Extracting develop data from jpeg

[seb.hellstrom]

So I've managed to lose three months of work in Lightroom 4 for stupid reasons but I've now read up that I might be able to extract the exif data from my jpeg's. From the .xmp files coming out of the jpeg I might be able to get the information on the developing/processing of the images and get them back to the same look as before the big miss happening.

I've tried using exiftool -xmp -b -w xmp FILE so far but it's only giving me the correct star ranking when incorporated into Lightroom, is there something wrong with my command line or is what I'm looking for not possible?

Sorry if this is a stupid question or its been asked before but I couldn't find anything when searching.

[Phil Harvey]

Your command will create an XMP sidecar file from the XMP contained within the JPG image.

I know that Adobe writes image editing information into the XMP, but I don't know what it would take to get Lightroom to use this information.

You should look at the XMP file (it's plain text), and see what it contains.  If it contains editing information, I would suggest asking in a Lightroom form about how to get LR to recognize this information.

- Phil

[seb.hellstrom]

As I was quite tired and upset yesterday when I wrote this I'll try to explain it better now.

So what has happened is that somehow I've managed to move my main folder in Lightroom and when I was trying to move it back I lost all my ratings, flags, changes to the images etc. As far as I've read I can't get it back since I haven't done a backup (I guess  I learnt a lesson at least) through Lightroom but I might be able to withdraw the information from my exported .jpg's.

Is it possible to create a .xmp with the information from the .jpg that I can then via Lightroom sync the settings with and get the exact same look?

I've lost hours and hours of work but if I could get the setting/changes back into lightroom from at least the .jpg's it would be a life saver!

Hopefully there is someone who might be able to help me.

[seb.hellstrom]

Thanks Phil, will do that but is the command I wrote the best to use to withdraw the exif information into an XMP?

[Phil Harvey]

The command you wrote extracts the XMP information as a block, which is what you want.

Adobe doesn't store any editing information in EXIF.

- Phil