When updating a RAW file that has an XMP file, the link is broken

[theMikeD]

Hi there,

I have a bunch of processed JPEG files that have had keywords applied to them, and I'd now like to apply those keywords to the source RAW files too. The RAW files were processed by lightroom, and each has an associated XMP file to go with it. And when I look at the RAW files in Bridge for example, the develop settings from the XMP file are applied to the thumbnail, and various icons are overlaid indicating that an XMP file with develop settings exists for that file. WHich is how it should be.

I would prefer to write the keywords directly into the RAW file rather than the XMP file. However...

When I update the *RAW* file with the new keywords, it appears as if the link between the CR2 file and the XMP file is broken: the XMP data is no longer applied in Bridge, and the overlay icons are missing. Further, when I open the RAW file in Photoshop, the settings from the XMP file are not applied as they should be.

When I update the *XMP* file, it works as expected, meaning that the keywords are applied and the link between the XMP and CR2 is preserved.

This is the command I am using:

exiftool -overwrite_original_in_place -TagsFromFile  $jpg -Subject -HierarchicalSubject $raw

I have also tried moving the XMP file to a new folder, applying the exiftool command then copying back the XMP file, but it still fails. This seems to imply that the XMP file is using some attribute of the RAW file to identify the RAW file it uses...but I can't determine what that is.

Is there something I'm missing that will allow me update the RAW file proper without breaking the link with it's associated XMP file? Or must I update the XMP file?

...Mike

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Mike,

Could it be that Bridge doesn't look for a sidecar XMP file if the RAW image contains XMP?

If so, there are only 2 ways around this that I can see:

1) write something other than XMP to the RAW image.

2) write the whole sidecar XMP into the RAW image. (but then you likely couldn't use Photoshop to edit the settings any  more)

- Phil

Edit:  What happens if you start from a RAW file that contains your Subject information, then edit it in Photoshop?  Does it still produce a sidecar file?  Is this sidecar used when re-opening the image?

[theMikeD]

It could work that way, I don't know for sure. But your question implies that Subject and HeirarchicalSubject are XMP and not EXIF...but if that is the case, that means that the XMP data is embedded in the JPEG file, but is separate from the RAW file. Does that sound right?