XMP appears to be disabled.

[EddieJP]

My several attempt to change metadata for a document using the 'Replace' method with an .xmp file has failed.  It's a similar approach another user in this community used.  I notice that in the Documents Property window → Additional Metadata → Advanced Tab that 'Powered by XMP' is replaced with a red X (circled in image below).

I executed a repair of my Acrobat X installation that did not change this state. Does this mean my version of Pro can't support this method?

[try67]

No, it means the XMP file you used was malformed.

[EddieJP]

Hi G,

Thanks for replying.

While you are likely correct, I had to test that answer.

I use an archaic pdf database application that manipulates the metadata directly including custom metadata properties using an Excel-like grid window to edit them.  While it does a great job maintaining the document metadata within and independent of the app, it wasn't until I explored the possibility of batch procesing the metadata directly in Acrobat using JavaScript that I was continually confronted with a 'red X' in the doc's XMP window.  So your reply led me to suspect it was the culprit. This third-party app could be malforming the underlying XML metadata structure which can't be parsed by XMP. However, this assumption needs to be tested.

Using Acrobat Pro X, I created a new PDF document by scanning directly in a good paper copy.  While the new doc was in the temp folder (meaning I didn't save...yet), I ctrl-D the new doc to inspect the metadata.  I went directly to the metadata including 'Additional Metadata' under XMP metadata which is not 'dirtied' yet (properties remain undefined) .   The 'red X' icon remains.  I saved the document to a folder and re-opened the file and the error remains.

So this asks the question, how can Acrobat itself malform the metadata when there is none to apply?

So my assumption is reasonable that something else besides the mal-formed XML structure is preventing XMP from activating.