PM captions not appearing in LR

[nick_hardcastle]

I have added captions to photographs in PM (latest version) - In the IPTC to NEF files.  When I import the files in to Lightroom, some of the captions appear, some don't.  I can't work out the reason for this.  Any advice please?

[Kirk Baker]

Nick,

I have added captions to photographs in PM (latest version) - In the IPTC to NEF files.  When I import the files in to Lightroom, some of the captions appear, some don't.  I can't work out the reason for this.  Any advice please?

Are you embedding IPTC, IPTC4XMP, or are you using XMP sidecar files?  Are these files fresh from the camera, or have they been around for a while, captioned with different settings over time?

-Kirk

[nick_hardcastle]

I've used PM to import the NEF files to one of my hard drives.  I then select a group of images and click cmd i to bring up the dialogue box before adding a caption in the IPTC and apply to selected photos.  The captions are there.  When I import the photos to LR some folders have the captions there, some don't.  When I go back into PM, the info seems to be there. I am a bit baffled.

[Kirk Baker]

I've used PM to import the NEF files to one of my hard drives.  I then select a group of images and click cmd i to bring up the dialogue box before adding a caption in the IPTC and apply to selected photos.  The captions are there.  When I import the photos to LR some folders have the captions there, some don't.  When I go back into PM, the info seems to be there. I am a bit baffled.

Please take a screen shot of your IPTC/XMP tab of the Photo Mechanic Preferences dialog and post it here.  This will show me your settings.

Is it possible that you have duplicate files and that you've captioned one set of files but are importing the other set(s) that haven't been captioned?

-Kirk

[nick_hardcastle]

I've checked to see that I am importing the right folder of images - the ones with the captions.  My current settings are as per the attachment.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Kirk Baker]

I've checked to see that I am importing the right folder of images - the ones with the captions.  My current settings are as per the attachment.

You're using an XMP sidecar-only workflow for your RAW files.  Is it possible that you've imported/accessed those images into LR prior to captioning them with PM?  If so, you need to force LR to re-import the metadata for those files.  By default LR only imports the metadata the first time it sees a photo.

Seasoned LR users, please tell Nick the best settings to use in LR to make it update the metadata when it changes externally.

-Kirk

[nick_hardcastle]

Hi

Please help! I have fiddled with the settings in PM and I am unable to get my captions to appear in LR when I import files.  Can anybody point me in the right direction please?

[Hayo Baan]

I'm not a seasoned LR user at all (only worked with it to find out if it suited my needs), but from what I remembered, once you've imported a file into LR, the metadata of that file is in its database. If you then change the file outside LR (e.g., in PM), LR will not see the changes unless you explicitly tell it to update those files.

As I don't have LR installed anymore (LR doesn't work for my workflow), I can't describe the exact procedure, but somewhere on the program menu or on the right click menu of a file there should be an entry that should read something like "update file" or something similar.

Hope this helps,
    Hayo

[nick_hardcastle]

I've been experimenting.  With the settings shown in this screen grab, data that I add in PM appears in LR when the images are imported and will update when the metadata is synched in Lightroom too (Metadata/Read Metadata from File).



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Kirk Baker]

Nick,

I've been experimenting.  With the settings shown in this screen grab, data that I add in PM appears in LR when the images are imported and will update when the metadata is synched in Lightroom too (Metadata/Read Metadata from File).

I do not recommend embedding IPTC or XMP inside your RAW files if you're working with Adobe's applications.  If you do this then you'll encounter a bug in their applications where they won't update the embedded data when it changes and only update the sidecar file and moreover Adobe's apps will prefer the stagnant embedded data over the newer sidecar data.

You may not be having problems yet, but you will encounter them at some point.

You need to use a XMP sidecar only workflow and get LR to update its internal database metadata when the sidecar file changes externally.  Please read the Lightroom documentation and see how one instructs the application to resync its metadata with the metadata stored on the file system.


EDIT: I fired up Lightroom 2.  While I don't usually use LR myself, I found out how you get LR to realize the changes.  Right-click on a selected photo and choose Metadata->Read Metadata from File from the contextual menu that appears.  Click on the Read button when the warning dialog appears.  You can check the "Don't show again" checkbox if you don't want to have to confirm the operation each time.  You can also use the Metadata menu on the main menubar on the selected photos by choosing "Read metadata from Files".

For best interoperability I suggest you set LR's Catalog Metadata settings to 'Automatically write changes into XMP' so that when you make changes in LR, other applications like Photo Mechanic will see them as well.

Please use an XMP sidecar only workflow with Adobe's applications.  You'll be much happier in the long run.

HTH,

-Kirk

[nick_hardcastle]

Thanks, but could you post or send me a screenshot of the suggested PM preference settings.

Nick

[Kirk Baker]

Nick,

Thanks, but could you post or send me a screenshot of the suggested PM preference settings.

The settings in your first screenshot were pretty much right on the money.  The only other checkbox I would add is the 'Don't update embedded IPTC/IPTC4XMP even if it exists'.  Then in the Files tab, un-check the 'Allow RAW files (non DNG) to be modified for metadata and image preferences' checkbox.

That should keep PM from embedding IPTC/IPTC4XMP in your RAW files and will keep PM from adding its image preferences onto the end of your RAW files.  This will ensure maximum compatibility with Adobe's applications.  Any files you've already captioned with your old settings (when you had instructed PM to embed metadata) can be reverted to their original form by selecting them and then using the 'Revert TIFF-based RAW to original' command on the Tools menu.

-Kirk