JohanElzenga said:
Are you sure? That should not happen. If you
delete the photo from disk, then that will obviously also delete the XMP file. But if you
remove the photo from the catalog, then the XMP file should not be deleted. I just tested it to make sure, and it's not deleted on my system.
Yes. I am sure. I tried it twice.
Reidthaler, I must side with John that if you "remove" an image that has an XMP, that both the image the XMP remain on disk. However, only some file types require XMP files. For example, DNG's keep the xmp info inside the DNG file and don't require a separate XMP file. Same thing with JPG's and several other file types. The most common file types that get seperate XM{P files are camera specific RAW files. I just did this experiment with a DNG file (removed the image from LR) and indeed both the DNG and the XMP remained on disk and I was able to re-import the image. So, maybe try it a 3rd time but before you remove the image in LR assure that it actually has an XMP, then remove it from LR and check again.
On your original problem though, is it correct that the goal is to utilize the automatic folder generation capability of the Import Dialog to have LR create a folder structure for the images based on capture date? And, the reason is that the current folder structure is haphazard (and useless). and it's too laborious to sort ALL images in capture time order and inside of the Folder panel just select images in clumps (say an entire month which would all in order) and drag them to a new folder for that month? If this is a correct analysis of your problem then your approach seems valid (assuming the XMP data behaves as I and John say it does).
But in the process you will lose:
- Collection participation of the images
- Pick flags
- Publish Service participation
- Virtual Copies
- Develop module history of changes
- Snapshots
- Slideshows
- Saved prints
- Sometimes Keywords may be re-added at the root of the KW list rather than finding the existing KW in a hierarchy
- Where keywords are duplicated in your catalog (e.g. you have the Keyword "Red" under both "Cars" and under "Trucks") it may pick the wrong one, pick both or create a new one at the root (I have not done enough experimentation to determine the exact pattern but have seen anomilies in this area)
You will retain
- Develop module changes (but not history, only final state of slider positions)
- targeted adjustments (radial filters, gradiant filters, brush strokes)
- most other metadata (titles, captions, star ratings, copyright, GPS, Location info, etc
Dan