No more able to save metadata to files

[rrr_hhh]

Since the very last update of lightroom I'm no more able to save metadata including develope settings to xmp files on disk. My usual workflow is to keep the catalogue preferences to not writing metada automatically to files while I'm working on a session. Then once the session is finished, or each evenings, I select all the pictures I recently treated and save the metadata to files. I think this avoid slowing down Lightroom while working on a sessions and it adds a security to my edited files. I see there is an option to allow LR to automatically write metadata to files, but I want to choose when I do that. Is it a bug of the last version ? did they change something to the way the program works ?

[dj_paige]

When I save metadata to files, it seems to work as expected using LrC 13.0 and Windows 11. What is your operating system version NUMBER and what software Lightroom (Lr icon) or Lightroom Classic (LrC icon) are you referring to? What version NUMBER of the software?

Please describe in detail: What exact steps do you follow? What happens when you try that indicates it is not working?

A new feature improvement helps speed up the writing of metadata to disk, turning on the Automatic Write XMP should not cause slowness.

[rrr_hhh]

Thank you for answering.

I'm using Lightroom classic, the very last version. My computer is a laptop (more info below). When I'm home, I have a server where I store all my pictures. Actually I'm not home and use an external Samsung SSD to store my pictures. In my catalogue preferences I have disabled the "automatically save metadata to files". I do that in order not to slow LR. When I have finished treating my pictures I select them all and use the command "Save metadata to files" from within the develope module or/and the library module. Untill now this caused no problem, but since I installed the new version, the xmp files are not writen along as usual, next to the ARW files. I assume neither the Tif files, nor the jpg are updated (at least the date of last saving isn't updated.

The fist time I used that command with the new version, it was extremely fast, so fast that I thought I had only selected one file... I did it again making sure all the pictures were selected with the same results. The progress bar show up just a second and then it ends wihtout saving the metada. There is no warning of error. It just doesn't write the xmp to the disk.

In Window explorer, I have checked the box for showing hidden system files like xmp files; I can see xmp files saved with previous versions of LR. I can save any other files to the disk wihtout problem  (it still has a lot of space available) .

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me.

Below info concerning LR, Window and my computer.

Here are the informations concerning LR (copied from the about LR in the help menu)

Lightroom Classic version: 13.0 [ 202309270914-5a1c6485 ]

License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en
Operating system: Windows 11 - Business Edition
Version: 11.0.22621
Application architecture: x64
System architecture: x64
Logical processor count: 16
Processor speed: 2,4GHz
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
CPU Utilisation: 0,0%
Built-in memory: 32650,6 MB
Dedicated GPU memory used by Lightroom: 9872,5MB / 16161,0MB (61%)
Real memory available to Lightroom: 32650,6 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 5838,6 MB (17,8%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 27928,5 MB
GDI objects count: 1376
USER objects count: 4186
Process handles count: 7194
Memory cache size: 0,0MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 16.0 [ 1677 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2,AVX,AVX2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 2666MB / 16325MB (16%)
Camera Raw real memory: -23596MB / 32650MB (-72%)
System DPI setting: 192 DPI (high DPI mode)
Desktop composition enabled: Yes
Standard Preview Size: 3840 pixels
Displays: 1) 3840x2160
Input types: Multitouch: Yes, Integrated touch: Yes, Integrated pen: Yes, External touch: No, External pen: No, Keyboard: No

Graphics Processor Info:
DirectX: NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (31.0.15.3598)
Init State: GPU for Image Processing supported by default with custom export support
User Preference: Auto

Application folder: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: C:\Users\rrr3h\Pictures\Lightroom\Import_all_Cat_01\Import_all_Cat_01-2-2-v13.lrcat
Settings Folder: C:\Users\rrr3h\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) DxO PhotoLab 2
3) DxO PhotoLab 2 Importer
4) Flickr
5) HDR Efex Pro 2
6) LRT Export 4
9) Topaz Photo AI

Config.lua flags: None

Adapter #1: Vendor : 10de
Device : 1eb5
Subsystem : 13861025
Revision : a1
Video Memory : 16161
Adapter #2: Vendor : 1414
Device : 8c
Subsystem : 0
Revision : 0: 

[Per Berntsen]

I have always (since LR 2) used the Automatically write changes into XMP option, and haven't noticed any slowdowns.

I tried unchecking it, imported a raw file, did some edits, pressed Ctr+S, and an XMP file was created. So I don't think this is a bug.

My suggestion is to check "Automatically write changes ..." and see if LrC slows down. I doubt that you'll notice any difference.

You should also check "Include develop settings metadata inside JPG, TIFF, PNG and PSD files".

[rrr_hhh]

Deactivating "automatically write metada to files" was listed by Adobe itself as a way to speed up things; I'm doing things that way since a long time. I will try to reactivate it and see how it goes.

BTW : if the xmp file was writen just as you hit save the for your file, that is bizarre because usually to get the xmp file, you have to use the command "save metadata to file". Did you exit and relaunch LR after deactivating the automatism ?

[dj_paige]

Honestly, I think that advice on the Adobe web site to turn off writing to XMP is 15 years out of date. It might have been good advice for Lightroom 1, but I have used Lightroom from Lightroom 2 to Lightroom Classic 13, and like @Per Berntsen I have the automatic write to XMP turned on, and don't experience slowness (and if you do experience slowness, there are probably 25 more likely causes than auto write to XMP)

[Per Berntsen]

BTW : if the xmp file was writen just as you hit save the for your file, that is bizarre because usually to get the xmp file, you have to use the command "save metadata to file". Did you exit and relaunch LR after deactivating the automatism ?

By @rrr_hhh

Ctrl+S is the shortcut for Save metadata to file. (LrC does not save image files)

There is no need to relaunch LrC when changing the metadata options in the catalog settings.

[rrr_hhh]

Ok you are right, sorry I was thinking to the "export file" when I wrote that. Sorry for my comment. 

[rrr_hhh · Accepted solution]

Thanks for those who took the time to answer. Meanwhile I have found the source of the problem. It is something bizarre. I had copied the folder where my files were from the main drive to the external SSD disk, then updated the folder location in LR to use the files on the external drive, but without erasing the folder remaining in the laptop. 
When asking LR to show the file location either with explorer, or in the library folder, it was correctly showing the new location on the external drive, but when I asked LR to save the metadata to the files, it wrote the xmp files to the original location of the folder on the laptop, instead of on the new location on the external drive.. 
So there is still some problem : LR is confused, using the new location for executing some commands and the older one for writing the metadata.