# Help with Message about Metadata being changed



## Moosehead (Jan 9, 2021)

*Question* - Can you explain the reason for this message and best option to proceed?  I can choose one if I understand.  *Thanks in advance.

LRC Message* - “The metadata for this photo has been changed by both Lightroom and another application. Should Lightroom import settings from disk or overwrite disk settings with those from the catalog?”

*Two options* - Overwrite Settings, Import Settings from Disk

*Background* - I am running the latest LRC under MacOS. My photos/files are stored on an external drive directly attached to my MacBook Pro. I did rename the external drive outside of LRC but did not move any files.  So I do not know why I am getting this message.  My focus is to understand the message and options to proceed.   I seem to have this message on all of my many photos (about 65,000).    One other thing, I recently upgraded to Big Sur.

*Thank you*


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## Moosehead (Jan 9, 2021)

Moosehead said:


> *Question* - Can you explain the reason for this message and best option to proceed?  I can choose one if I understand.  *Thanks in advance.
> 
> LRC Message* - “The metadata for this photo has been changed by both Lightroom and another application. Should Lightroom import settings from disk or overwrite disk settings with those from the catalog?”
> 
> ...



I found some responses to my question from another source.  *Can anyone confirm that I can simply ignore this warning? * (and personally, I will turn it off in the view options) Thank you.

Responses

Either ignore this completely (you can turn off this warning in the view options) or overwrite the metadata on disk with the Lightroom catalog settings

Every major version of LR has sometimes generated these spurious warnings, unfortunately, and Adobe has never fixed it.


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## Paul McFarlane (Jan 9, 2021)

The second point I would disagree with, it isn't usual, although there is a problem this time that can cause it:

https://feedback.photoshop.com/conv...0-metadata-conflicts/5fdbda743a4b973cd0edccf0
Also read page 392 of your Classic book (2nd Edition page number quoted) that advises on this issue.


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## Moosehead (Jan 9, 2021)

Paul McFarlane said:


> The second point I would disagree with, it isn't usual, although there is a problem this time that can cause it:
> 
> https://feedback.photoshop.com/conv...0-metadata-conflicts/5fdbda743a4b973cd0edccf0
> Also read page 392 of your Classic book (2nd Edition page number quoted) that advises on this issue.


Thanks Paul...  My Classic Book is old and it is not on that page... The link explains the current issue but really does not help to confirm if I can just ignore the message.  I understand if you do not want to confirm as you do not know my detail situation.    Can you easily elaborate or should I purchase your current e-book?        I should explain that my activity is in support of migrating to Capture.  I plan to use both software pointing to the same files but I will be migrating over 60,000 files of metadata to Capture so I would like a better understanding.   The Queen and reference has been fantastic so I do not mind paying for the new book...  If I can ignore and do this later, it would be my preference... Sorry for the long reply...    Much appreciated.


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## Paul McFarlane (Jan 9, 2021)

Hi

Same information is on page 348 of the 1st Edition book that you have, it just helps clarify it!


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## clee01l (Jan 9, 2021)

My 2 cents:
Original files should for most purposes retain the original metadata. Once imported, the metadata is maintained in the catalog file and it needs to be the reputable source since it it used for the metadata written to every exported derivative file. 
There is no need nor should there be to access and update the original image file outside of Lightroom. So, you should not really care what happens to the metadata in the original file if all of your image management is handled through Lightroom.
Other apps can and do access the original image files and when they do they set a Modified Data Tag (MDT) which is enough to trigger Lightroom that “something” in the original file metadata has changed. Your system backup app is one example of an app that will mark files with the MDT so that subsequent backups will recognize that nothing in the file has changed since the the last backup and not back up the file again. 

If all of your metadata is up to date in the catalog file, how important is the metadata in the original file?

If you compare Lightroom Classic and Lightroom you will see that there is not even an option in Lightroom to sync the metadata in Lightroom with the original file that was uploaded to the cloud. 

For these reasons, I say it is safe to ignore the warning message.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Moosehead (Jan 9, 2021)

Paul McFarlane said:


> Hi
> 
> Same information is on page 348 of the 1st Edition book that you have, it just helps clarify i


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## Califdan (Jan 9, 2021)

I agree with what has been said so far.  But as Clee put in his 2 cents, I'll put in mine.

There are two cases where having current metadata saved to the image files could prove useful, but in most cases it is not important.  

1)  If your LR catalog got totally trashed and all recent backups - both those taken by LR when you exit as well as those taken outside of LR -  were also trashed or not usable and you were forced to re-import everything again.  Of course this would imply that your image files were intact or recoverable and that would be unlikely if your LR catalog was not.    It would also mean that you had a serious flaw in you backup strategy.  However, in this case, having current metadata saved to or with you image files would preserve much of the work you had done in LR.

2)  If you open original image files in other software that is XMP enabled, having current metadata (XMP data) in or with your image files may be useful.   But, it is recommended to export a derivative file and open that one in the external SW rather than opening the original for many reasons,  So, again, not something most folks should have to deal with.

Having said that, the "bug" in LR that keeps turning on those "metadata mismatch" icons does not seem to be affecting the actual writing of the metadata to the image files or XMP sidecar files.   So, if either of these scenarios is of concern to you, you can turn on the "automatically write changes into XMP" catalog setting and not worry about the icons.  Or (as I do from time to time) use the "Save metadata to file" command on specific images that for one reason or another I'd like bring up to date.


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## Moosehead (Jan 9, 2021)

Paul - Sorry, I am not seeing it yet.  I am using LR Classic V9.0 Nov 2019 release... I do not see an edition ... I will spend some time doing a search and also maybe I am in the wrong e-book.   I see another reply too that I will re-read and it may clarify... Thank you!


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## Moosehead (Jan 9, 2021)

clee01l said:


> My 2 cents:
> Original files should for most purposes retain the original metadata. Once imported, the metadata is maintained in the catalog file and it needs to be the reputable source since it it used for the metadata written to every exported derivative file.
> There is no need nor should there be to access and update the original image file outside of Lightroom. So, you should not really care what happens to the metadata in the original file if all of your image management is handled through Lightroom.
> Other apps can and do access the original image files and when they do they set a Modified Data Tag (MDT) which is enough to trigger Lightroom that “something” in the original file metadata has changed. Your system backup app is one example of an app that will mark files with the MDT so that subsequent backups will recognize that nothing in the file has changed since the the last backup and not back up the file again.
> ...


Cletus your description which I understand gives me confirmation that I can go ahead.  I do not use anything that should be updating LR, only LR which updates its catalog.   I had not used Lr for some time as I have been using Capture.  I am ready to migrate Lr photos to Capture now but I will probably always have LR and keep it current.   It with PS does so many thing beyond Capture.

Thank you... and everyone!


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## Victoria Bampton (Jan 11, 2021)

Moosehead said:


> Paul - Sorry, I am not seeing it yet.  I am using LR Classic V9.0 Nov 2019 release... I do not see an edition ... I will spend some time doing a search and also maybe I am in the wrong e-book.   I see another reply too that I will re-read and it may clarify... Thank you!


I can see from your badge that you have a current Premium Membership, so you can download the very latest PDF from the members area. Just click Downloads on the menubar to find them. Or if you want to look by chapter, it's the Further Editing in Other Programs chapter > Saving Metadata to the Files section.


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