# Exclamation point in box in photos



## Marguerite (Dec 9, 2017)

Operating System:
Exact Lightroom Version (Help menu > System Info):


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## Marguerite (Dec 9, 2017)

Message in box "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"  - have the option to overwrite catalog settings or import from disk.  What does this mean?


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## Jim Wilde (Dec 9, 2017)

It means that the metadata about the image which is held in the catalog does not match the metadata that has been stored in the image file itself. There could be several reasons for this (opening the file directly into an app like PS, or applying metadata in Bridge, or even having the same file appear in another LR catalog and making changes there), but if you've done none of these things to your recollection, and if you are happy that the metadata in Lightroom is up-to-date, then it should be safe to use the overwrite settings on disk option. This will update the metadata in the image file with the metadata held in the catalog.


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## clee01l (Dec 9, 2017)

I make every effort to keep the correct metadata in my LR catalog. After import it is not important to me what metadata is stored in the original image file copy except that it at least contains the metadata delivered with the file created by the camera.  When I export, I create a new derivative image file and it will always contain the metadata that I choose to export from the catalog file.   Because of this and because the  original image file copy and the catalog can so easily get out of sync for the reasons that Jim mentioned as well as flags set by the system backup software,  I simply ignore any differences between the metadata stored in the catalog (my gold standard) and the metadata stored in the original image file copy. 

I always ignore the LR metadata warning alerts.


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## pscron (May 7, 2019)

clee01l said:


> I make every effort to keep the correct metadata in my LR catalog. After import it is not important to me what metadata is stored in the original image file copy except that it at least contains the metadata delivered with the file created by the camera.  When I export, I create a new derivative image file and it will always contain the metadata that I choose to export from the catalog file.   Because of this and because the  original image file copy and the catalog can so easily get out of sync for the reasons that Jim mentioned as well as flags set by the system backup software,  I simply ignore any differences between the metadata stored in the catalog (my gold standard) and the metadata stored in the original image file copy.
> 
> I always ignore the LR metadata warning alerts.


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## pscron (May 7, 2019)

Clee01l, What do you mean by:   _"When I export, I create a new derivative image file and it will always contain the metadata that I choose to export from the catalog file."?_  And how do you do this?


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## clee01l (May 7, 2019)

pscron said:


> Clee01l, What do you mean by:   _"When I export, I create a new derivative image file and it will always contain the metadata that I choose to export from the catalog file."?_  And how do you do this?


On the Export dialog there is a Metadata section with a "Include" dropdown that gives several options to be omitted or  included. Below that are 3 checkboxes that should be self explanatory.


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## pscron (May 7, 2019)

Thank you!


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## steveazer (Jul 9, 2019)

Is there any way to avoid this pop up from happening in the first place?  It never used to happen to me until sometime in the past 3-4 months, not sure what changed.  I get this message when I take photos on my iPhone (using the standard camera), and then auto import them into Lightroom.


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