p: Save virtual copies' settings as xmps

Jao vdL is right, export as the originals makes the real raw copies with separate xmps for each variant of editing.

Certainly, it would be more handy to have everything in one xmp without making raw copies, but anyway this solution works. So, we can have a backup of all the settings outside the LR.

yes. Both exporting as a catalog and exporting as originals works to include the virtual copies. Exporting as dng also works fine. You just get multiple copies of the file that will be named with -2 etc. 

Interesting thread. What would happen if you selected a folder of images that also contained “Virtual Copies” and export as a catalog? Would the data be included?

Just my thought, xmp sidecar files sit alongside the original image file or in the file header for DNG, tiff, jpeg etc.

Unfortunately “a Virtual copy” is not an actual image file it is just data stored in the Catalog file.

When you are using LrC it is reading from the Catalog. As far as Lightroom is concerned the information is in the Catalog.

I acknowledge it's possible to also write data to the file automatically or manually, however this is a secondary function that allows the data to be shared with Camera Raw and other Adobe applications.

I utilize the default operation so I do not utilize writing data to the file.

To wit one of the main reasons I decided to use Lightroom in 2007 is to get rid of managing XMP sidecars which is a pain in the but.

Ah that makes sense. The one way to accomplish this is by using snapshots instead of virtual copies. Camera Raw understands those. Not as nice from a "what do I see when scrolling through the catalog" perspective but a solution to sharing multiple versions in one raw/xmp combo

Jao Vdl wrote: "Not sure I understand. If you export as original you get the correct xmp sidecar for each virtual copy with your export and the raw files will get numbered automatically. So this is already implemented. "

OP does not want to export

I'd love to, but I can't vote for my own topic.

I didn't realise that. In the old feedback forum you could, and it was advised to do so.

As the OP explained, he wants this so he does not have to send the same raw file more than once. He could just send the original raw file and the two XMP files, but then the receiver would have to rename sidecars to get the second implementation. Doable, but not ideal. Exporting as catalog is better, but it does require the receiver to have Lightroom Classic as well. Camera Raw can't read Lightroom catalogs.

If it was a matter of very few upvotes, that is because most of us probably do not create those xmp files to start with. That most do not collaborate. That most do not share the process. Hence no need for the request for change.  As such, not intetested.

As to why no upvotes? hmmmm

I can see that use for this, so I will be polite.