Sharing one images location with 2 catalogs

[angelom]

Lightroom Version Number

Lightroom 13.01 Lightroom 6.4

Operating System

1. Windows 10

I'm an IT consultant, build networks and provde computer support since 1989.
I started using Lightroom with version 2,3, then 5 and currently 6.4. My single image library has 54K images.
I decided to try Lightroom Classic and purchased the 7 day trial today. I chose the Photographers package. (Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and Photoshop 2024).
My question is about the XMP (sidecart files).
I imported 3 images, currently cataloged by LR6.4, into the new Lightroom Classic catalog.
I selected the import option to leave the 3 images at their current location. So now all 3 images are listed in both LR5.4 and LRClassic catalogs. Next, in LRClassic, I modified the 3 images.
I want to know if I can safely allow both versions of Lightroom to work with the same set of image and XMP files.
My camera creates .NEF and .JPG files and it's my understanding they are never modified by either version of Lightroom. However but both versions will modify the XMP metadata sidecart files. Both Lightroom Versions open the files (not at the same time of-course) and there doesn't seem to be an issues.
I haven't used all of the many new features in Lightroom Classic 2024 so sometime down the road things could fail.
What do you think? Am I going to end up sorry I didn't just move all 54 thousand images and supporting xmp files to a different location and only access them with the new Lightroom and not share the images files with both programs?

Sorry if that was too much info and thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.

MaJ

 

[Califdan]

It should not be a problem as LrC always defers to the information (metadata) in the catalog if there is a mismatch. I have several "Test", "Pracitce" and "Teaching" LrC catalogs all pointing to the same set of image files and it has not caused any issue. But, all of those catalogs are form the same version of LrC, so slightly different than your situation.

However, I would turn off "automatically wite changes into XMP" option as each copy of the catalog will consider metadata changes made by the other copy of the catalog as being done by a 3td party (I assume). Also the LR/6.4 catalog may not be able to interprest some new XMP features added by the :LrC/13 catalog which could also cause problems.

 

[Califdan]

Add on:

I'm not clear why you still need LR/6.4 at all if you've installed LrC/13.x unless you are thinking you may change your mind and go back to LR/6.4. If that's the case, remember that anything you do in LrC/13 cannot be migrated back to the 6.4 catalog. So, you should probably make up your mind pretty soon as to which one you're going to stick with and mothball the other.