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Pål Engh
Pål Engh
Participant
January 24, 2018
Answered

How to prevent writing metadata changes to jpg-files

  • January 24, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 2014 views

We use FotoWeb 8.0 by Fotoware.no as our DAM solution.

They provide a Mac client to do batch changes of about anything with the pictures, eg. changing and updating keywords.

The files are stored on a servers dedicated folder, so I am able to connect Lightroom to this folder.

When using Lightroom I do not need the vendors client to make changes, except I cannot figure out how NOT to write changes to keywords to the picture file itself. We mostly have jpg-files. This also changes the films changed/updated date which in turn makes an unwanted change in the sort order.

I can do fine writing all metadata ONLY to the XMP sidecar file

This is the link to our DAM: https://bildebank.ostfoldfk.no.

Regards

Pål Engh

Østfold County administration

NORWAY

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer johnrellis

Is there a way to prevent writing directly to the JPG-file - thus forcing changes to an XMP file?

Unfortunately not. 


The only option you have is to write metadata changes directly into the JPEG or not at all (storing them in the catalog only). This is true for all non-proprietary-raws: JPEG, TIFF, PNG, DNG, PSD. 

The command Metadata > Save Metadata To File writes the metadata manually, while the option Catalog Settings > Metadata > Automatically Write Changes Into XMP does it automatically.

Over the years, a number of people have asked for the option to use .xmp sidecars for non-raws, but in my opinion it is very unlikely Adobe will ever implement it. They've stated publicly that going forward with LR Classic, they're focusing on develop tools and performance, so whatever efforts they were formerly putting into Library will be further reduced.

See Lightroom/Camera Raw: Store the xmp metadata outside DNG, jpeg etc file to be backup efficient | Photoshop Family Custom…

1 reply

Rob_Cullen
Community Expert
Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 25, 2018
how NOT to write changes to keywords to the picture file itself.

1) In the Import dialog, [Apply during Import] set Metadata to "None"

2) In Preferences turn off the option to "Automatically write metadata to photos".

If Lightroom is asked to write metadata to JPG files (by Auto or  Ctrl+S ) then the metadata is embedded within the JPG file. It is not written to an XMP file.  Lightroom will only use a sidecar XMP file for raw files.

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .
    Pål Engh
    Pål EnghAuthor
    Participant
    January 25, 2018

    Thank you for sorting this out.

    Mer do not, however, actually import photos, but rather update current folder, which hosts the photos on the FotoWare server.

    The current metadata resides (I assume) inside the files from start... So in order to fetch them to LR I seems to be essential to import them as opposed to your recommendation.

    dj_paige
    dj_paige
    Legend
    January 25, 2018

    Updating the current folder is just a different way to do an import. There's no difference in how the metadata is handled.

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