XMP sidecar files

[robbo56gbr]

I am trying to fully understand if my workflow either uses or creates any xmp files, or whether instead all metadata is inside the IMatch database.

All my raw files are from Canon in either .CR2 or .CR3 format.  These get imported into IMatch and I may add location data, Title and some keywords.  At this stage, am I correct that no .xmp sidecars are used or created?

I will then typically do a writeback  - am i correct that it is this action that creates the.xmp sidecar file with the same name as the raw?

[Mario]

At this stage, am I correct that no .xmp sidecars are used or created?

IMatch creates XMP sidecar files when you write back. XMP sidecar files must have the same name as the corresponding image (or other file) and stored in the same folder.

IMatch creates XMP sidecar files only for file formats which don't support embedded XMP data, and with respect to image and video industry standards and best practices.

I recommend reading the Metadata for Beginners in the IMatch help where I explain this and many other things you may not yet know about metadata, what IMatch does with it, and what the benefits are for you.

[sybersitizen]

I am trying to fully understand if my workflow either uses or creates any xmp files, or whether instead all metadata is inside the IMatch database.

All metadata known to IMatch is in the database, including any adds or edits that you apply. The file metadata only gets updated if the changes are written back.

Because RAW files are not intended to hold metadata changes internally, XMP sidecar files are used for that instead. It's an industry convention. (JPEGs are designed to hold metadata changes internally, so sidecar files are not needed for them.)

[ubacher]

I had an interesting recommendation from a fellow photographer: He converts his raw files as soon as ingested to dng using the Adobe dngconverter. This way, so his argument, all changes made while processing the file (he uses ACR) will be stored in the dng and no XMP file is generated. And, of course, this would also apply for any metadata.