Problem importing metadata from file

[Ian119]

Hello everyone,

In a folder on my hard drive have .nef files and their xmp sidecar files. The files were created by Nikonscan and some fields in their metadata (location, titles, etc) were added using Adobe bridge.

The files were then moved on a USB drive from the scanning computer to my main computer.

Using LR 5 on my main computer I then imported the files into LR. However, none of the metadata gets imported. I have tried several of the options in the "Apply during import" parameter, including "as in file" (which seems the logical choice.) No metadata appears?

Any suggestions from anyone?

Thanks

 

[rob211]

Probably a dumb question, but did the sidecar files get copied with the same names as their NEF buddies?

Using Bridge, can you see the metadata on the moved files?

And what's the "as in file" preset? I don't seem to have that one? have you checked the contents of that preset to make sure it isn't blanking out the metadata you want to import?

 

[Ian119]

Probably a dumb question, but did the sidecar files get copied with the same names as their NEF buddies?

Using Bridge, can you see the metadata on the moved files?

And what's the "as in file" preset? I don't seem to have that one? have you checked the contents of that preset to make sure it isn't blanking out the metadata you want to import?

Thanks Rob for your reply,
In response to your questions: (1) yes the xmp files carry the appropriate names; (2) yes, I can see the metadata when I look at the files in Bridge.
Now, having taken a few hours away from the machine and seeing your reply, I have actually discovered the solution. It strikes me as very counter-intuitive, but in the metadata option list under "Apply during import" I find that I have to choose the "none" option. When I do that, all the metadata already in the files is imported. I would have thought that the "as in file" option in that list would make more sense! By the way, to your question about "as in file," in my LR it is the fourth item down in the list of metadata choices in the metadata item under "Apply During Import."

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Counter-intuitive? Not really, as on import Lightroom will read and store the metadata that is stored in the standard fields in the file, and will apply its default develop settings. So the "Apply During Import" section gives the user the opportunity to add to (or change) their own develop settings and metadata (via a develop and/or metadata preset), as well as the ability to add keywords to all the imported images. So to me, it logically follows that choosing "None" in both the Develop Settings and Metadata boxes will import the images with the default develop settings and the standard metadata found in the file (or sidecar file if one exists).

As to your "as in file" option, that doesn't exist as a default choice so I can only assume that you created a metadata preset with that name sometime in the past, and it's that preset which is over-riding some of the existing metadata during import.

 

[rob211]

I think it could be named better; "Substitue during import" for metadata might be clearer. It gets confusing because you have to "apply" something blank to erase metadata. Eg I have a preset that removes Olympus advertising spam in the caption by having an essentially blank preset; it substitutes nothing for something in the file.

But I dunno where that "as in file" came from. Maybe I deleted default presets, but that preset makes little sense, and I couldn't find it listed anywhere. Or even on the web. Was it a custom preset you created? Maybe chuck it. None means "as in file."

 

[Ian119]

I think it could be named better; "Substitue during import" for metadata might be clearer. It gets confusing because you have to "apply" something blank to erase metadata. Eg I have a preset that removes Olympus advertising spam in the caption by having an essentially blank preset; it substitutes nothing for something in the file.

But I dunno where that "as in file" came from. Maybe I deleted default presets, but that preset makes little sense, and I couldn't find it listed anywhere. Or even on the web. Was it a custom preset you created? Maybe chuck it. None means "as in file."

Thanks to both Jim and Rob. You were right - sometime in the past I guess I DID create my "As in File" - I have no recollection of doing that, and its naming does not conform to the naming convention that I used for all my other presets. So, issue closed.