Lightroom 3 question: metadata with the file or in the catalog?

<p>Hi, I'm struggling with the decision between two stategies for my raw files in Lightroom 3: it's an option you can enable/disable in the Metadata tab of the Catalog Preferences Menu... For what I understood I can decide to keep all the metadata informations in the Lightroom's catalog file (option disabled) or to make a copy of these informations in a sidecar .xmp file (one for each raw file). The former option scares me because a damage or a loss of the LR's catalog file will cause a loss of all the develop settings of all your raw files (with all the other metadata informations of course)...<br>

What is your strategy or your suggestions?<br>

Regards, Alberto.</p>

<p>I got rid of the sidecar files by converting nef files to dng. I keep all the editing data and metadata within the dng file. I do not enable automatic writing to files in the Metadata tab of the Catalog Preferences Menu because that option slows my machine too much. When I stop working with files I use smart collection "recently modified", select the recently modified files and save data to them (Ctrl S on win). From time to time I update dng previews for all my files to keep them in sync with edits (this is done durin the night while I am sleeping). This step is important if you or your client browse the files with the aplication which is not Lightroom (for fast browsing I use Fast Picture Viewer - a very good piece of software indeed).<br>

Regards, Marko</p>

<blockquote>

<p>For what I understood I can decide to keep all the metadata informations in the Lightroom's catalog file (option disabled)</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br /> I don't think you're understanding it properly. All of the metadata is always written to the Lightroom Catalog. You can't disable this, and you wouldn't want to even if you could.<em></em><br /> <br /> <em>In addition</em>, you have the choice of <em>automatically </em>writing the metadata the to files as well - or you can do it <em>at the time of your own choosing</em> by clicking on "save metadata to files" under the metadata menu. This will write the metadata to whichever files you have selected.<br /> <br /> If there is a sidecar it will write to the sidecar. If it's a dng it will write to the dng. We just had a very long thread about DNG, so I hope this thread can avoid rehashing the subject.</p>

I went back to xmp. I don't rely on one single proprietary system or software

anymore. A sensible workflow, to me, is to have options. DNG and LR catalogs

freak me out. I still use them, but if my system crashed right now, I could carry

on with a handful of any software.

I also am in the new habbit of just backing up the xmp's. Meaning, just backup

your raws once, make edits and changes, and then just back up your xmp.

I've also had clients email me raw files and i;ve just emailed back the xmp and

they replaced theirs and they now have my edits.

<p>"<em>...I use smart collection "recently modified", select the recently modified files and <a href="../digital-darkroom-forum/00X66I" target="_blank">save</a> data to them (Ctrl S on win)</em>"... </p>

<p>genius! so simple. Thanks, yet again Mark... t</p>

<p>Alberto,<br>

I'm a relatively new user of LR, but purchased it because I wanted powerful metadata (keyword) management. If you rely on the LR catalog, and occasionally write your metadata back to the xmp/dng for redundancy, then you will be able to leverage LR's ability to use hierarchy, exporting vs not exporting parent keywords, etc. I've done a fair bit of testing around LR's keywording abilities and how to export hierarchy, and IMO it's definitely the way to go.</p>

<p>Avery</p>