Out of sync: read or write metadata?

[mccross]

If a photo is marked as out of sync, how do I know whether to read the metadata from file or write the metadata to file? (Obviously, this question is for situations where I haven't just edited the file or database for this photo.)

[Hert]

There is no way for anyone to know if you need to read or write.
Could be that you edited the pixels in the file and then you can assume that you should always write. Could be that you edited metadata in another tool (never a good idea to use multiple tools to write metadata, but that's for another topic), in that case you should read to import the changes you made in the metadata with other software.
Photo Supreme (or any other software for that matter) cannot decide what you did with a file outside the scope of the software.

[mccross]

Some information on what is out of sync would be helpful, if that were possible.

[Hert]

The Cataloging Manual describes it as follows:

OOS.png (209.24 KiB) Viewed 4411 times

[mccross]

Sorry, I meant what aspects of each photo are out of sync, i.e. which entries do not match in the photo metadata and the database.

[Mke]

You could use ExifTool to export the metadata from the image, and use the 'Export Metadata to CSV File' option in PSU for the same image, then compare the files.
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ExportToCSV.png (21.54 KiB) Viewed 4382 times

.
Through usage, I've learned that it's OK to trust PSU and just sync the metadata.

[mccross]

I reread the metadata from the file for one of the photos to see if there any changes. Now the "Keywords" listed in the "Details" panel do not match what the "Labels" panel shows:

Details panel

Keywords.png (11.34 KiB) Viewed 4338 times

Labels panel

Labels.png (10.48 KiB) Viewed 4338 times

Shouldn't these be the same?

[weidmic]

Hi mccross,

it all depends on your settings in the preferences (synchronize settings) ...

Michael

[Hert]

it all depends on your settings in the preferences (synchronize settings) ...

Indeed, another possibility is that a catalog label is defined to not write to metadata; for example a a catalog label that is marked as "private" and hence only exists in the catalog and not as a keyword in the file, or a label from a private category.

[mccross]

The missing keywords are defined with the "Create Keyword for this Label" option. However the file was read only, and the disparity went away when I tried again when the file was read-write. Weird?