Warning! Metadata write-back bug destroys Camera Raw edits!

Goos van der Veen

• December 01, 2011 09:41

If you let MP write back metadata to an existing XMP sidecar file, it overwrites all data that are already in that file, like, for instance, the edits you made in a RAW file using Adobe Camera Raw. I suppose that this problem applies to XMP-data from other applications as well, since it looks like MP simply overwrites the complete XMP-file.

MP does not warn you for this. I lost many hours of editing work after adding a color code to the edited files and let MP store that in the XMP-file.
For the record: I tried this in Expression Media 2, and everything went just fine. EM2 only updated the XMP, leaving all other data intact.

I use a Mac Pro running Mac OS 10.6.7, Media Pro 1.1.0.52551, Expression Media 2.2.2 (2096) and Adobe Camera Raw 6.5.0.216.

I consider data loss one of the most serious problems you can encounter, and I hope PhaseOne will fix this bug as soon as possible!

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  Wolfgang Plattner

  • December 01, 2011 16:06

  Hi, that' strange. I use PhotoMechanic to make xmp-files; if I add, for instance, a keyword within MP and sync the annotations, MP doesn't destroy the file I produced with PM.

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  Paul Silk

  • December 02, 2011 13:31

  To be exact it does not create a new xmp file nor does it overwrite normal meta data keywords and the like written in other programs if you have imported the files as new or after adding metadata in another program synchronized the files in MP1 before adding any more in MP1 and this normal in most dam programs.
  
  What is not normal is for data written to a Adobe only part of the xmp ( like raw developments settings ) and not a IPTC field to be cleared when when adding more IPTC data.
  
  One might even draw the conclusion that PhaseOne after making it more compatible with Capture One have done this deliberately to make it less compatible with Adobe products even though at launch they trumpeted it as a standalone program. 😉
  
  But as I use Adobe DNG I do not have this problem with xmp files. 😊
  
  Goos, I suggest you set your adobe raw edits to be stored in the Adobe raw database rather than the xmp file till this problem is overcome if it ever is.

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  Goos van der Veen

  • December 02, 2011 13:50

  I have contacted PhaseOne technical support about the issue and they are investigating it now. I will report back here when something has come up from them.

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  Jim MSP

  • December 02, 2011 14:43

  I lost some Lightroom edits the same way. I use LR only occasionally, so I have not uncovered all the issues.
  The solution/workaround I used was to keyword the raw photos first with MP before I did any LR work.

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  Permanently deleted user

  • December 17, 2011 11:31

  I concur and that's a serious problem. I've tried various synchronization options, but no way. For an existing raw image database, already managed or edited in LR, there is no way to add or fix for example keywords (where MP ergonomics is excellent). This could be a major blocking issue for using MP if you like (which is very logical) to keep updated data in the sidecar.
  
  By the way, it's seems strange that MP modifies raw files as well during export. It seems dangerous to change the original files.
  
  Jean

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