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ACEkin
ACEkin
Participating Frequently
October 25, 2023
Answered

Lightroom cannot save metadata to files although I could 15 minutes ago

  • October 25, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 3543 views

I start my import and initial edits on my laptop then save metadata to files. After that, I copy the RAW files and the accompanying XMP files to my desktop and synchronize that folder. This morning, I did the same thing, but no matter what I did, I could not create the XMP sidecar files. Hoping to remedy the situation, I did the following with no change in this behavior:

  1. I restarted Lightroom
  2. Tried using Ctrl-S and the dropdown menu to save metadata to files
  3. Optimized the catalog which restarted the program
  4. Restarted the computer
  5. Now, I am writing this on the support forum to report the issue.

The strange thing is that I was able to create the XMP files earlier this morning, and this problem started out of the blue as I wanted to save metadata to files and copy them all to the desktop.

 

As a temporary solution, I exported the selected images as a catalog and copied them to the desktop. There have been no changes to the computer, Windows 11, or Lightroom. All the updates are applied.

 

This may be a bug or an abnormal behavior.

 

Cemal

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer daleducatte

    Thanks for writing a reply, which made me realize that the file I used to test with was taken today. I can save the metadata for those files I photographed today but not the older ones. The problem, in essence, persists


    Hello.

     

    Regarding the photos you're having trouble with: if you make any changes to the photos, can you then save the metadata? I ask because you mentioned deleting some .xmps with Windows Explorer. I was trying to replicate your scenarios and saw that if I manually delete an .xmp using Finder (I'm on a Mac), then saving metadata does not create a new .xmp unless I make a change to the photo. 

     

    I also saw another behavior that may be relevant, with three photos I experimented with:

     

    In the Library module, if I select these three newly imported photos and use CMD-S to save the metadata, Lightroom creates three .xmps. This is fine. 

     

    However, if I reimport the three photos then go to the Develop module, select them and use CMD-S to save metadata, Lightroom creates an .xmp for only one of the three -- the first one in my test, which was the "active" photo. To get all three created, I have to right-click on the filmstrip and choose Metadata/Save Metadata to Files. So  in the Develop module, CMD-S doesn't work the same as it does in the Library module, nor does it work the same as Save Metadata to Files from the right-click menu. 

     

    2 replies

    GoldingD
    GoldingD
    Legend
    October 25, 2023

    Where are the photos located?

    ACEkin
    ACEkinAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    October 25, 2023

    Photos are located on the local C drive, not synchronized to the cloud. And this feature stopped working within minutes. I saved some, no problems. I was ready to save a few more, and it stopped saving them.

    D
    dj_paige
    Legend
    October 25, 2023

    Lightroom or Lightroom Classic? What version NUMBER?

     

    When you do Ctrl-S, do you get an error message? If so, what is the error message, exactly, word-for-word, verbatim?

     

    Are you syncing these photos with the Adobe cloud? Please check and double-check the settings, do not simply say "I never do that". I want you to check.

     

    Are other programs accessing these photos or the XMP files?

    ACEkin
    ACEkinAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    October 25, 2023

    Lightroom Classic, 13.0.1 release. I do not get any error messages, the progress bar moves from left to right, but very rapidly. I do not use Adobe Cloud storage. No other program accesses or uses XMP files. As I said, I was saving metadata to files, and fifteen minutes later while still in Lightroom, I cannot save it anymore.

    D
    dj_paige
    Legend
    October 25, 2023

    What is the evidence that lets you conclude "I could not create the XMP sidecar files."

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