Exporting, and coordinates

[Sgniappo]

Hello,

Am trying to export photos from Lightroom CC, with edits and all metadata, including location coordinates. I have tried multiple modes, and am not successful on the location front. Have tried:

- using Lightroom Downloader: it exports original pictures, when i've edited them it creates a copy of the original with the name 'originalxxx-edited', and in none of the version there's GPS coordinates;

- exporting the file with the export function: i thought 'original + settings' would add the original and all metadata. In fact, exports all the related metadata (ex. tags, picture title, etc.) but no coordinates. Tried also with JPG and TIFF, same result.

Note: if i upload a picture which already has coordinates, when i export it (with both methods above) the coordinates are exported. But if i import a picture without coordinates, add them in LR CC and then export it, no coordinates. In other words the export process does handle them, only if they were already there. It's like if i add them myself they are stored somewhere else, which is forgotten during the export?

I have looked for additional files where additional info might be stored, but no luck. 

But... on the consideration that information might be stored somewhere else, i did the same experiement with a RAW file: import it without coordinates, update coordinates, export as JPG, and they are there.

So, the issue seems to be related to JPG files which are imported without coordinates - everything else works.

Am i missing something?

Thanks,

g

[Jim Wilde]

Are you talking about the GPS coordinates only, or other location fields as well? In all my testing so far, I'm unable to reproduce a situation whereby manually added GPS coordinates don't get included when exporting from Lightroom (either as Original+Settings or as a new Jpeg), i.e. they are always included in the exported file. I can, however, reproduce a scenario whereby the other location fields are NOT included on export.

How are you manually entering the GPS coordinates?

[Sgniappo]

Hello again Jim :).

I add the coordinates in CC simply by opening the picture, opening the tag window, pasting the coordinates / enter. The map appears in the small window on the right, so i know it's there :), while i'm inside CC.

Will screenshot the full process so that you can tell me what i'm doing wrong?

Thanks, as always,

g

[Jao vdL]

You're probably not looking in the right location in the metadata. I just tried this with a raw original and the pasted in metadata does get written into the xmp sidecar file as exif metadata. Since it gets written in the xmp sidecar metadata it might not show up as a location in many programs that expect it somewhere else. The idea of the original+settings is that the original does not get modified and that all the editing settings and metadata gets written in a separate xmp metadata section.

[Sgniappo]

Dear Jao, Dear Jim,

Mistery solved. I was convinced that the GPS data was inserted correctly, since i could see the map on the picture details. At the same time, i was putting the location data under 'location', as opposed to GPS. Turns out that both work in terms of geotagging the picture, but only one is the field which is then exported - silly me.

In details:

- if you put your GPS coordinates in the 'location' field, you will still get the map on the screen, but when you export it you will lose the location info;

- if you put your GPS coordinates... well, where they should be, in the GPS field, then you get the map AND when you export you're all good.

In case i wasn't clear, attached the two screens.

Thanks for your help!

g

[Sgniappo]

Now the next question for me will be: if i run the downloader (on the photos after having put GPS coordinates in the right place), will it export the pictures with the coordinates? will find out soon enough 🙂

[Jim Wilde]

I doubt very much that the GPS coordinates that you added in Lightroom will appear if you use the Lightroom Downloader. The Downloader is a rather inappropriate tool if all you want is an export of some images, as it's really designed as a "lifeboat" for those who want to remove ALL their data from the cloud after ending their subscription. And it's a leaky lifeboat as well, as the last time I checked (10 minutes ago) the Downloader still does NOT include any metadata added in any of the Lightroom apps (including keywords, titles, captions, copyright, locations and GPS coordinates). 

If you want exports, use the export function and with the "All Metadata" option you should get all that added metadata included.