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July 28, 2019
Question

Missing sidecar xmp files in Lightroom Downloader

  • July 28, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 1395 views

Hi,

Anyone else having difficulty in downloading the sidecar xmp files after edits done using Lightroom, using the Adobe Lightroom Downloader app? I don't know if the problem for me is on the client, account, or desktop side, but the client version is Lightroom on iPad.

I have the Mobile Premium subscription. I can download the original DNG, but the edits made on iPad don't come through. Adobe support insist its a subscription problem for Apple to solve - they think I have only 2GB (although lightroom.adobe says I have 100GB), of which I am using only 15GB.

Also, I see no actual download links on lightroom.adobe.com web view of the photos or albums (only sharing options, which I think produce jpgs?).

I hadn't used the app or download for a while, and initially it wouldn't sync properly, so I updated it today plus cleared out the ~/Library/.../Adobe Lightroom Downloader folders. Still no luck though.

I've read here that there can be issues if the raw images were edited before the upload to Adobe. Although I'm using old stock I don't think there were edited (there were certainly no external xmp files)

I'd be grateful if anyone thinks this is a normal experience, or even better, how I can get the file mods. I've given up on Adobe support with this, and  I'm pretty close to cancelling the subscription and shifting to apps and storage that I can directly control.

thanks lots!

VB

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3 replies

Community Expert
July 30, 2019

P.S. most of the edits in the xmp if you get them out will not be read by ACR in PS CS6. That is just way too old and you won't get the same rendering.

July 30, 2019

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

I agree I need to re-verify edit information with another application to be sure. Given my current problem I feel hesitant to try out a subscription for the full LR CC application....I'll have to go 3rd party. I wanted to use the Mobile Premium approach to see how well the subscription and support work for me with problems like this,....

You may well be correct in practice about the xmp files not being downloaded, but the link I posted is very clear that XMP files should be downloaded.

But I also think there may be a gap in my knowledge.....by Lightroom cloud, do you mean the lightroom website where I can see my photos? Here I cannot see any export or save-to options...if they should be here could you please describe exactly where I should see them?

with thanks

VB

Community Expert
July 30, 2019

By Lightroom Cloud I mean the app on the desktop that used to be called Lightroom CC and is now called just Lightroom. However to the entire world, the word "Lightroom" refers to "Lightroom Classic" and so to avoid confusion, I append "cloud" - short for "Lightroom - the cloud based photo service". Adobe really messed up with the naming of these products and made it extremely confusing.

Anyway, the desktop version of Lightroom (cloud) has a save to function that you can choose original+settings in . This will give you the raws + the xmp files. The downloader app doesn't do this as far as I know.

Note that there also is Lightroom Classic on the desktop which works just fine with mobile Lightroom and is way more full featured than Lightroom cloud (it can actually print images and export to anything else than sRGB jpegs!) but it doesn't store all images in the cloud and relies on local image storage

Community Expert
July 30, 2019

I am pretty sure that using the downloader app you do not get any edits in xmp or embedded in dngs and jpegs. You just get the originals without sidecars. The only way to get the edits is to export (i.e. save to .. file type original+settings") them from Lightroom cloud.

Theresa J
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 28, 2019

There are no sidecar files for DNG format because Lightroom can write the info into the file. The edit info is still non destructive, but not saved externally.

Are you downloading the original files on a computer? If so you can view them with Bridge and you should see the edits. If you open the files in camera raw you will see your edits. You will need Photoshop to open them in camera raw. It’s not clear what applications you have, or how you are downloading the originals. If you are using an iPad only I don’t think there is a way for you to see the edits in the raw file.

All sharing options provide jpegs, not originals.

July 28, 2019

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Thanks for clarification on the sharing, much appreciated, that will save me some time.

I follow your thinking about the edits not being parsed by a viewer. Sadly, I can open the files in Bridge and ACR from PS CS6 on Mac. The ones I tested are unmodified.

The link below is a bit old, but it suggests that the sidecars would be separate (I think LR CC can embed them in the raw), but one way or another I'd hope them to be there

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/lightroom-cc/kb/download-lightr…

Maybe I'll try with some fresher files....

Thanks!

VB