How to store a reference state for JPEG generation

frederic.chaume · February 8, 2026, 10:03am

Hi All

I use DxO to generate JPEGs from my RAW files. Once I’m satisfied with the result, I can publish and print my photos.

However, I’d like to be able to save my settings so I can always use that reference if I need to make some changes or regenerate the JPEG exactly.

My question concerns managing the DOP files, which should be (unless I’m mistaken) the reference for image generation. How do I save the DOP file version as a reference (and thus retrieve all the settings used to generate the JPEG)?

Of course, I regularly back up these files, but I haven’t found a way to mark a specific state associated with the RAW file, given that the slightest modification replaces the DOP file and the edit history disappears when DxO restarts. I just encountered this issue and I haven’t been able to find the DOP file corresponding to the JPEG I generated some month ago

I tried looking at the DOP file, but there are too many parameters in it and I don’t think it contains the history.

I would be interested to get your feedback and experiences regarding this problem.

Thanks in advance.
Have a good day.
Frederic

Pieloe · February 8, 2026, 10:16am

Bonjour Frederic

The best way is create a personnal Preset.
Left click on thumbnail , then Create Preset from current settings.

Pascal

Joanna · February 8, 2026, 11:51am

A single DOP file can contain multiple virtual copies.

Best way I know of handling this would be to create a virtual copy just before exporting the JPEG and renaming it to something useful.

Then, when you want to do further work from that state, make another virtual copy from the exported one and use that as your starting point.

But here is a screenshot, showing that all those versions are contained in one DOP…

frederic.chaume · February 8, 2026, 11:52am

Bonjour Pascal
thanks for your reply. I already used preset of course, so I try to reuse them as much as possible, but I often have to customize a little bit.

now creating a preset for each picture once JPEG is validated , could be an idea, but it mean there will be one per picture and my fear is that it will become quickly unmanageable.
But I will test it nevertheless
Thanks
frederic

Pieloe · February 8, 2026, 11:55am

J’ai du mal comprendre.
Non, les préréglages doivent être génériques.

Pascal

frederic.chaume · February 8, 2026, 11:55am

Hi Joanna
Thanks for you reply.
Unless I’m mistaken, It is not possible to rename a virtual copy. (at least with DPL8) only availble is the index of the virtual copy

Thanks I will investigate this option too

Regards
frederic

frederic.chaume · February 8, 2026, 11:59am

oui mais je n’ai pas de garantie de ne pas avoir modifié certains paramètres du preset appliqué, et dans ce cas , je “perd” la traceabilité entre les réglages et le JPEG généré.
J’ai de nombreux preset , mais je les utilises comme base de travail.

Joanna · February 8, 2026, 12:02pm

À moins que cela ne fonctionne pas sur Windows

frederic.chaume · February 8, 2026, 12:13pm

“renommer l’image” renomme le fichier et toutes les copies virtuelles et pas seulement la copie virtuelle

en tout cas avec DPL8 et WIN11.

Tu utilises quelle version?

BHAYT · February 8, 2026, 12:17pm

@Joanna It never has and still doesn’t work on PL9 on Windows, whereas ‘Advanced History’ is now available but that is only stored in the database and not the DOP.

The idea of using VCs is sound and something I do for a similar reason.

@frederic.chaume Use the VC idea and use keywords to identify the VC variant or “steal” another IPTC field and use that or them to describe the variant etc.

Joanna · February 8, 2026, 12:28pm

Oh, that is disappointing.

(ducking for cover) get a Mac

BHAYT · February 8, 2026, 12:35pm

@Joanna I am sitting at my desk with 3 screens switchable between 4 PCs, 3 classic mid tower and one a baby desktop that looks a bit like a Mac mini, but cost a tiny amount of money by comparison and runs Win11.

I have always detested Apple and their policies, we managed to extend my youngest son’s Mac with more memory and a GPU but that was many, many years ago and for “reliability” they now solder everything in place. So the chances of me going to the “dark side” are less than zero.

PS: Excluding laptops I have only ever bought two pre-built PCs in my life, all my other machines were home builds including the 3 mid tower boxes but the baby computer would make 3 pre-built machines, but even that can have memory and SSDs added.

Joanna · February 8, 2026, 2:27pm

You see, this is what I just don’t get. A Mac Mini costs virtually the same as a lot of desktop Windows machines with the same spec…

But, hey, from what I can gather, Win11 raises all sorts of privacy problems.

swmurray · February 8, 2026, 3:44pm

VCs seem to be the best option for my workflow, IF you don’t overwrite VCs that have been exported (note export status flag in thumbnail). Since PL includes the VC number in the exported file name this works with my long-standing file suffix process to track image versions.

In my case, when exporting, VC-1 is reserved for the initial, quickly shared version, VC-2 is for a refined or “print” version, and VC-3 for B&Ws or an “artistic” view.

Currently re-editing some photos from last November, and use a fresh VC copied from my VC-1 version (previously export) as known starting point. Once the revisions are complete, use a new VC number or consciously overwrite one of my “protected” versions.

Also use duplicate RAW image with unique file suffix for specific interpretive themes.

Basically, use my file suffix conventions for versioning and avoid overwriting an exported VC version.

platypus · February 8, 2026, 3:45pm

Without thinking too much, I propose you try the following:

switch off automatic export of .dop (settings) files and
save them manually exactly when you want
create a virtual copy and change its name (e.g. add “ref” as a suffix), then save the settings
While PL is running, duplicate the file and sidecar and change the name with PL

Using virtual copies is a space saving way to create iterations or variants of an image.

frederic.chaume · February 9, 2026, 8:38am

what do you mean ? duplicate the Raw file ?

frederic.chaume · February 9, 2026, 8:54am

I will test it, sounds a reasonable solution. I will have to define which IPTC field to use.

Renaming VC would have also be a good Idea, unfortunately it doesn’t work on Win11.

May be one limitation I see with VCs is when you are using DPL projects. In my case the same Raw can be used in different project (for different exposition, custmer projects or any other purpose) and so VCs would be spread amongst those projects. One missing feature here would be to get a summary view of all the VCs created and the project where there are used.

FYI I already created a feature request ofr this topic : Suivi des copies virtuelles

thanks all for your feedbacks, very useful and have a good day

frederic

BHAYT · February 9, 2026, 9:02am

@Joanna With as many years as I have been using PCs I have acquired a large library of software which would be largely redundant if I suddenly bought a Mac, putting to one side my intense dislike of Apple.

I object to Microsoft introducing Win 11 in the way that it did, unnecessarily rendering many perfectly usable PCs to the scrap heap, unless their users resort to one dirty trick or another. But that pails into insignificance when the product on which my youngest son had based his career, Apple ‘Final Cut Pro’ was demoted to an amateur package. My sons projects wouldn’t even open in the new version and he moved to Adobe Premier Pro on the Mac.

My machines cost about the price of the cheapest PC you identified but with a better GPU, that is excluding the fact that each is equipped with 8TB + 6TB + 6TB HDDs i.e. each machine has 20TB of storage in total + SATA SSDs for the C:\ and E:\ drives.

With the current price hikes the machines are now worth a lot more than I paid for the components to build them!?

However, fun though this discussion may be, it does help @frederic.chaume out of his predicament.

@frederic.chaume So here is an example of what I did when testing CA issues with PL7.

I “hijacked” the IPTC “Headline” field to annotate the test variants.

I can search on appropriate “keywords” (as distinct from Keywords, which could also be used).

My rather “crude” DOP analysis program shows the contents of the DOP and the line of interest is the “contentHeadline” field.

The DOP is a PL7 DOP so it can be used in PL7, PL8 and PL9.

2026/02/09_08:51:27.562  Processing File #1<=======================================================
2026/02/09_08:51:27.564  ===============
2026/02/09_08:51:27.565 18/10/2024 - F:\_____DxOT\___DXO PL5 - Tests Additional\Test 36 - CA Testing\CA Tests 01 - Nymans\P1112299.RW2.dop
2026/02/09_08:51:27.565 First Read Pass:-  <----------------------------------------------------------

2026/02/09_08:51:27.566 @ line      1   Sidecar = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.566 @ line      2   Date = "2024-10-18T08:13:59.8911343Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.566 @ line      3   Software = "DxO PhotoLab 7.10",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.566 @ line      4   Source = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.567 @ line      5   CafId = "C61004c",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.568 @ line      6   Items = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.568 @ line      7   {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.569 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.569 @ line      8   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.570 @ line      9   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.2932860Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.575 @ line     11   contentHeadline = "CA OFF",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.575 @ line     14   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.576 @ line     18   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.576 @ line     20   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.576 @ line     24   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.580 @ line    424   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.581 @ line    508   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.582 @ line    551   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.583 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.583 @ line    556   Uuid = "56269982-4CA4-4869-8761-A0821DB99CCD",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.583 {Album_count = 1 Uuid_count = 1}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.584 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.585 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.586 @ line    560   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.586 @ line    561   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3633506Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.587 @ line    563   contentHeadline = "CA default NO Purple fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.588 @ line    566   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.588 @ line    570   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.589 @ line    572   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.590 @ line    576   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.596 @ line    976   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.598 @ line   1060   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.599 @ line   1096   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.599 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.600 @ line   1101   Uuid = "3D472F8A-1CA6-44BF-8FA8-7B7C24D93487",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.601 {Album_count = 2 Uuid_count = 2}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.601 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.602 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.602 @ line   1105   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.603 @ line   1106   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3823683Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.603 @ line   1108   contentHeadline = "CA default WITH Purple fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.604 @ line   1111   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.605 @ line   1115   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.608 @ line   1117   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.608 @ line   1121   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.611 @ line   1521   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.612 @ line   1605   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.613 @ line   1641   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.613 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.613 @ line   1646   Uuid = "24055F34-1E70-40BC-9EE2-CCDBE78DEA13",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.614 {Album_count = 3 Uuid_count = 3}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.614 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.614 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.614 @ line   1650   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.615 @ line   1651   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3833689Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.619 @ line   1653   contentHeadline = "CA Max (Intensity & Size} NO Purple Fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.619 @ line   1656   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.619 @ line   1660   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.619 @ line   1662   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.620 @ line   1666   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.622 @ line   2066   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.623 @ line   2150   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.624 @ line   2191   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.624 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.624 @ line   2196   Uuid = "7D02EC1A-D934-4AF5-BA2F-90EDD2F39852",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.625 {Album_count = 4 Uuid_count = 4}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.625 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.626 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.630 @ line   2200   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.630 @ line   2201   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3853710Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.630 @ line   2203   contentHeadline = "CA Max (Intensity & Size} WITH Purple Fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.631 @ line   2206   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.631 @ line   2210   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.632 @ line   2212   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.632 @ line   2216   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.634 @ line   2616   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.635 @ line   2700   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.635 @ line   2740   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.636 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.636 @ line   2745   Uuid = "7570AA38-A1D1-4A52-8803-D8F0FA5803F0",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.636 {Album_count = 5 Uuid_count = 5}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.641 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.641 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.641 @ line   2749   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.642 @ line   2750   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3883745Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.642 @ line   2752   contentHeadline = "CA Max Intensity Default Size NO Purple Fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.642 @ line   2755   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.643 @ line   2759   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.643 @ line   2761   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.643 @ line   2765   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.645 @ line   3165   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.647 @ line   3249   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.647 @ line   3288   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.647 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.652 @ line   3293   Uuid = "6E125ECA-8C6E-4092-BEAF-F09D290596E9",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.652 {Album_count = 6 Uuid_count = 6}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.653 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.653 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.653 @ line   3297   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.653 @ line   3298   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3893748Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.653 @ line   3300   contentHeadline = "CA Max Intensity Default Size WITH Purple Fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.654 @ line   3303   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.654 @ line   3307   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.654 @ line   3309   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.654 @ line   3313   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.657 @ line   3713   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.663 @ line   3797   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.664 @ line   3835   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.664 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.665 @ line   3840   Uuid = "8782DA6E-2FA1-4DA3-A060-644A9158AAF1",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.665 {Album_count = 7 Uuid_count = 7}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.665 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.665 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.666 @ line   3844   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.667 @ line   3845   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3913768Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.667 @ line   3847   contentHeadline = "CA Default Intensity Max Size NO Purple Fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.667 @ line   3850   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.674 @ line   3854   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.674 @ line   3856   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.675 @ line   3860   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.682 @ line   4260   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.683 @ line   4344   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.684 @ line   4383   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.684 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.684 @ line   4388   Uuid = "DB9754EE-EFEB-49C2-BE57-9929896CF0C8",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.685 {Album_count = 8 Uuid_count = 8}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.685 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.685 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.686 @ line   4392   Albums = "",                                           <===[
2026/02/09_08:51:27.686 @ line   4393   CreationDate = "2024-10-18T08:10:02.3923777Z",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.686 @ line   4395   contentHeadline = "CA Default Intensity Max Size WITH Purple Fringing",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.687 @ line   4398   Keywords = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.687 @ line   4402   Name = "P1112299.RW2",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.687 @ line   4404   OutputItems = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.687 @ line   4408   Rating = 0,
2026/02/09_08:51:27.690 @ line   4808   ColorLookupPath = "",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.691 @ line   4892   Overrides = {
2026/02/09_08:51:27.692 @ line   4930   Version = "18.6",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.696 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.697 @ line   4935   Uuid = "769118D9-1084-4ED4-9C4C-6702C78C42E2",         <---]
2026/02/09_08:51:27.697 {Album_count = 9 Uuid_count = 9}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.697 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.697 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2026/02/09_08:51:27.698 @ line   4940   Uuid = "F9DCA6A5-4B3D-48E9-9FF8-1EC6CB394592",         <----
2026/02/09_08:51:27.698 {Album_count = 9 Uuid_count = 10}
2026/02/09_08:51:27.699 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/02/09_08:51:27.699 @ line   4943   Version = "18.1",
2026/02/09_08:51:27.699 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[quote=“frederic.chaume, post:17, topic:54020”]
Renaming VC would have also be a good Idea, unfortunately it doesn’t work on Win11.
[/quote] Sorry that is up to DxO to do the coding.

I would offer to provide a program solution but I have started and almost completed such programs, that I have promised other users in the past, but never finished them!

Regards

Bryan

Joanna · February 9, 2026, 10:12am

That’s interesting. All I do is open DOP files in TextEdit. Nonetheless, a pain to sift through.

The idea of using metadata is certainly interesting if you can’t rename.

frederic.chaume · February 9, 2026, 10:51am

Hi Bryan

thats sound good.

made a quick test and effectively , IPTC field is useful for this purpose, just need to replace the fields when creating a new VC. I’m thinking using “description” and “category” IPTC fields. Also discover we can search on IPTC field

Good news also , is those fields can be found in DOP file and for sure an DOP file analysis would be very helpful. Now I’ using notepad and it is already helpful. Do you know which field is the trigger for a new VC in DOP?

In your example and as well in the DOP I’m looking at , I see lines

Albums = “”,

do you know the meaning ?

thanks