Error writing Metadate to file in Bridge 15.0.3.525

[scenicshutterbug]

I have been trying to add keywords to images in Bridge using the Essentials workspace.  Adding keywords to the first few images seems to work fine but then I start receiving the following error message:  "There was an error writing metadata to [FILENAME].  If I click OK and try to add it again, sometimes it will add the keyword(s), sometimes not.  This can occur when trying to update keywords for a single image or adding the same keyword to multiple images at one time.  Then, when I want I am runnin to close Bridge, I get another message:  "Quitting Bridge will stop all the background processes.  Are you sure you want to quite Bridge?"  I tried waiting for Bridge to finish whatever it is trying to do, however it never seems to resolve the problem and close normally.  (I can't tell what this might be from Task Manager.)   If I quit Bridge and then reopen and and return to the keywording process, I find that none of the keywords have been added to any of the image's metadata--including those that appeared to have processed properly before the error.  I am on a Windows 11 Pro platform, Bridge version 15.0.3.525,  This error seems too have begun after the last version update. 

[ExUSA]

Where are these files stored?

[scenicshutterbug]

Not sure if this is what you need to know 

I use XMP sidecar files.  The xmp files are stored in the same directory as the image files to which they are attached.  These are on an external RAID array on my network.

[gary_sc]

Sorry, @scenicshutterbug, there's your problem. 

Bridge is not designed to work with networks. It may partially work, or it may seem to work OK, but minor shifts in something within the network can cause it to stop working entirely. 

From the get-go, Bridge was designed to work only with connected files (hard drives and external drives). Networks are not easy for applications like Bridge to connect to, that's why systems that work with networks are expensive. Many years ago, Adobe had a network system as part of its CS system (before the Creative Cloud). They gave up on it. If you move your files onto directly connected hard drives, your problems will probably be over. 

FWIW, here's what I do: 

I have a 4 TB drive that holds my images and many documents. I use a 2nd 4TB drive to back up my first drive. I manually do this at least once a week or more often if I've done a lot of work. (If you have a Mac system, I can strongly recommend Chronosync for this backup strategy. I’m sorry, I cannot make a similar recommendation for PCs. Regardless, look for backup software that can update your data as opposed to constantly replacing your data.)

I use a 3rd 4TB drive for Apple's Time Machine.

I also use a cloud service in case the house burns down. Am I paranoid? No, I’m just a realist. In a worst-case scenario, I would not lose much, at worst, sometimes a bit more than I'd like, but nothing horrendous.

[Note: the 4TB is entirely based on what I need. Your needs may demand more or less hard drive space. Whatever you think you need, double it. Oh, the backup drives, you do not need SSDs or anything fancy or fast, just reliable. Just to let you know, your first backup will take a long time.]

[scenicshutterbug]

Thank you, Gary.  I don't think that is the problem.  I should have clarified that the raid is on an ethernet connection to the LAN.  It has been this way for about 10 years through multiple versions of Bridge, Photoshop, and Windows, and has never had a problem like this in the past.  I do have backups in place.  

To me, it seems more like a memory issue.  It starts out writing keywords to the files as it always does and then after doing this successfully for a while, it will give me that error message.  Some keywords may have been written to the file flagged in the error message, some may not.  Other files will have been updated as part of that group without a problem.  I don't see anything unusual about the files that were contained in the error messages when they occur.  They are all relatively large files, since I am using a Nikon Z8 and shooting raw, but that is also not new.

Any other ideas?

Karen

[gary_sc]

Hi, @scenicshutterbug. Having success and then failure is not uncommon when it comes to RAID or network issues. How it's connected does not really make much difference. 

For lack of anything different to think of, have you tried converting your images to DNGs? I've been using DNGs from the very beginning and use them all the time. One thing it "might" help with is the location of where the images and the xmp files are located with the mechanics of a RAID system (things move around, and they may not be moving together).

I'd suggest that you take a group of (say) fifty images and convert them to DNG format. (When this is done, the original files are not automatically deleted; you have to do that yourself.) Then try and work with them as you have been. I do not know if you'd need to let them sit for a day or so to integrate into your RAID system, but it's worth considering for the test.

To get the DNG converter, go here: https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/adobe-dng-converter.html

[scenicshutterbug]

Interestingly, the problem seems to have been caused by some kind of a conflict between Photoshop production version and the Photoshop Beta version (and perhaps Bridge).  In addition to the problem with keywords, the Photoshop script within Bridge to merge images would not run and the system began to consistently crash when using Topaz Photo AI.  (The crash occurred when Topaz would try to pass the changed file back to PS.)  I talked with Adobe tech support and they recommended uninstalling both the production and beta versions of PS, and then reinstalling the production version only.  I did this and the keywording problem seems to have gone away.  The script issue also seems to be resolved.  I'm still testing with the Topaz issue.  Initially that seemed to be fixed, but I am not sure yet.

As for DNG files, I certainly could do as you suggest but it would add extra steps to my workflow.   I prefer to keep it simple moving from a NEF file (which I keep) to a PSD file which contains all the adjustments in nondestructive layers.  If I need to, I then create a high and/or low res jpeg file for sharing purposes. 

Thank you,.