Where is my meta data kept ?
After I added the meta data for my image file, where is the data kept? It may just be kept in the database, the XMP sidecar file or embedded in IPTC block or XMP block within the image file. Before I adapt a new tool to maintain meta data, I need to find out from where the tool will import the meta and to where the tool will keep the meta. Adobe PS family software tends to use XMP sidecar for proprietary raw and even jpg. For dng file, they keep the meta in the embedded XMP block. Because I prefer to keep the meta within the image file, I use PS Bridge purely as a media browser and avoid even doing any rating there. I also turn on the ‘merge XMP’ option in file handling in Image Ingestor so that the batch meta will be inserted to the XMP block within the image file. From the product web page, I found quote “A little problem that this introduced is that there’s no way to prevent generation of XMP sidecars. This will be fixed.” Therefore, I need to manual delete the XMP sidecar files. After ingestion, I keep my practice to maintain the meta always from Idimager because the tool maps its XMP based catalog to the EXIF, IPTC and XMP embedded block within the image file for maximum compatibility.
