Adding Metadata

The issue I noticed was losing GPS data on many files randomly. The following was my experiment and findings,  Tech support provided no viable information to help me except to suggest I create a new catalog and work with this.   

In my experiment I created two new catalogs, 1NC and 2NC and compared then with my LR Main Corrupt catalog.  I use the F:/ drive where Ito download my images from the camera while I travel using a laptop and the N:/ drive in my desktop where I copy files from my F:/ drive.  I then import them to my LR Main working catalog in my desktop.

The Experiment:

LRC 20-07-07  1 NC:  This was the first new catalog I created, then imported directory directly form the F:/ drive, the external drive that I use with a laptop.  Images do not only have the XMP corresponding files but are themselves hard coded by the camera. The result:  The catalog imported all my GPS coordinates.

LRC 20-07-11 2 NC:  This catalog was created to both import directories with images pointing from the F:/ portable drive and separately also from the N:/ drive located in my desktop. The images pointing to the F:/ drive showed the GPS coordinates the same ones from the N:/ drive did not. So, what happened and how to resolve.  I have been using a GPS on my camera since December of 2017 and have never ran into this problem.  This all happened when I upgraded to the latest version.

LR Main-Corrupt:       My main catalog that got corrupted with the upgrade. This catalog only holds the images that point to the N:/ drive in the desktop the drive that holds all the images that I have copied from my portable F:/ drive over a period of over 10 years. This drive is weekly backed to a raid system.

The experiment showed total incongruency between the metadata information found in drive N:/ and drive F:/ drive and this should not be. There are times when I find on the upper right-hand corner a small box with three horizontal lines and an up arrow. When selecting this option, a drop box pops that requests two options I always choose “Import Settings from Disk” previous tech person suggested to choose the other option “Overwrite Settings.”  “Overwriting” will erase all GPS data, choose “Import”. The GPS Metadata is not found on the XMP file but hard coded to the image by the camera.  I believe this is what happened when I updated to the new version, the program made an override.  This has never happened in all my upgrades since 2017.

Solution to my lost data in the N:/ drive

On an additional step I copied the files with all GPS data in my F:/ drive using windows explorer to a directory with the same name in my N:/drive while the LR Main catalog was open in LR.  As the files were open one can see the option with the three bars and the up arrow appear on the left hand corner. Highlight all the files and click on the icon and select “Import Settings from Disk” and if this does not appear on the right hand side panel under Metadata there will be an option stating “Update Status”, select the little box to the right and insure you save the information. I will also go to Library>Metadata>Save Metadata to File and save. Very important: In the drive that holds the originals in the Map module check and make sure that the Update Status states all files are up to date. 

Additional Metadata Management Suggestions

Suggestions about the handling of the Metadata. Under MAP module there is a Sync Metadata option NOT found in the in the Library and Develop module. Library and Develop modules only offer the Sync option and it is automatic.  In the Library module the only area where one can make changes is in the right hand side panel AND it is the Metadata Status option that hardcodes the GPS information so when and if image file is copied to another drive it will take that information with it.  If an end user does not have GPS he may not think of going to the MAP module to make Batch metadata changes to his images. In the MAP module the SYNC METADATA option is quite flexible and is the way to make metadata changes to one or a group of images simultaneously and allows one to select which fields one wants to include or exclude.  As stated before, this option should be available in the Library>Metadata Module

Your question isn't clear. Are you talking about common save behavior, where a temp file is created, old file deleted, and then new file renamed to prevent data loss?