation in PM. PM expects metadata embedded in .dng files (and.jpg files). Capture One will not overwrite a "source" .dng, it will write metadata to a sidecar file where PM will not look for it. You can try export/save to dng from Capture One, it may embed metadata in .dng files it creates, in contrast to dng files created by a camera or created by Adobe's raw to dng converter.

[braver]

I'm experimenting with a 3-way sync between Capture One, Photo Mechanic Plus, and Lightroom Classic now, and PMP updates metadata from either sidecar or the original DNG when using Update IPTC/XMP command from Tools.

What I'd like to find out is whether it could detect those files that have either changed as DNGs or their sidecars have changed and update metadata only for those.  I can bastardize that discovery via sorting via Modified Time, reverse, abd kind of eyeball the range of recently rated/color-classified images from other apps, but would rather have them dectected automatically.  In C1 that's achieved by setting Auto Sync XMP to Load, and in LrC by doing Synchronize Folder and checking Scan for metadata updates.  The latter only picks up the DNG changes from PMP though, not XMP sidecars appearing from C1.