Help, Lost PS CS RAW settings

[BrettD]

Hi all,

I have done a fair bit of google searching, but am unable to find a solution to this problem. I have just upgraded my PC, and now wish to transfer my data to the new computer.

I have copied all of the folders containing the CRW files to the new machine, but they all appear with camera default images in the thumbnails. On the old computer they all had thumbnails for my individually tweaked white-balance / exposure comp / saturation / etc.

I now know this is because I (foolishly) had PS save this meta data to it's internal DB instead of 'side-car XMP files'.
If I export the cache then the thumbnails work, but when I double click to open a CRW, it is back to defaults.

What I really want to do is make a new XMP file for each CRW based on the data in the Adobe built in database. But I can't figure out how.

Am I going about this the wrong way, or am I just not seeing how this is done?

Brett D

[iof]

I am glad i saw this post!! I had no idea where or how CS saved the Camera Raw settings, and what implications this would have on future systems upgrades. I have now changed my default to save the .xmp file.
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To specify where a camera raw image file's settings are stored:

Open the Camera Raw Preferences by doing one of the following:
(Windows and Mac OS) In the Advanced mode, choose Preferences from the Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in menu.
(Mac OS) With the Camera Raw dialog box open, choose Photoshop > Camera Raw Preferences.
In the Camera Raw Preference dialog box, choose one of the following from the Save Image Settings In menu:

Camera Raw database

Stores the settings in a Camera Raw database file, generally located in the user's Application Data folder as Document and Settings/user name/Application Data/Adobe/ CameraRaw (Windows) or the user's Preferences folder as Users/user name/Library/Preferences (Mac OS). This database is indexed by file content, so settings stick to the image even if the camera raw image file is renamed or moved.

Sidecar ".xmp" files

Stores the settings in an XMP file in the same folder as the raw file with the same base name and an XMP extension.
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After changing the default settings, I went back and with the CS file browser opened some of my raw files. The Camera Raw settings from the Adobe database were in effect. When I clicked OK a new XMP file was created, presumabley with these settings. While this seems pretty tedious, it's something I can manage since I have less than 1000 raw images taken since upgrading to CS. If you can do this on your old system and then copy your raw folders to your new system, this might work for you. OTOH, you could try and copy the Adobe database and the Camera Raw folder mentioned above to your new system.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[maderito]

OTOH, you could try and copy the Adobe database and the Camera Raw folder mentioned above to your new system.
.

Well that is the big question -- can you just copy over the ACR and File Browser databases to the new system, locate them in the proper directory, and expect everything to work just fine. I sure would like to know the answer. :shock: :shock:

iof - thanks for the useful info. Saving sidecare ".xmp" files to the local folder seems like the best way to ensure that you can move RAW images files without losing metadata when transferring files to different computers or removable media.

For previously processed RAW files with settings saved in the camera raw database, I believe you can create the local .xmp files using an action and batch process that simply opens and closes a RAW file. You would batch run the action on a folder of images after changing the canera raw preferences to force saving image settings in .xmp files.

[DReb-MO]

Anxiously awaiting more great data points. I am surprised the Adobe doesn't highlight the differences and pro's and con's for this in the documentation. Sure would've been helpful 1,000 shots ago. Glad this was brought now though.

[BrettD]

Thanks guys,

OK, I tried the Open -> [OK] in raw settings dialog -> close without saving, after setting my old system to use sidecar files, and this did make a working XMP ... but I have more RAW files than I care to do 1 at a time. Unfortunantly, if you bypass the file open dialog (using a batch action that simply closed the file without saving) you also bypass the XMP creation.

Maderito, are you doing something I am not, or havn't you tried this?

So I have a REALLY REALLY slow workaround this time, but I will be sticking with side-car XMP's from now on!!!

Brett D

[maderito]

Thanks guys,

OK, I tried the Open -> [OK] in raw settings dialog -> close without saving, after setting my old system to use sidecar files, and this did make a working XMP ... but I have more RAW files than I care to do 1 at a time. Unfortunantly, if you bypass the file open dialog (using a batch action that simply closed the file without saving) you also bypass the XMP creation.

Maderito, are you doing something I am not, or havn't you tried this?
Brett D
Same problem here - can't get it to work in batch mode.

Batch processing typically precludes writing data to the same folder of the original file (a safety precaution, I guess) - so that's probably the problem. I'll get back to you if I figure out a workaround.

[iof]

Well that is the big question -- can you just copy over the ACR and File Browser databases to the new system, locate them in the proper directory, and expect everything to work just fine. I sure would like to know the answer.

The answer is --- YES!!, at least in my environment. I copied the ACR database and one folder of raw to my laptop and everything worked like a charm. The ACR settings followed the CRW files. Considering that the User ID is different and the directory structure is a little different on the laptop, that is amazing. I don't know how the ACR database is indexed, but Adobe seems to have this figured out.

This seems to solve migration of your ACR settings. You can tackle creating .xmp files later, whether by automation or brute force.

[BrettD]

Thanks,
I will give that a go today.

Maybe the database indexes by camera serial number and date/time, that would make it pretty robust

ps. Adobe, If you are listening I would still like to be able to move this meta data between the database and XMP files easily (in both directions). Or perhaps even keep it inside your DNG

Brett D