Rating disappears when opening in PS

[Mees Dekker]

I'm somewhat puzzled by the following metadata quirk.

When I ingest new (CR2) files into Imatch, assign a rating to some of them and then write back metadata, all seems fine. 

But: when I open (after writing back these metadata) and edit these files in PS, the rating of these files disappears (both on the CR2 and the resulting jpg-version). 

However: when I apply a rating to a file and do not write back metadata, the rating remains and is correctly propagated to the JPG-version. 

What causes this behaviour and how to act in order to keep a "written back" rating?

[Mario]

The rating for CR2 files is written into the corresponding XMP file. For the JPG, it is embedded in the XMP record.

1. Using the ECP, verify that the XMP for the PS file has the rating, and also the JPG.
For the CR2, use the {XMPFiles} instead of {Files} in the ECP. If the rating is there, IMatch's job is done.

2. Check if the CR2 file has an embedded rating. Use the "List Metadata" and search for rating.
Some Canon models insist on embedding a hard-coded "rating=0" in a rudimentary XMP record inside the CR2. IMatch has an extra setting to ignore these useless embedded ratings. IMatch will not embed XMP in RAW files, and thus cannot remove that rating.

PS usually uses the XMP data in the sidecar and does not expect embedded XMP in RAW files. But Adobe does not document how all this works in their software, so who knows.

Does PS show the rating assigned in IMatch when you open the CR2 file via the Camera RAW? When you check the Properties of the file in PS, does it show the rating? Maybe it is pulling old data out of the Bridge cache or something.

[ubacher]

I just tried it - with a NEF file from a Z6. I assigned a rating of 1 in Imatch and wrote it out.
Exiftool shows a rating of 0 in the NEF file and a rating of 1 in the associated XMP file.
PS raw shows the rating correctly and also propagates it to the jpg.

BUT: after trying this some more I also got the case where when I closed ACR ("via Done")  the rating disappeared.
Trying some more I can not repeat this though?

Trying without writing out the rating did not show the rating in photoshop.

[Mario]

I also got the case where when I closed ACR ("via Done")  the rating disappeared.

Closing ACR via Done stores your settings to the XMP file, but does not open the image in Ps.
Maybe this wipes out the rating IMatch has written? I have not experienced this, though.
If the rating was in the XMP file before, but now isn't, ACR has wiped it for some reason. A case for Adobe support.

[Mees Dekker]

Any news on this?

[Mario]

Where you expecting something from me?
I've explained the outcome of my tests above. ubacher too.

If you have verified in ECP that IMatch has written the rating into the XMP sidecar file / embedded XMP record, but Ps does not show it, this seems to be a problem of Ps.

Note that some Nikon cameras embed a useless forced rating=none in a partial XMP record in the NEF. Only that, nothing else.
IMatch ignores these nonsense ratings and uses only the rating from the XMP sidecar file for RAW files.
If Ps does not see the XMP data or ignores it or decides to favorite the hard-coded rating=none embedded in the NEF over the correct rating in the NEF, you may want to contact Adobe about this.
Or use the ECP in IMatch to remove the hard-coded rating from the NEF by deleting the XMP data from it.
Why Nikon stores a hard-coded rating=none in a partial XMP record in the NEF escapes me. You may want to contact Nikon support about this.

There is nothing else I can do. Unless I have missed something.
Did you send a sample NEF that causes this to me to check out?
Which version of Ps / ACR are you using?