Star rating Preferences cause trouble - URGENT!

[pmagi]

Hi, think this could be a bug:

Using PM 4.6.9 on Win Vista 64, I changed the Preferences from Allow writing into RAW files to instead use XMP files. Then the star rating wont stick at all. Even after changing back to stop using RAW files, this problem persist. Checking the folder in Explorer reveals that PM not create XMP files even when I said its OK to write into the RAW file. And the XMP files dont work, so the star rating wont stick.

The second possible bug is that if you star rate a RAW image then edit it in PS CS6 ACR, then chaneg the star rating, you will find that all RAW settings are deleted!

Please let me know asap, as this first problem means I cant rate images ie cant work!

Rgds
Petter
 

[pmagi]

Tried rebooting the machine and reinstalling PM 4.6.9, and I am still locked in a situation where I cant rate any images!

Need a fast solution, please!

Rgds
PM

[Kirk Baker]

Petter,

It sounds like PM is unable to modify your files due to a permissions issue either on the files themselves or on the folder the files reside in.  Check the permissions of the files and the parent folder with Windows Explorer.

-Kirk

[pmagi]

Hi Kirk, fantastic fast reply, thanks!!!

It was not a problem with permissions, but it seems that if you untic the box to allow writing into RAW files, the settings in the IPTC/XMP tab are changed, so when you tic the box again the begaviour is changed.

I solved both problems by editing the IPTC/XMP tab, so now ratings etc are exchanged just fine between PM and Bride/ACR, AND I managed to maintain reading old ratings (internal IPTC).

The only thing not working now is that on old images with internal rating only stored, the rating is lost when I edit a raw file, since that creates a XMP sidecar file. Is that something possible to solve by some smart logics? Like "If star rating is empty in sidecar file, then have a look in the embedded IPTC/XMP fields"....

Bridge seems to write into a sidecar file when rating and editing RAW files.
My old ratings are stored as embedded IPTC.

My new settings now, to make PM work with Bridge/ACR:
1. Read XMP sidecar file
2. Read embedded IPTC
3. Read embedded XMP

Add embedded IPTC
Add  embedded IPTC4XMP
Always create/update XMP sidecar....

Rgds
Petter

[Kirk Baker]

Petter,

Now that you've changed the settings, you should be able to apply an IPTC Stationery Pad that clears out some unused field but leaves the others untouched.  This should cause the XMP sidecar files to get updated as well and your ratings/color classes/tags should then be synchronized.

Make sure you un-check any IPTC fields you don't want modified before you apply the stationery.

-Kirk

[pmagi]

Thanks, will try that.

Perhaps you should look into restoring IPTC/XMP settings tab after uncheck/recheck the box for writing embedded to RAW files. Woudl be nice to restore the previous settings.

Rgds
Petter

[Kirk Baker]

Photo Mechanic 4.6 is no longer being maintained.   We have simplified the IPTC / XMP prefs in version 5.

-Kirk