Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

I am still 'defining' my Lightroom 'import' process. At times I use Picasa to quickly edit 'non-keeper' photos and share in Google+ and through email. However, just for fun, I added a keyword on a photo in Picasa and then opened Lr to see if I could see the tag in Lr - Nope!

So, my thoughts or questions are:
a) are keywords in the meta data compatible between Lr and other editing software
b) if I add keywords/tags to photos in Picasa - do I need to import that 'change' in Lr and is that accomplished through syncing? (I may be starting to answer my own question i.e. Lr needs to know that data was changed
c) what about adding keywords in Lr ... will they be automatically visible in other keyword compatible editors? ... test to come.

Other reference http://www.organizepictures.com/2009/12/lightroom-picasa-image-metadata

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

This is coming from a non-expert. Keywords in LR will work with LR only, and the same goes for other editing programs. Keywording is great, but it's a nuisance entering them for a couple of dozen shots, let alone thousands.

Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Test #1: added tag to a photo that was not previously imported (added) to Lr. Result: Tag is visible in Lr. Therefore, my first step determined that keywords or tags DO get brought over from Picasa to Lr when imported to Lr.

Test #2: Check if tags are visible in Picasa when added in Lr.

Dr.db Loc: Central Point, OR

interested in what other tests/results you may have!

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

I won't pretend to know about this subject, but I will say that I've explored it before. There are many available 'fields' to store metadata in a photo. Some applications use particular fields, while other pieces of software use different fields to store the same data.

Without confirmation, I dare say that Adobe software will conform to the most prominent standard about the subject. I do know that I can view keywords from Windows Explorer on any image that I've put through LR. So, it seems Adobe AND Microsoft adhere to some standard. I have no experience with Picasa, other than the time it took me to uninstall it after installing it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks. That's good to know. When you say "Picasa," does that mean the program on your computer or the online storage site?

Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Picasa - Google's Photo editor https://picasa.google.com/

Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Test #2: Lr to Picasa ... can I see tags from Lr in Picasa photo editor?
So far - no luck. And I also tested Zoner Studio Pro vers 17 (the alternate to Lightroom). So far I do not see the Lr tags. More study needed.
Bob

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks.

Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

(Update) Solution found:

So here is a solution from http://www.organizepictures.com/

I forgot that Lightroom by default will not write metadata in the image files, only in its catalog database ...unless you tell it to write metadata.

For 'always on' Global setting - so you do it once and it's done:
*** In Lightroom, on the top menu bar choose: Edit/Catalog settings /Metadata tab/check the option that says Automatically write changes into XMP.

If you don't want to do Global,
*** Still in Lightroom, then select an image that has tags/keywords then at the top menu bar choose Metadata/Save metadata to File.

To sync your metadata ... select a folder with images that have new Metadata then right click the folder/synchronize /check scan for metadata changes and click update.

This (to me) is a critical safety measure to allow for or provide added protection and flexibilty of using other editors -or- if one decides to cancel Lightroom -or- if Adobe's pricing gets too expensive. I confirmed this works in Picasa and I just checked Zoner and it also read the metadata and found photos.

FYI - check out Zoner (free and Pro) ... looking a lot like a Lightroom clone!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm not familiar with LR to the point of addressing your question. However, based on other software usage, probably not. Each application company seems to have proprietary formatting for data. That's why I developed, and continue to enhance, my own database which works independently of any post processing software.
--Bob

mrtobin Loc: North East Ohio

Bob,

I do all of my key wording in LR. When I "export" a file all of the key words stay with the file.

I upload photos to a few micro stock sites. All photos will have 10, to 25 key words, they all show up with the photo, no need to retype or cut and paste.