I have noticed on my Windows 10 22H2 system that PL8.x is not generating XMP files. Checking back to last years photos using PL7 I found XMP & DOP files from PL 7.5. I have three separate projects using PL8, none have XMP files.
I then copied 10 raw files into a separate folder and ran PL7.12.1. None of the boxes were checked in the preferences/metadata. No XMP files were generated only dop. Checking the boxes one at a time and saving plus restarting the app each time and still no XMP sidecars. I am NOT going to reload PL7.5 just to check as to when this stopped as I really don’t use other apps to process RAW files. I do have them but they are reserved for systems that DXO does not support. IE NIKON A1000 with NRW files etc.
So what is the story? Have I missed something in PL 7 & 8 elite?
I have a second system with PL5 & 6 running. So why not. I pulled the same 10 raw files into a new folder on my standby system running windows 11 Pro 24H2 and ran PL6.19.0. No boxes were check in metadata preferences. Only dop files were built. I then checked the synchronize metadata with XMP sidecar files, clicked on OK and restarted the app. Only dop files. Next box checked to write Keyword hierarchies in the XMP dc:subject tag. Now I have XMP files.
So time to test PL 7 & 8 again I guess. I am retired IT and yes, I did app testing for my company. Yes, I have done volunteer Beta testing for commercial companies and still do. I will test this on the Windows 11 system first. The Saga continues.
I have tested both windows 11 & 10 and have found that with both boxes checked in the Metadata preferences no XMP files are generated. With just the Syncronize metadata checked I get xmp files. Different results than with PL ver 6.19. In the test procedure I unchecked both boxes in the Metadata tab and restarted the app. No boxes equals dop files. Next I checked the synchronize option only and restarted the app. I had a xmp file right away and a dop when I moved to the next image. Now I did go in and check the second box as well and restarted the app. An xmp file was built on the next image. Now originally I only had the second box (hierarchies) checked then I checked the Sidecar option box. That maybe the issue for me.
So uncheck all the boxes in metadata preferences, click OK restart PL go back in and check the sidecar option only restart PL and then see if you get sidecar files. There may be a specific sequence but the first option is for sidecar files. I have a pillow calling me. Good luck all.
Assuming that no other app created any .xmp sidecars, it’s safe to turn on metadata synchronisation in DPL’s settings/metadata tab. And as @KeithRJ wrote above, .xmp sidecars are only created when PhotoLab needs to do so, e.g if keywords, tags, ratings or IPTC metadata are changed with PhotoLab.
For better control and to make sure I have a single point of definition (which is Lightroom in my case), I disable metadata sync and have DPL read metadata manually through the respective menu item. I rarely have DPL write .xmp in order not to risk metadata integrity in Lightroom.
As of now, PhotoLab only allows (Mac) users to sync metadata. Being able to set PL to automatically read or write metadata with separate check boxes like for .dop sidecars, would be much more useful imo… So far, DxO hasn’t visibly adopted the respective feature requests yet.