Bridge Photo Downloader does not retain settings

[Hoka Hey]

The Photo Downloader used to retain the settings from the last time it was used. Now, it goes to the default settings and new settings including copyright have to be put in every time it is used.

Is there a way to get the Photo Downloader to retain settings again?

I'm using Adobe Bridge CC 2019 ver. 9.0.2.219

Thanks in advance.

[War Unicorn]

Little late to this, but Adobe is aware. No ETA on a fix yet, though. The bug's affecting me as well.

Bridge CC 2019 Photo Downloader

Bridge 2019 Photo Downloader doesn't remember previous settings – Adobe Bridge Feedback

[image22]

Any ETA on a fix on this Bug? 

[Hoka Hey]

Is there any ETA on this?

[rainmand]

Years later, no fix. I have a feeling Adobe is in the business of programming glitches, and everything that works is just an accident.

[Hoka Hey]

Does anyone know where Bridge stores the file that holds the info for the last settings for the Bridge Photo Downloader? Either Bridge is not storing it in the right place, or Bridge is not looking for it in the write (pun intended) place. Someone just needs to go in and set the code to the same place for both jobs.

[War Unicorn · Accepted solution]

Soooo...I'm not a code propellerhead, but I decided to do some detective work based upon what's happened before.

Before I divulge, here's what I did to get preferences back (note this is for Windows 10; I can't speak on how to do it for Mac but I'm sure someone can pipe in on where the location is):

On Windows 10, in Windows Explorer, go to:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe

(If you don't see it, the AppData folder is hidden by default, because companies like Microsoft don't think you should see it to rectify a problem and you're dumb. Use View > Hidden Items on Explorer's menu bar to see it.)

Create a folder named, "Bridge CC 2018" (without the quotes, of course) in the Adobe folder. And that's it. Try and launch Photo Downloader. Change some settings, download some images and exit. Then try it again to see if your settings stuck.

What I surmised is that the code for Bridge CC 2019 is maybe trying to point at the Bridge CC 2018 folder for its "APDPreferences.xml" file, which the Photo Downloader needs to reference for saved settings. If you noticed, after noodling around in Photo Downloader, the APDPreferences.xml file is created in the empty Bridge CC 2018 folder we made earlier.

This is the similar thing that happened some years back with Bridge CS 5.1. Users had to create a blank folder named "Bridge CS 5" to get it to work again. (For more reference: Photo Downloader default settings? )

Soooo...yay! It's working again.

[Erik Bloodaxe]

Thank you so much for this fix.

It takes about 30 sec if that to create the required folder then the problem is no more.

Brilliant!

...but why can't Adboe fix this as they have had about a million times as long as it took me?

And they employ programmers don't they?

[War Unicorn]

You're all welcome! 

Unless it's absolutely imperative, you'd never see a hotfix for something like this as it's more in the quality-of-life department. It works; it's just a PITA because it's a huge time sink to have to change the settings every time, especially filling in the metadata fields. (I know, I don't like it either.) We're probably sure to see a fix with the next update.

ON EDIT: I'm going to unmark the original "correct" answer (which was actually my reply) and use my recent reply as the correct one so people don't miss it.

[Lars Westman]

"We're probably sure to see a fix with the next update."

The problem remains still. I did a fresh install yesterday on Windows, and had to create a new folder to make it work!

[Hoka Hey]

Thanks!!!

That fixed it.

On a Mac it goes under Users/Library/Application Support/Adobe

Looks like it will only take changing an 8 to a 9 in 2 lines of code.

I really appreciate your help.

[Jos Van De Laar]

Thanks mate, that worked a treat!

[wick.photo]

If anyone else came here searching for the solution but needs the Mac version, here it is:

Open terminal

Type mkdir "~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Bridge CC 2018"

This will create the settings folder in the hidden library preferences folder.

[Twelvizm]

I'm guessing to change 2018 --> 2019 as the case may be?

[wick.photo]

It does actually need to be 2018, the root of this bug is that Photo Downloader 2019 for some reason saves the settings to the 2018 folder and if that folder doesn't exist it can't save the preferences file.

[StrikerBAY]

Thanks mate, that worked

[Erik Bloodaxe]

We seem to be going around in circles with this issue!
With Bridge CC 2019 a reported fix was to have your old Bridge 2018 CC AppData folders still present, at least for Windows users. This was because Bridge CC 2019 was attempting to save settings in Bridge CC 2018 folders.

Then the problem was fixed with the release of version 9.1.0.338.

Now with Bridge 2020 and the problem is back again!
...and analogously, if your old Bridge CC 2019 AppData folders are kept, then this stops the issue occurring. Without these folders settings are not kept.
So we appear to have exactly the same issue - Bridge 2020 is trying to save settings in the wrong folders i.e. Bridge CC 2019 folders.

[Alexander van der Zel]

THX!!

I had the same problem when I installed bridge om my new pc (windows) first new map bridge 2018 CC doesn't worked. did some detective work 🙂 on my old one there was a "bridge 2019 CC' map copied it and paste it in the adobe map meantioned above. works great again!!!

[Peggy362402744nu1]

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.  This has been driving me crazy!

[jmcastiglioni]

I am having the same problem I just wanted to reply and say I appreciate and approve that you intended your pun. 

[peterwaddo]

Brilliant, Thanks

[Twelvizm]

I'm having this problem on my Mac Pro 6,1 running Mojave 10.14.3 using Adobe Bridge v 9.0.3.  The solution provided doesn't seem to translate well to OSX.  Anyone know the remedy here?

[Erik Bloodaxe]

This issue was fixed with the release of version 9.1.0.338 of Bridge CC 2019 but with the release of Bridge 2020 it is back again!

This is as described before except that now you need to have a folder in your AppData "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Bridge CC 2019" which is where Bridge 2020 looks to store and retreive the settings file "APDPreferences.xml". Create the above folder if it is absent and all will be well.

In other words, same fix but a generation ahead!

[Hoka Hey]

Thanks. Did a clean install on a clean OS and the problem was back. Glad to find the updated answer here!

[jeroenmies]

Same here. Thanks all