PSU cannot read metadata from copied or derivative files

[MarqsM]

Hi all

I have been trying to solve this issue for the last several weeks but to no avail. I am getting both tired and frustrated as I cannot get to the bottom of this. Maybe somebody will be able to help me here.

• I have RAW files (FUJIFILM RAF files and NIKON NEF files) and JPG/TIF files, all meticulously labelled in Photo Supreme.
• Files are stored on both the HDD and local NAS (folders are mapped as network shares in Windows 10).
• For RAW files all metadata is stored in XMP sidecar files, for JPG/TIF files all metadata is stored internally in the files (this is because I want the metadata to be visible in other software and/or when I send a file to somebody; I share only JPG files, never RAW files).
• I use hierarchical labels (parents>children) and some simple relations (mostly something like this: if I put label "Etna" then the PSU should also add a label "volcano" etc.). Each photo has at least 2-3 labels - some can have even near 20.
• I use only PSU v7 (I used PSU v6 before that) as my DAM and it is the only software allowed to write metadata to these files. So, it is not the issue of other software.

The problem I have is following:

1. If I move the files inside the PSU by dragging them between the folders, the metadata is preserved.
2. If I move the files inside the PSU by "RMC>cut" then "RMC>paste" in other folder, the metadata is preserved.
3. If I copy the files inside the PSU by "RMC>copy" then "RMC>paste" in other folder, the metadata is only partially preserved (just some labels left) or totally lost (0 labels left). This is both for JPG and RAW files.
4. If I move/copy the files outside the PSU and then verify the folder in PSU, the metadata is only partially preserved (just some labels left) or totally lost (0 labels left). This is for both JPG and RAW files.
5. The same situation is true for JPG files generated by photo editors from fully labelled RAW files. To explain - I ingest RAW files into PSU, sort and label them before editing in software like DxO Photolab, C1 etc. Once finished, I would generate JPG files incorporating all the edits - and PSU will not see any labels or only some of them.
   This is important step in my workflow - it may be several weeks or months between culling and editing, that is why I always try to label almost right after shooting, when I remember all the details etc. It is not possible for me to do the labelling after the files are edited and done.

What doesn't work:

• No matter how many times I would try different types of verifying the folder in PSU (i.e. quick, binary etc.) - the metadata will not be read.
• No matter how many times I choose "RMC>METADATA>READ METADATA FROM FILE" - the metadata will not be read.
• What is strange is that the XMP sidecar files are still there, intact, and the metadata in JPG files is also still there (you can see all the labels as keywords in the "DETAILS" tab as well as in any other software). So, for whatever reason - the PSU doesn't see its own metadata!

What is the only workaround that I have found
If I check the following setting: "SYNCHRONIZE SETTINGS>READ SETTINGS>Read IDimager ICS scheme", it is the only situation when PSU will start to see its own XMP files and read the metadata stored in the JPG files (again, we are talking ONLY about copied files). All metadata would be read and restored, in all scenarios described above.

But here we have the problem:

• as explained in the software, this setting should be only used for restoring the whole database;
• every single time I start the PSU, I get a pop-up message asking me to turn this setting off since it shouldn't be normally used (I have not observed any performance impact when I have it turned on, though).

To be honest I have absolutely no idea what am I missing here or what am I doing wrong. Copying and moving files IS important to my workflow and I cannot eliminate it fully. Not to mention that I cannot accept double labelling all files (i.e first RAW files and then, again, generated JPG files).

[Hert]

No matter how many times I choose "RMC>METADATA>READ METADATA FROM FILE" - the metadata will not be read.

Make sure that the file you are copying from has all the metadata written.

1. Select the file
2. Use RMC->Metadata Save Metadata to File
3. Copy/Move the file in or outside of PSU

Another tip: keep the Sync Read/Write settings at their defaults. The default settings are optimized for max interoperability. There is a button in the Sync setting to revert to defaults.

[MarqsM]

Thank you, Hert, for your response.

No matter how many times I choose "RMC>METADATA>READ METADATA FROM FILE" - the metadata will not be read.

Make sure that the file you are copying from has all the metadata written.

1. Select the file
2. Use RMC->Metadata Save Metadata to File
3. Copy/Move the file in or outside of PSU

This didn't change anything.
Yes, the files had all the metadata written - none was "out of sync" and, as I wrote in my original post, you could see the metadata was there in other software and in the "details" tab of the PSu.

Another tip: keep the Sync Read/Write settings at their defaults. The default settings are optimized for max interoperability. There is a button in the Sync setting to revert to defaults.

But this DID help. Now everything is working as it should be. Thank you.

The strange thing is that I had only 2 settings checked in the "WRITE SETTINGS" tab that are not default and they look quite "innocent", if I may call them that:

• STORE KEYWORDS IN ALPHABETICAL SORT ORDER
• INCLUDE ALL PARENT LEVEL LABELS AS KEYWORDS

I cannot, for the life of me, comprehend why the above settings would cause such erratic behaviour in the first place?? Since you can also check the option to include the parent labels when creating a new category - option which I normally use and which doesn't cause any issues - in this case I would bet on the alphabetical sorting as the main culprit. Why is that - this I don't know.