[BBD] Ctrl-C & Shift-Ctrl-V to copy metadata changes source file

[Carlo Didier]

When I copy XMP GPS metadata from one file (with Ctrl-C) to another file (with Shift-Ctrl-V), then the source file also gets the metadata write-back flag (see attached screenshots and debug log)

That makes no sense as nothing has changed for the source file.

[Mario]

As explained in the help, this copy operation is performed by first writing the source file, then copying the data from it to the other files. Writing back a file may produce "new" metadata and timestamps. This all depends on your configuration, what you copy, the state of the source file etc.
Instance Id is an XMP tag that might have been produced for the first time in this instance.

Looking a log file does not do anything in this case. I can neither see what your original file is or the metadata it contains, if you did not only copy metadata but if there are also file relations in place which copy stuff around etc.

I would need a LOT more details, e.g. copies of your source and target file (unmodified as used for this task), what you did copy, if versioning and propagation were triggered, which settings you have changed under Edit > Preferences > Metadata 2 etc.

It also seems that  you mix and copy (cross post) the same questions into multiple threads, which takes extra time I don't have.

[Carlo Didier]

Please note that I don't post the same questions to different posts. There was only a mishap as I uploaded files in one browser tab to a new post but those uploads were assigned another tab where I was responding to another thread. Not my intention and not my fault.
So, sorry for that.

[Carlo Didier]

As explained in the help, this copy operation is performed by first writing the source file, then copying the data from it to the other files. Writing back a file may produce "new" metadata and timestamps. This all depends on your configuration, what you copy, the state of the source file etc.
Instance Id is an XMP tag that might have been produced for the first time in this instance.

I still don't see any sense in writing to the source file. I want to copy it (or some metadata) as is. There is absolutely no need to change or write anything in the source file at that point.

Is there another way to copy specific metadata tags between files? One that does only read the metadata in the source file?
I can't see something like Ctrl-Shift-C, maybe I should post a feature request?

[Mario]

I still don't see any sense in writing to the source file. I want to copy it (or some metadata) as is. There is absolutely no need to change or write anything in the source file at that point.

This is how IMatch handles this since version 2016. It is also documented that way.
And this done that way for good reasons. Copying tag groups like GPS or XMP also involves copying other chunks of data, update checksums and whatnot.

It is quite unusual that the source file afterwards remains in pending state, but that can be caused by the contents of the source before copying, your file version rules kicking in and whoknows what. Just write it back once and see if this solves the problem.

Is there another way to copy specific metadata tags between files?

Metadata Panel: The Metadata Panel Toolbar

[Carlo Didier]

Writing back removes the flag, but it shoudln't appear in the first place. Making a copy of something should in no way make any changes to the original source of the copy. If that's the way it's been since whatever, that doesn't make it automatically correct, right?

There are no relations between the source and destination of my copy. The source is just an image which has the GPS metadata needed for the other one.

The process through the metadata panel works, but is more convoluted.
Instead of selecting a source image, pressing Ctrl-C, then selecting the destination image(s) and hitting Shift-Ctrl-V,
I need to select the source image, activate the metadata panel, switch to the specific view, click on the copy icon, select the destination image(s), then click on the metadata panel to do Ctrl-V or click on the paste icon in the metadata panel. No way to do this only with keyboard shortcuts.

At least in that case, the source image remains untouched, as it should.

I'll have a look if there is no other way to simplify/automate this.

[Mario]

You can also just select all files and the source file last.
Then click the pin in front of the tags you want to copy from the source to the other files.

Copying single tags is different from what you can do with Copy/Paste attributes, which can copy entire sections of data, entire groups, multiple groups which require synchronization.

I have no idea why your source file required an XMP instance id to be set. I have never seen this before and AFAIK it was also never reported. So, pretty uncommon.
As I've explained in two posts above, this can be very likely being caused by the source file, the metadata it contains, file version rules you have set up (!) and which are of course triggered during the write-back. Very hard to reproduce without your installation, files and setup.

I would guess that you copy again using the same original, the original does not require a write-back afterwards. Else this is very likely a side-effect of some versioning that you have set up.

If this is repeatable (original becomes pending after you copy from it to other files), write it back. Disable your file relations. Repeat. If the original now becomes not pending, your file relation rules are the culprit.