# Syncomatic - well doesn't seem to!



## PaulH (Mar 14, 2017)

Hi, new user of Syncomatic here (trial version only at the moment, downloaded yesterday).
I have some raw files (only four, just to try out the plugin) that each have different flags, captions, titles and gps points. I created tif duplicates without the metadata. With them all in the same Collection and all selected in the Lightroom library grid, I open the plugin and select all of the options to copy (incidentally Captions is not included in that list). The process appears to run, but none of the selected metadata gets transferred across to the Tif copies. Does anyone know if this is a bug, or am I missing something? I haven't been able to find the answer online. Thanks for any suggestions.


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## johnbeardy (Mar 14, 2017)

Caption = Description. 

I've not had any other reports of it not working, and have just checked it myself. What you are doing sounds right, so maybe review the results carefully. I assume you're using the menu to Sync Files with Same Name - so the names of your files do match?

John


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## PaulH (Mar 14, 2017)

Hi John, thanks for popping up so quickly! Yes in Lightroom (Windows, today, but I also use Mac which I haven't tried yet) I 've gone: Library/Plug-in Extras/Sync Files with same Name or Time. In the Library grid view have selected the raw files (also tried converting them to DNG, with same non-result) along with the corresponding same Tif's. File extension and the metadata for transferring are the only differences. Does it matter that I have all of the files grouped as a Collection rather than a "real" folder?


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## johnbeardy (Mar 14, 2017)

With files of different types, it doesn't matter if they are in a collection or folder, Paul. That would only be relevant if you were trying to copy from one bunch of TIFs to another, for example, because it helps the plugin distinguish one group from another. As you have selected different types of files (all the files must be in the catalogue), it's enough to tell it that you want to copy from the raws to the TIFs.

I'd suggest looking very carefully at the filenames, checking that they match exactly (it ignores the extension and uses the File Type that you see in Lr's Library Filter). Also check the IPTC fields before and after running the plugin. As I say, I've no other reports of it not working, and I test on Mac and PC.


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## PaulH (Mar 14, 2017)

I've just tried a few different files and still have no result. Also I've checked the iptc fields in both Lightroom and Bridge; the updated entries are not visible in either. Later I shall try re-installing the plug-in just in case! Thanks for your comments so far.


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## johnbeardy (Mar 14, 2017)

Another thought is that the plugin works purely on data that is in Lightroom. So all the files have to be in Lightroom, selected too, and I wouldn't expect anything to show in Bridge until you do a Ctrl S, saving the metadata to the files.


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## PaulH (Mar 14, 2017)

Think I've cracked it, certainly on my Win 7 64 bit:- It seems to work correctly if the plug-in is installed in Lightroom Modules under my roaming App Data folder. It hasn't worked in the sub sections of Program Files (where other plug-ins do work from) nor in other general locations such as Desktop or Documents folders. Going to do a few more short tests, then if it continues to behave I'll certainly be buying the licence as I've got several hundred of my earliest digital files to correct for having the wrong metadata presets applied when originally imported and archived. Thanks very much for your input John, very much appreciated.


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## johnbeardy (Mar 14, 2017)

Hm, well putting it in Modules is fine. My preference is to put plugins on Dropbox, which means I can run them from whichever computer I am using. But I don't see why it should have a problem with Program Files - the dialog displayed, so the plugin is definitely working.

As with any bulk updating, I'm sure you will be careful at first and have proper backups. Undo does work, if you notice in time.

John


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## PaulH (Mar 14, 2017)

Thank you for that. Hadn't thought about Dropbox for that type of application either. Very useful idea!


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## PaulH (Mar 15, 2017)

Just a follow up, John, to say that I tried a few more short trials last night. Cannot find anything that changed, but the plug-in now works correctly from wherever it is located. One minor point is that a couple of the newer files that I used initially were raws from a GoPro5 and even they worked after I converted them to DNG. (Lightroom 6 had recognised them as raw GPR files immediately on first import). Can now begin the real task, got the license too. Many thanks.


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## johnbeardy (Mar 15, 2017)

Thanks for the update, Paul. Glad it's working for you. 

Just so you understand, Syncomatic doesn't determine the file type by referring to file extensions. Instead it relies on Lr's own method of doing so, which is shown in the File Type column when you display the Library Filter.


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