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AllStarSports
AllStarSports
Participating Frequently
June 16, 2019
Question

XMP Files

  • June 16, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 852 views

So I have been struggling to find an answer on this. I have been reading and and searching Google and Adobe forums but still have not found a good answer.

I have been trying to load old NEF photos into a LR catalog and LR is not reading the XMP file. Files were first loaded onto the computer through Photo Mechanic. If I view the photos in Photo Mechanic I can see all the XMP info. But then I import to LR and all the XMP info in the file is not loading. The XMP file is still there and is not being over written, LR is just not reading the file. If I change the extension to xmp LR sees this and is able to then read the file. I have newer NEF files on my archive that also store the metadata in XMP file and LR can read them just fine. My archive that I am trying to read from is a Synology NAS. I have read a few things about the NTFS file system causing the issue since it is case sensitive. But again newer NEF files created in the past few weeks that are on the NAS and store to a XMP file are reading into LR just fine. Its my older NEF XMP files that seem to be having trouble. Older NEF files were captured with a Nikon D3s and newer files with a Nikon D5. Looking for a way to determine what is the cause with the older NEW XMP files that may be the issue.

Any insight on a possible fix would be much appreciated.

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      3 replies

      GoldingD
      GoldingD
      Legend
      June 17, 2019

      Where you getting the images into Lightroom Classic via Photo Mechanic, as in running Photo Mechanic, selecting the desired images, and selecting to edit them (with photo mechanic setting fir external editor to be lightroom)

      or, where you just bringing lightroom up, and importing the images directly?

      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2lCqlt_ht8A&time_continue=251

      AllStarSports
      AllStarSportsAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      June 17, 2019

      So I think after messing with things for about the 6 hours I think I may have found a solution. I logged into my Synology admin panel and then went into the [File Services] panel. There I unchecked the AFP service. Which seems counter opposite since this is the Apple File Protocol. But then I restarted the NAS and re connected LR to the Synology drive and BAM LR started telling me all the files I have been testing with earlier had XMP updates. Began clicking on update meta data and it began to read the changes to the XMP file I had made.

      So if you are using a Synology NAS on a MAC and you are having issues getting LR to see the large XMP file extension try disabling the AFP file service in the NAS admin panel. So far this looks like it has solved my issue.

      Still not sure if this will cause other issues. But for what I use it for this seems to be the winning combo.

      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      June 17, 2019

      Apple has long deprecated the Apple File Protocol (AFP): https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/285417/is-afp-slated-to-be-removed-from-future-versions-of-macos . Over the years, there have been a number of reports of Synology users working around various issues by switching their NAS from AFP to SMB. So as a general rule, NAS users should enable SMB, not AFP.

      It sounds like your NAS got into a weird state around case sensitivity. In general, Mac volumes can be case-sensitive or case-insensitive.  For either kind of volume, the original case of the filename is preserved. But on case-sensitive volumes, apps like LR must request the exact case of a filename to be able to read it. For example, if Photo Mechanic created Image.XMP, but LR tries to look for and read Image.xmp, LR won't find that file on a case-sensitive volume, but will on a case-insensitive volume. 

      It appears that when AFP was enabled on your NAS, some files were being treated case-sensitive and some case-insensitive. I don't know exactly how that might have happened, but it doesn't surprise me that such a bug could happen with a long-deprecated network protocol.

      In general, though you can't install any CC apps (including LR) on case-sensitive volumes, you're supposed to be able to place catalogs and photos on case-sensitive volumes. But there have been reports over the years of issues arising from using case-sensitive volumes -- LR can get confused by it.

      However, it appears you're now in a good place, using SMB with Synology on a case-insensitive volume.

      dj_paige
      dj_paige
      Legend
      June 16, 2019

      allstarsports  wrote


      The XMP file is still there and is not being over written, LR is just not reading the file. If I change the extension to xmp LR sees this and is able to then read the file.

      Are you implying that LR reads the files with a lower case xmp but not with an upper case XMP? If so, you could probably find a file-renaming utility on the internet and then do a bulk rename of XMP to xmp.

      AllStarSports
      AllStarSportsAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      June 16, 2019

      LR is reading a large number of XMP files. It seems to be older XMP files, or ones creates a number of years ago I think. I am trying to avoid just changing the file extension to xmp since it isn't all files and I'm not completely sure how to tell which files it will have trouble with until I try and import them to LR. I'm also not sure what other issue could be caused by changing the file extension to xmp down the road between programs.

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