Sequence of events after assigning a star rating

[ostonica]

I am trying to put together a nef-centered workflow using only PM,  ViewNX and Capture NX2, where no xmp files are created and metadata is written to the .nef files.

Please could someone explain exactly what happens after using PM to assign a rating to a thumbnail of a .fef file. I don't understand the inner workings of PM as it applies to getting the rating actually in the .nef file, and, in particular, the effect of the Tools/Update IPTC. What are the differences between the two options to read  IPTC from jpeg and from Raw?

I do not have RAW+Jpeg pairs, only .nef files with an embedded jpeg. I am not at all clear if the many references to RAW+JPEG pairs in the manual refer two two separate files (when the camera creates file pairs) or to the embedded jpeg and RAW data in the .nef file.

Also what does the error message "There were errors during the Update IPTC/XMP operation" mean? I get that message on alternate uses of Update IPTC.

I could not find any explanation of this process in the manual.

Thanks

Jim Swift

[Kirk Baker]

Jim,

I am trying to put together a nef-centered workflow using only PM,  ViewNX and Capture NX2, where no xmp files are created and metadata is written to the .nef files.

Please could someone explain exactly what happens after using PM to assign a rating to a thumbnail of a .fef file. I don't understand the inner workings of PM as it applies to getting the rating actually in the .nef file, and, in particular, the effect of the Tools/Update IPTC. What are the differences between the two options to read  IPTC from jpeg and from Raw?

There is no need to use that tool at all if you're only working with NEF files.

I do not have RAW+Jpeg pairs, only .nef files with an embedded jpeg. I am not at all clear if the many references to RAW+JPEG pairs in the manual refer two two separate files (when the camera creates file pairs) or to the embedded jpeg and RAW data in the .nef file.

Yes, two files.  Many cameras have a RAW+JPEG mode where two files are generated per frame.  If you are shooting RAW only, then there is no JPEG to be paired up with your NEF files.

Also what does the error message "There were errors during the Update IPTC/XMP operation" mean? I get that message on alternate uses of Update IPTC.

I don't know, but you don't need to use that tool at all if you're only working with RAW files.

As far as ratings and color labels go, the only cross-platform way to do them is via XMP using Adobe's tags.  So if you don't want XMP sidecar files then you'll have to embed XMP.  I understand that Capture NX2 can use XMP in NEF files for these purposes.

HTH,

-Kirk

[ostonica]

Jim,

I am trying to put together a nef-centered workflow using only PM,  ViewNX and Capture NX2, where no xmp files are created and metadata is written to the .nef files.

Please could someone explain exactly what happens after using PM to assign a rating to a thumbnail of a .fef file. I don't understand the inner workings of PM as it applies to getting the rating actually in the .nef file, and, in particular, the effect of the Tools/Update IPTC. What are the differences between the two options to read  IPTC from jpeg and from Raw?

There is no need to use that tool at all if you're only working with NEF files.

As far as ratings and color labels go, the only cross-platform way to do them is via XMP using Adobe's tags.  So if you don't want XMP sidecar files then you'll have to embed XMP.  I understand that Capture NX2 can use XMP in NEF files for these purposes.

HTH,

-Kirk

Thanks for the quick reply, Kirk. But I am even more puzzled now.

If I have all three apps open, PM, NX2 and ViewNX and I change a rating in PM, it only shows up immediately in NX2 and ViewNX if I use the Update Tool. Watching the .nef file in Windows Explorer, nothing changes in the .nef file after changing the rating until I use that tool.  I am trying hard not to use sidecard files.  It probably a preference settings issue!

I was hoping for an explanation of just what happens after a ratings change in PM ie what is written to which files and when.

Thanks

Jim

[Kirk Baker]

Jim,

I am trying to put together a nef-centered workflow using only PM,  ViewNX and Capture NX2, where no xmp files are created and metadata is written to the .nef files.

Please could someone explain exactly what happens after using PM to assign a rating to a thumbnail of a .fef file. I don't understand the inner workings of PM as it applies to getting the rating actually in the .nef file, and, in particular, the effect of the Tools/Update IPTC. What are the differences between the two options to read  IPTC from jpeg and from Raw?

There is no need to use that tool at all if you're only working with NEF files.

As far as ratings and color labels go, the only cross-platform way to do them is via XMP using Adobe's tags.  So if you don't want XMP sidecar files then you'll have to embed XMP.  I understand that Capture NX2 can use XMP in NEF files for these purposes.

Thanks for the quick reply, Kirk. But I am even more puzzled now.

If I have all three apps open, PM, NX2 and ViewNX and I change a rating in PM, it only shows up immediately in NX2 and ViewNX if I use the Update Tool. Watching the .nef file in Windows Explorer, nothing changes in the .nef file after changing the rating until I use that tool.  I am trying hard not to use sidecard files.  It probably a preference settings issue!

I was hoping for an explanation of just what happens after a ratings change in PM ie what is written to which files and when.

In the Files tab of the Photo Mechanic Preferences dialog, there is a section titled "Add tag, color class, and rating to IPTC/XMP:".  Set it to "For all photos".  Then make a change to the 5-star rating.  It should update the embedded XMP data now.

HTH,

-Kirk

[ostonica]

Jim,

I was hoping for an explanation of just what happens after a ratings change in PM ie what is written to which files and when.

In the Files tab of the Photo Mechanic Preferences dialog, there is a section titled "Add tag, color class, and rating to IPTC/XMP:".  Set it to "For all photos".  Then make a change to the 5-star rating.  It should update the embedded XMP data now.

[/quote]

Thanks, Kirk. I did have that setting from the beginning. Without a clear understanding of what, exactly, is going on re XMP and ITPC it some experimenting with the ITPC settings to get to the point where a change of rating in any one of the 3 apps, ViewNX, CNX2 and PM shows up immediately in the other two.
For any others who might be having this problem the settings I am now using are:
1. Reading IPTC/XMP  (a) read XMP before IPTC  (b) orider (i) Read embedded XMP (ii) read embedded IPTC
2  Writing (a) add both IPTC and IPTC4XMP
              (b) For Tiff based Raw photos check both Add embedded IPTC and IPTC4XMP
              (c) If sidecar files exist only update IPTC4XMP is present
3.  When viewing photos in RAW+JPEG mode use metadata from RAW.

I have to admit that some of these settings don't make sense, but they do, at last, give me the behavious I am looking for.

Thanks

Jim Swift