Export metadata

[Robert29070555e3gh]

We've just gotten the new category "exported files". I have multiple user presets for exporting. Is it possible to make it so a user could choose a subcategory such as: exported files>instagram. That way we could search deeper and also make a "collection" of a specific type of export.? I suggest this because I'd like to keep track of what images I've posted to social media, etc.

[richardplondon]

So currently (if I understand right) you are deciding which ones to export, doing so, and then wishing to find a retrospective way to filter down to see which ones have been exported how. 

Maybe you could consider this the other way around: beginning by awarding images suitable collection membership, a certain 'workflow' keyword or whatever as part of finding, reviewing, selecting them ready to be exported that certain way. So with those metadata attributes in place, later viewing what's been exported in a particular way is straightforward - alternatively, for a given photo, later viewing the different ways this has been exported (what Collections does it belong to / what keywords does it have).

Depending on the export target, a system of Publish collections (membership assigned directly) or Publish smart collections (referring to per-image metadata) may help smooth the workflow here.

[Robert29070555e3gh]

Well yes, except I'd like to see from the past (7 years) what was exported a certain way.

[Robert29070555e3gh]

And the past year I've been labeling a certain export "yellow". (But would like to see older ones.)

[johnrellis · Accepted solution]

"I have multiple user presets for exporting.  ... Well yes, except I'd like to see from the past (7 years) what was exported a certain way."

LR doesn't record for a photo which presets or Export settings have been used to export a photo. It just records a step in the photo's History that says, for example, "Export - Hard Drive (6/3/24 11:35:28 PM)" -- no additional information is recorded.

So there's no way to retrospectively determine how your photos were exported, unless you recorded specific information using metadata (keywords, collections, folder names, captions, etc.).