1 Correct answer
If you're using forward slash, you don't need to reimport -- just select the files and do Metadata > Read Metadata From File.
If you're using backward slash, you'll have to use the steps I outlined above.
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Does this only work on Import? Any ideas?
That's right. The description in Preferences > File Handling says:
By "reading metadata", that's referring to the command Metadata > Read Metadata From File. So LR will interpret "/" as a hierarchical separator when importing pics or using the Read Metadata From File command. (It never interprets "\" as a hierarchical separator, and I've filed a bug report on that.)
When entering keywords in LR's Keywording panel (right column of Library), you need to use "<" or ">" as the hierarchical separator. To enter the hierarchical keyword A > B, you could type "A > B" or "B < A" (in both cases, A is the parent and B is the child).
If you want to correct the thousands of photos you've already tagged using "\", you could do the following:
1. In LR, select all the photos and do Metadata > Write Metadata To File.
2. Use ExifTool to remove the fields XMP:Subject and IPTC:Keywords from the photos, leaving just the field XMP:HierarchicalSubject.
3. Use ExifTool and some other command-line tools like "sed" to replace all occurrences of "\" with "|" in XMP:HiearchicalSubject. This step requires you to be experienced with command-line scripting and to invest at least an hour learning ExifTool, if you don't know it already.
4. In LR, select all the photos and do Metadata > Read Metadata From File.
Of course, make sure you've backed up your catalog and all your photos before you start this.
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