Can I copy IPTC data back into RAW file?

[TGeist]

This new feature in 4.6.2 is awesome:
"Added a preference to prevent modification of (non-DNG) RAW files when making metadata changes to tag, color class, and crop (although the TIFF rotation tag will be updated when rotating a photo). The crop is now stored in XMP for RAW files and can be read by Adobe applications such as the Adobe Camera Raw plug-in."

If I handled metadata this way (i.e. having it written exclusively into xmp sidecars and not into the RAW file), is there a way to write the IPTC info back into the RAW file at a later point in time?

Thank you!

Thomas
www.gg-images.us

[Kirk Baker]

Thomas,

This new feature in 4.6.2 is awesome:
"Added a preference to prevent modification of (non-DNG) RAW files when making metadata changes to tag, color class, and crop (although the TIFF rotation tag will be updated when rotating a photo). The crop is now stored in XMP for RAW files and can be read by Adobe applications such as the Adobe Camera Raw plug-in."

If I handled metadata this way (i.e. having it written exclusively into xmp sidecars and not into the RAW file), is there a way to write the IPTC info back into the RAW file at a later point in time?

Yes.  You have to change your settings to allow RAW files to be modified for metadata access and you need to change your IPTC/XMP embedding preferences to embed either IPTC or XMP (or both if you like) and then lastly apply an IPTC Stationery Pad (updating some unused field).  Your RAW files would then have metadata embedded into them which would basically be the same data that was in your XMP sidecar file.

-Kirk

[TGeist]

Thank you, this looks good.

However, I am now having the following problem:
When I turn off "Allow RAW files (non DNG) to be modified for metadata and image preference updates" I can no longer tag, star rate or set color class. Nothing happens when clicking or using the corresponding keyboard shortcuts.

Thanks again!
Thomas

[Kirk Baker]

Thomas,

Thank you, this looks good.

However, I am now having the following problem:
When I turn off "Allow RAW files (non DNG) to be modified for metadata and image preference updates" I can no longer tag, star rate or set color class. Nothing happens when clicking or using the corresponding keyboard shortcuts.

Works fine for me.  Please post JPEG screen shots of your Files tab and IPTC/XMP tab in the Photo Mechanic Preferences dialog.

-Kirk

[TGeist]

Thank you for your ongoing support!

OS X 10.6.2, Photo Mechanic 4.6.2, Nikon D300 NEFs

With this setting I cannot tag, star rate or set color class. If I click on the stars below the image, they shortly appear but then are gone again. An xmp sidecar however is generated.

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[Kirk Baker]

Thomas,

Thank you for your ongoing support!

OS X 10.6.2, Photo Mechanic 4.6.2, Nikon D300 NEFs

With this setting I cannot tag, star rate or set color class. If I click on the stars below the image, they shortly appear but then are gone again. An xmp sidecar however is generated.

Try setting your IPTC/XMP Read preferences for RAW files to read XMP Sidecar files first instead of third.

-Kirk

[TGeist]

That did the trick! Thank you so much!

Thomas

[TGeist]

All the above seems only true for IPTC data. Whenever I tag, star rate or set color class, the RAW file is still modified, no matter what setting I have.

Is there still something wrong in my settings or is this intended?

Thank you & have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thomas

[Kirk Baker]

Thomas,

All the above seems only true for IPTC data. Whenever I tag, star rate or set color class, the RAW file is still modified, no matter what setting I have.

Is there still something wrong in my settings or is this intended?

If your RAW file has already been modified in the past then PM will continue to update the data.  Otherwise it would be stale.  Try starting with images fresh from the camera, or use the Revert TIFF-based RAW photos to original command on the Tools menu.

-Kirk

[TGeist]

Thomas,

If your RAW file has already been modified in the past then PM will continue to update the data.  Otherwise it would be stale.  Try starting with images fresh from the camera, or use the Revert TIFF-based RAW photos to original command on the Tools menu.

-Kirk

Photo Mechanic 4.6.5 on OS X 10.6.4

This no longer seems to be true. I still have the settings as discussed. But even with a NEF directly imported from the CF card through Finder (i.e. it's completely untouched by PM) tagging in PM will not only create a xmp sidecar (which I want) but also alter the NEF. The NEF's modification date turns to "Today" and the time the NEF was tagged.

This unfortunately will trigger a new backup run with Time Machine, even though the NEF might already have been backed up by Time Machine before.

Thomas

[Kirk Baker]

Thomas,

If your RAW file has already been modified in the past then PM will continue to update the data.  Otherwise it would be stale.  Try starting with images fresh from the camera, or use the Revert TIFF-based RAW photos to original command on the Tools menu.

Photo Mechanic 4.6.5 on OS X 10.6.4

This no longer seems to be true. I still have the settings as discussed. But even with a NEF directly imported from the CF card through Finder (i.e. it's completely untouched by PM) tagging in PM will not only create a xmp sidecar (which I want) but also alter the NEF. The NEF's modification date turns to "Today" and the time the NEF was tagged.

This unfortunately will trigger a new backup run with Time Machine, even though the NEF might already have been backed up by Time Machine before.

The file itself isn't being modified.  The filesystem information (modification time) is being updated.  The data in the file isn't changing.  I suppose that if we really don't change any part of the file, we shouldn't change the modification date either.  I'll look into this.

-Kirk

[TGeist]

Thank you!

Thomas

[Kirk Baker]

Thomas,

Thank you!

I have done some testing.  I cannot find a way to take an image straight from the camera and with the settings set to never allow RAW files to be modified, I cannot get the modification date of the RAW file itself to change.  Under what circumstances are you able to get the behavior to happen?

I'm using 4.6.5 on Mac OS X.

-Kirk