Skip to main content
K
keithk1434942
Participating Frequently
October 20, 2018
Question

Writing metadata & adjustments to files

  • October 20, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 750 views

I've been trying to get a grip on what metadata LR writes to files & when it does it. Hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

I work with RAW/JPEG pairs. What I would like to do is write metadata (ITPC and EXIF) to my original files (xmp for the RAW) and not write adjustments made in Develop. It makes sense to me to have copyright, keywording, etc be part of the permanent file. If I want a file with the adjustments I can export.

Does LR allow me to split metadata and adjustments when writing to the file? What would be my best steps?

Thanks for any guidance

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    R
    Community Expert
    richardplondonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 21, 2018

    In the case of a Raw+JPG pair, metadata is written for the Raw member of the pair only (and that is what you view, edit and output). The sidecar JPG’s header is not updated - that would only happen if it was being independently edited In its own right.

    R
    Community Expert
    richardplondonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 20, 2018

    I don't know of any way to suppress the writing of just the Develop settings into an XMP sidecar of a Raw file, apart from not writing the metadata out at all.

    There's an option in Catalog Settings to suppress the writing of Develop settings into the XMP metadata of a bitmap file (TIFF, JPG, PSD) in which case the Library metadata would still be written. (Though in the case of a Raw+JPG pair, LR will not be writing any metadata to that JPG anyway)

    It is worth noting that so far as metadata entries attached to a Raw, these will only be visible to an application which is looking out for an XMP sidecar file - and even if it does so, the Develop metadata fields are Adobe proprietary, and most likely ignored by all except Adobe software. If recallng that prior editing into Adobe software is ever unwanted, one can easily Reset an image to its default Develop treatment then - without affecting the Library info.

    JohanElzenga
    Community Expert
    JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 20, 2018

    No, there is no such option.

    If you really want to do this (I honestly see no reason) then your only option is to prepare all metadata like keywords before you do any editing. Then manually (do not check the option to write automatically) save this to the file. After you have done that you can apply your edits, and as long as you do not save metadata again, those edits will not be in the xmp file.

    -- Johan W. Elzenga
    K
    keithk1434942Author
    Participating Frequently
    October 20, 2018

    Thanks.

    So, if I write metadata to the file for any image I have altered in develop, the adjustments are baked in to JPEGs and written to the xmps? And if those files are used by other apps, there is no way to revert to the original?

    I'm really struggling to understand how I keep my original files unaltered by Develop. For me, thats the meaning of "non-destructive" editing.

    JohanElzenga
    Community Expert
    JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 20, 2018

    keithk1434942  wrote

    Thanks.

    So, if I write metadata to the file for any image I have altered in develop, the adjustments are baked in to JPEGs and written to the xmps? And if those files are used by other apps, there is no way to revert to the original?

    I'm really struggling to understand how I keep my original files unaltered by Develop. For me, thats the meaning of "non-destructive" editing.

    No, save metadata to file does not ’bake in’ any edits. It just writes the edit information (as text) to the metadata headers of the file. The image data remain untouched, also for jpeg files. Edits are only ‘baked in’ when you export an image.

    -- Johan W. Elzenga
    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices