Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Digital Image Processing => Topic started by: Frans Waterlander on October 08, 2018, 06:35:03 pm
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If I want to use the Camera RAW Database to save my image settings (rather then using xmp sidecars or DNG formatting), how do I back the database up and where do I find this file in the first place? Can't find this information in the user's guide or Adobe website. Adobe chat support didn't know, but they promised that somebody is going to call me back.
Hopefully, some of you can help me out?
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Don't you know how to use the "Google Machine'?
Type"Location of Adobe Camera Raw Database". You'll get the answer but here's a URL to start (2nd in the list on my 'Google Machine') :D :
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/311957 (https://forums.adobe.com/thread/311957)
DO read the comments by a fellow named Thomas Knoll: Then follow them!
https://forums.adobe.com/message/1211589#1211589 (https://forums.adobe.com/message/1211589#1211589)
Or maybe you'll find this as one of the top hits the 'Google Machine' finds:
https://helpx.adobe.com/ro/camera-raw/using/camera-raw-settings.html (https://helpx.adobe.com/ro/camera-raw/using/camera-raw-settings.html)
Of course, someone good at computer software troubleshooting would open ACR and invoke a change on an image that would update said database. They could then do a search by file change (by date/time) and up at the top of the list, IF they actually sorted correctly (questionable but not difficult to do), they would see the file just updated due to this update of said database.
Of course someone good at computer skills would backup his entire drive which of course would also back up this database. He'd do this on a daily basis. He'd backup to multiple drives. Then he wouldn't lose anything.
Of course, some people shouldn't be using computers at all. :P
Maybe the question should be: How to Google to search for answers? It would save you and other's a lot of time.\
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The 2nd comment from someone everyone should listen to:
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Before posting here I searched extensively and didn't find any useful information, including the 3 articles you linked to. The 2 forum links are from 2007 and way outdated, as is the Adobe article; "Documents and Settings" hasn't been around since Vista! That has been replaced with C:\Users and C:\ProgramData; on my Windows 7 computer, nothing in those paths leads to anything remotely looking like the Database.
So, the questions of how to locate and backup the Database remains unanswered. And FYI, we can all do with a little less vilifying people you don't agree with.
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Before posting here I searched extensively and didn't find any useful information, including the 3 articles you linked to.
Yes, some are not very good at searching for their own answers or accepting answers. This begs the question why you can't figure out how to search for a recently modified file OR how to do a basic backup of all your files. Again, some people shouldn’t own computers.
The M.O. Is perfectly summed up by this observer:
https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=126843.msg1069472#msg1069472
It looks like the modus operandi of this OP. Ask a question and let everyone make a good faith effort to provide potential solutions, he does not like any one of them and then at the end somehow finds the solution somewhere else or he knew all along. I guess I know now not to bother.
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And your search results, 3 outdated documents, are good? You suggest I back up "all my files", even if I don't know where this particular file resides? Doesn't make any sense.
I'd say, either make a positive contribution or don't respond; OK?
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And your search results, 3 outdated documents, are good?
You'd know if you tried instead of wasting both our time.
I've been using Photoshop since 1990, version 1.0.9 and guess what? LOTS of the functionality from those days STILL works the same today. But it appears you have to dismiss any data provided from some people no matter the date or by testing, simply because again:
It looks like the modus operandi of this OP. Ask a question and let everyone make a good faith effort to provide potential solutions, he does not like any one of them and then at the end somehow finds the solution somewhere else or he knew all along. I guess I know now not to bother.
But getting attention for yourself in two forums still applies to the MO.
So you really don't understand yet how to backup every file on your computer? It's not that difficult. For those of us that can and should be using a computer. Doesn't matter where this or that file might be on a drive (that thingie that holds all your data Frans) EVERYTHING gets backed up.
I don’t know if you are purposely trying not to understand this, or if you are really struggling with it.
You suggest I back up "all my files", even if I don't know where this particular file resides? Doesn't make any sense.
So by your own admission, you don't have a clue how to backup your computer? You don't have to know where ANYTHING resides, you have to know how to select a decent software utility to do so, then a hard drive (which you'll have to figure out how to hook up), done. As I said and will say again, some folks just shouldn’t attempt to use a computer.
No, not OK. You can cease asking scary questions, I'll cease with the scary answers.
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First result from the Google machine on how to backup a computer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F2nh35jq58 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F2nh35jq58)
A video too, little if any reason to read/comprehend.
Damn, from 2017, probably a need to dismiss it..... :(
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A: Can you explain how to use non-existing "Documents and Settings"?
B: Why back up your whole drive if you only need to back up your own files, like images, spreadsheets, word docs, etc. and this elusive Camera RAW Database?
C: I would still need to know where the elusive Camera RAW Database in residing, in case I ever need it to recover from disaster.
D: What part of "either make a positive contribution or don't respond" don't you understand?
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A: Can you explain how to use non-existing "Documents and Settings"?
B: Why back up your whole drive if you only need to back up your own files, like images, spreadsheets, word docs, etc. and this elusive Camera RAW Database?
C: I would still need to know where the elusive Camera RAW Database in residing, in case I ever need it to recover from disaster.
D: What part of "either make a positive contribution or don't respond" don't you understand?
Tell us the wrong answer you'll accept, some here with experience writing fiction might help you out.
Are there no great grand-kids or people who reside around the home who actually understand how computers work and how to back them up you can ask? Or the only sources for you to ask then dismiss are the members of PhotoNet and Luminous Landscape forums you can go to for help/attention? ;)
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Finished, Andrew, or are you going to continue with insults and harassment?
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Finished, Andrew, or are you going to continue with insults and harassment?
Dont ask questions, you don’t like the answers.
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Andrew, try to answer questions in a less condescending tone - it would augment the appreciation with which the information is likely to be greeted.
Frans, the mere fact that articles are old doesn't necessarily mean that their content has become invalid; and self-help is always good. It's hard to believe that you are as unable to use either computers or the Internet as your questions sometimes suggest.
This perpetual bickering reflects well on neither of you.
Jeremy
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how do I back the database up and where do I find this file in the first place? Can't find this information in the user's guide or Adobe website.
You were given the answer to this in the last silly thread you started.
reply #18 in https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=126969.0
Use this link and it's in the second hit on Google.
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=where+does+Photoshop+elements+2018+store+raw+database
Last time you suggested that Adobe's documentation was at fault, it isn't, you just seem incapable of reading it.
And why is this technical query being posted to the, off topic part of the forum, coffee corner ?
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Andrew, try to answer questions in a less condescending tone - it would augment the appreciation with which the information is likely to be greeted.
Jeremy
Sorry and I’ll try harder. It’s frustrating dealing with some posters who cannot accept repeated facts.
Frans, the mere fact that articles are old doesn't necessarily mean that their content has become invalid; and self-help is always good. It's hard to believe that you are as unable to use either computers or the Internet as your questions sometimes suggest.
The irony of his complaint should be clear to nearly everyone when considering he’s running Windows 7, released 9 years ago. ::)
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Sorry and I’ll try harder. It’s frustrating dealing with some posters who cannot accept repeated facts.The irony of his complaint should be clear to nearly everyone when considering he’s running Windows 7, released 9 years ago. ::)
Then please save your blood pressure for discussions that are important to the forum as a whole. Don't respond.
Every forum i am a member of has an "ignore" option. This one does as well. It works.
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And why is this technical query being posted to the, off topic part of the forum, coffee corner ?
Now that's a damn fine question. I'd not noticed. I shall move it.
Jeremy
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Frans, the mere fact that articles are old doesn't necessarily mean that their content has become invalid; and self-help is always good. It's hard to believe that you are as unable to use either computers or the Internet as your questions sometimes suggest.
I agree with you that old doesn't have to mean invalid, but in this case it applies: those links describe directory paths that are over 10 years out of date and no longer exist. Yes, self-help is good; I spent hours using books, my computer and the internet trying to find the info I needed, before turning to this forum.
My computer and internet skills are apparently good enough to find the same articles that Andrew found and many, many more and I actually read them all. And so far, nobody else has come forward with the information I am seeking. Maybe, just maybe, as a moderator you shouldn't recurgitate the swill that Andrew has been feeding everyone on this forum (and elsewhere) about my computer/internet knowledge.
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You were given the answer to this in the last silly thread you started.
reply #18 in https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=126969.0
Use this link and it's in the second hit on Google.
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=where+does+Photoshop+elements+2018+store+raw+database
Last time you suggested that Adobe's documentation was at fault, it isn't, you just seem incapable of reading it.
And why is this technical query being posted to the, off topic part of the forum, coffee corner ?
OK. Now we are getting somewhere. I hadn't checked back on the Adobe forum until now, but the second reply indeed includes the path to the Database. Problem solved, finally.
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I agree with you that old doesn't have to mean invalid, but in this case it applies: those links describe directory paths that are over 10 years out of date and no longer exist.
Wrong again. Can you finally accept the CORRECT (https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2544737) answer as marked, by someone from Adobe?
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Maybe a Mac is in order. I changed my ACR settings for Photoshop to store XMP in the Adobe Camera Raw database.
Opened a raw, made an edit.
Did a search on the Mac for "Adobe Camera Raw Database" instead of Google.
Found this NEW document.
Of course, since I back up the entire drive, every file, it's going to get backed up. Why backup the entire drive? To boot off of, to ensure I never lose ANY document there.
Maybe searching for Adobe Camera Raw Database on Windows is far, far more difficult. :o
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Wrong again. Can you finally accept the CORRECT (https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2544737) answer as marked, by someone from Adobe?
I don't think it was marked correct by someone from Adobe, The OP is the one that marks a response "correct" at which point it shows up as "Answered." I presume a Mod may also be able to mark an answer Correct but that would be quite unusual.
So it appears Frans was the one that marked the answer correct.
Sorry Frans. That post was marked by an Adobe employee which can, along with the OP, mark answers correct.
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Wrong again. Can you finally accept the CORRECT (https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2544737) answer as marked, by someone from Adobe?
Not quite correct; you are wrong again. It is not appdata/adobe/cameraraw. If you had looked at the second answer and clicked on the link, then you might have learned, as I just now did, that the path is C:/Users/[my name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/CameraRaw/. How come, you always think you know better?
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I don't think it was marked correct by someone from Adobe, The OP is the one that marks a response "correct" at which point it shows up as "Answered." I presume a Mod may also be able to mark an answer Correct but that would be quite unusual.
So it appears Frans was the one that marked the answer correct.
No, I didn't, because it's wrong, but now I flagged Michel's answer as correct.
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No, I didn't, because it's wrong.
Everybody’s wrong right?
Do you know how to search for a file name on your windows computer?
Can you see how easy it is to find the Adobe camera raw database on a Macintosh?
Next thing you’ll tell us that search I’ve applied on my Macintosh is wrong?
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Everybody’s wrong right?
Do you know how to search for a file name on your windows computer?
Can you see how easy it is to find the Adobe camera raw database on a Macintosh?
Next thing you’ll tell us that search I’ve applied on my Macintosh is wrong?
I'll respond to your posts if, and only if, you drastically modify your behavior towards me, but I'm not holding my breath.
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I'll respond to your posts if, and only if, you drastically modify your behavior towards me, but I'm not holding my breath.
Will someone with experience using Windows 7 please assist Frans in searching for a file name (Adobe camera raw database) residing on his computer. I can’t believe it can be that much more difficult than searching on the Google machine. :D
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Will someone with experience using Windows 7 please assist Frans in searching for a file name (Adobe camera raw database) residing on his computer. I can’t believe it can be that much more difficult than searching on the Google machine. :D
First find someone here that's running PS Elements and using the database system of storing edits ......
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First find someone here that's running PS Elements and using the database system of storing edits ......
Good point. This might help based on the Audience or maybe it’s wrong too and ANOTHER bug:
https://www.dummies.com/computers/operating-systems/windows-7/how-to-search-for-a-file-or-folder-from-the-windows-7-start-menu/
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No, I didn't, because it's wrong, but now I flagged Michel's answer as correct.
No, you didn't. You flip flopped. You first marked it as the correct answer then changed your mind and then marked Michael's as correct.
Amazing!
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No, you didn't. You flip flopped. You first marked it as the correct answer then changed your mind and then marked Michael's as correct.
Amazing!
Time to lock this down, no?
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No, you didn't. You flip flopped. You first marked it as the correct answer then changed your mind and then marked Michael's as correct.
Amazing!
Excuse me? When I saw the correct answer green star marking the incorrect answer I didn't even know that I could change that.
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When I saw the correct answer green star marking the incorrect answer I didn't even know that I could change that.
So much to learn. ;)
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Excuse me? When I saw the correct answer green star marking the incorrect answer I didn't even know that I could change that.
Who do you think checked the first answer, Frans? The tooth fairy. Only the OP (you) or extremely rarely a Mod, can mark an answer "Correct." Own up dude.
Or state that you believe an Adobe Mod marked it incorrectly. Other posters cannot mark it "Correct."
Sorry Frans. I see that the original "answer" was made by an Adobe employee.
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Who do you think checked the first answer, Frans? The tooth fairy. Only the OP (you) or extremely rarely a Mod, can mark an answer "Correct." Own up dude.
Or state that you believe an Adobe Mod marked it incorrectly. Other posters cannot mark it "Correct."
Whatever the case, the answer he states is wrong was provided by an Adobe staff member (Yachika). So once again, we see here, on PhotoNet and now on the Adobe UtoU forum that everyone is wrong.
Meanwhile, on that Adobe site, he's told the audience there, the concept of backing up his computer (and all files in all locations) is a mystery.
Doesn't know how to search his computer for a specific file to back up.
Doesn't know how to back up all the files on his computer instead.
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Whatever the case, the answer he states is wrong was provided by an Adobe staff member (Yachika). So once again, we see here, on PhotoNet and now on the Adobe UtoU forum that everyone is wrong.
Meanwhile, on that Adobe site, he's told the audience there, the concept of backing up his computer (and all files in all locations) is a mystery.
Doesn't know how to search his computer for a specific file to back up.
Doesn't know how to back up all the files on his computer instead.
Yeah. Missed the `Adobe` mark by the Yachika. Corrected post.
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Who do you think checked the first answer, Frans? The tooth fairy. Only the OP (you) or extremely rarely a Mod, can mark an answer "Correct." Own up dude.
Or state that you believe an Adobe Mod marked it incorrectly. Other posters cannot mark it "Correct."
Sorry Frans. I see that the original "answer" was made by an Adobe employee.
Thanks, Doug.
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Whatever the case, the answer he states is wrong was provided by an Adobe staff member (Yachika).
The answer provided by Yachika is wrong for the windows environment, don't know about the mac.
Anyway, I would recommend avoiding using the option to store the edits in the ACR database due to several reasons:
- The infortunate path chosen by Adobe in windows is normally hidden and not well documented in ACR, and you cannot select an alternate location (that's why it is not easy to find it)
- The location is user specific, so if another user logs in and have access to the same folder where the photos are stored, he/she will not see any edits
- User profiles may get corrupted and the common solution is to create a new user
- IMHO folders in the %user%/appdata tree should be used only for customization, caches, temp, but not for permanent, user independent data. I consider Adobe made a wrong choice of location for the ACR database.
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The answer provided by Yachika is wrong for the windows environment, don't know about the mac.
Anyway, I would recommend avoiding using the option to store the edits in the ACR database due to several reasons:
- The infortunate path chosen by Adobe in windows is normally hidden and not well documented in ACR, and you cannot select an alternate location (that's why it is not easy to find it)
- The location is user specific, so if another user logs in and have access to the same folder where the photos are stored, he/she will not see any edits
- User profiles may get corrupted and the common solution is to create a new user
- IMHO folders in the %user%/appdata tree should be used only for customization, caches, temp, but not for permanent, user independent data. I consider Adobe made a wrong choice of location for the ACR database.
Excellent points all!!! Anyone who is doing serious photo editing should have all their images and information about edits on a drive separate from the OS drive. The same goes for other types of data as well (word docs, spreadsheets, pdfs, etc). One can use a variety of different software solutions (some free and some not) to set up a back up system that will do it's job every single day. Cloud storage is cheap these days as are extra hard drives. Even though I run WinOS, I have not used Elements since moving to LR/PS some years ago so I cannot tell you for sure where the files are located by default. Certainly LR lets you customize the drive and folder where your files are stored and also has a catalogue back up system that prompts you each time you exit the program (if you choose that option). Eve
Maybe the OP does not want to buy into the Adobe CC subscription plan. If so, why not move to LR 6 which is still available as a single license and make things much easier.
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Anyone who is doing serious photo editing should have all their images and information about edits on a drive separate from the OS drive.
There's no logic in that assertion.
Jeremy
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Perhaps not, but it's very handy if your computer breaks down.
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There's no logic in that assertion.
Jeremy
It's also damn hard to do! Say you're working on raws that are not DNG. Say you're using custom DNG profiles. Where do said profiles reside and have to reside based on how Adobe handles this stuff? On the boot drive (on Mac, deep in an Application Support folder in the user library). There are probably other similar examples of such necessary data and not Adobe based.
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There's no logic in that assertion.
Jeremy
There is a tremendous amount of logic to this. I don't know how MacOS systems handle things and I build my own PC workstations running WinOS. I have the OS and programs on a fast SSD and images and other documents on a separate regular hard drive. I also have a separate SSD that PS can use as a scratch disk. This kind of set up would not be possible if I just had a single large drive that contained the OS, programs and all the data files. It's easy to mirror that data drive both to the cloud, a separate data drive in my PC and a detachable HD so that there are redundant back ups. LR can be configured to store everything that is needed (at least things that I need, YMMV) on the data storage drives. Andrew mentioned DNGs in a later post. I don't use DNGs so I cannot comment about how these are used in terms of where LR is located and the data drive.
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There is a tremendous amount of logic to this. I don't know how MacOS systems handle things and I build my own PC workstations running WinOS. I have the OS and programs on a fast SSD and images and other documents on a separate regular hard drive. I also have a separate SSD that PS can use as a scratch disk. This kind of set up would not be possible if I just had a single large drive that contained the OS, programs and all the data files. It's easy to mirror that data drive both to the cloud, a separate data drive in my PC and a detachable HD so that there are redundant back ups. LR can be configured to store everything that is needed (at least things that I need, YMMV) on the data storage drives. Andrew mentioned DNGs in a later post. I don't use DNGs so I cannot comment about how these are used in terms of where LR is located and the data drive.
I mention DNG because that format allows for data to be embedded that would otherwise be found on the boot drive.
Where for example, on your Windows machine do .DCP profiles reside? IF on the boot disk and if you're not using say DNG, say you select a profile, either one supplied by Adobe or your own. Now that profile, which is 'linked' to the raw is on your boot drive so with your recommendations, that useful and necessary data isn't on that dedicated drive.
And getting back on topic about where this database file lives and whether or not it stores all the necessary edits (still very questionable), seems Elements 2018 is NOW old news and everything could possibility differ due to this:
https://theblog.adobe.com/introducing-adobe-photoshop-elements-2019-premiere-elements-2019/
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Where for example, on your Windows machine do .DCP profiles reside?
On the system drive, also custom or downloaded additional lens profiles hide there too.
It would be easy enough, and maybe good practice, to have a separate folder on the drive you keep images and LR data on to keep copies of these files that can't be configured to be automatically at specific locations. It just needs some understanding, consideration and planning.
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On the system drive, also custom or downloaded additional lens profiles hide there too.
It would be easy enough, and maybe good practice, to have a separate folder on the drive you keep images and LR data on to keep copies of these files that can't be configured to be automatically at specific locations. It just needs some understanding, consideration and planning.
Yes, on the system (Boot) drive. By design. And why would they need to be anywhere else?
So yeah, keeping all this stuff off the boot drive isn’t as easy as it sounds. Nor does Adobe and lots and lots of others make it easy to do or apparently do they feel as you do, it’s necessary. And for myself and many others excluding the OP, everything everywhere gets backed up, returning full circle to this silly idea of finding one obscure file we still don’t know which Elements uses for the edits.
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And for myself and many others excluding the OP, everything everywhere gets backed up,
That's just one approach.
You'll also find a school of thought that says you should have your own personal data backed up and archived separately; docs, spreadsheets, photos, databases, saved settings, macros etc.
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That's just one approach.
You'll also find a school of thought that says you should have your own personal data backed up and archived separately; docs, spreadsheets, photos, databases, saved settings, macros etc.
Yes that’s just one approach. An approach that ensures no data is ever lost. ;)
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I think the user should have the option to decide where to store the data. The issue with ACR database is not only with Elements, it is the same if you use ACR + PS.
Storing data in the boot drive is the single-user, single-computer mindset that unfortunately is present across many software vendors. It prevents multi-user environment and complicates collaboration and migration between different platforms. If you think this can’t be done just look at Davinci Resolve which allows multiuser environments using a powerful database such as Postgres.
I personally don’t like the fact that Windows basically forces you to have the users profiles in the same boot drive. I much prefer an approach like Unix, where the logical structure of data and folders can be independent of the phisical devices (disks).
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I think the user should have the option to decide where to store the data. The issue with ACR database is not only with Elements, it is the same if you use ACR + PS.
Storing data in the boot drive is the single-user, single-computer mindset that unfortunately is present across many software vendors. It prevents multi-user environment and complicates collaboration and migration between different platforms. If you think this can’t be done just look at Davinci Resolve which allows multiuser environments using a powerful database such as Postgres.
I personally don’t like the fact that Windows basically forces you to have the users profiles in the same boot drive. I much prefer an approach like Unix, where the logical structure of data and folders can be independent of the phisical devices (disks).
I don’t know what “the issue” is and Adobe isn’t unique in placing necessary files all over the boot disk. At least under Mac OS. Can’t speak about Windows. Everything on the boot disk or there and on multiple external drives, 30 years of running a Mac but backing up EVERYTHING, no issues on this end.
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Yes, it can work perfectly fine, but just think about this scenario:
You start with a Windows computer and chose to store ACR edits in the ACR database. Then, after a few years and thousands of edited images, you decide to migrate to Mac ... I wish you luck!
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You can create a link (if using NTFS which is the normal Windows default) from a directory in C: to another drive. See this:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/FileIO/hard-links-and-junctions
This is commonly done when people need more storage than is in C: or just want to separate user files from the C: drive.
It's somewhat similar to node links in Unix and Linux OSes.
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You can create a link (if using NTFS which is the normal Windows default) from a directory in C
Yes, that is one approach, but I see it more like a workaround. Also bear in mind that some backup programs (i.e. crashplan) don't include the liked data by default
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That's just one approach.
You'll also find a school of thought that says you should have your own personal data backed up and archived separately; docs, spreadsheets, photos, databases, saved settings, macros etc.
This is the approach that I follow and I have my back up program set up to get all the stuff that is "hidden" by Adobe (as well as other software vendors). Personally, I think it's bad practice by software vendors to embed important files by default in locations that are difficult for "most" users to find. Clearly doing system images of the OS drive help address this issue in case of OS drive failure but things could be made a lot easier.
I'm not quibbling with what Andrew has stated in his posts above but only note that sophisticated uses understand where things are and can take the necessary efforts to prevent major problems down the road. Fortunately, most data drives these days are not only fast but quite robust. Drive failures are quite rare.
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Drive failures are quite rare.
Not my experience, although they have improved a lot
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Yes, it can work perfectly fine, but just think about this scenario:
You start with a Windows computer and chose to store ACR edits in the ACR database. Then, after a few years and thousands of edited images, you decide to migrate to Mac ... I wish you luck!
I would not recommend storing ACR edits that way for one as have multiple people on (now) THREE different forums th OP has duplicated this original topic (one locked as is often the case), again going back on topic. My ACR edits reside IN the raws. But I see your point. And I wish Adobe and others would arrange all files be location configurable. For example in LR: the preference to store all presets with Catalog. Great! But Lens and Camera Profiles? Nope. In that example, DNG is one partial solution.
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Yes, it can work perfectly fine, but just think about this scenario:
You start with a Windows computer and chose to store ACR edits in the ACR database. Then, after a few years and thousands of edited images, you decide to migrate to Mac ... I wish you luck!
That scenario raises an interesting question. I know of no way to 'export' the edits in the ACR database as sidecar files. Don't know if it's possible. But I suppose (and might or might not be worth testing) that if you converted all those raws into DNGs, the associated edits and more would then be transferred and embedded into the DNGs which would be a better outcome than not. Sure, you're now 'locked' into DNG but that seems a lesser of two evils or for those of us that prefer a DNG workflow, maybe a plus.
Totally avoiding the ACR database and using sidecar files would appear in your scenario to be a much better option. Which is why the request here to back up just the database is iffy at best.
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That scenario raises an interesting question. I know of no way to 'export' the edits in the ACR database as sidecar files. Don't know if it's possible. But I suppose (and might or might not be worth testing) that if you converted all those raws into DNGs, the associated edits and more would then be transferred and embedded into the DNGs which would be a better outcome than not. Sure, you're now 'locked' into DNG but that seems a lesser of two evils or for those of us that prefer a DNG workflow, maybe a plus.
Totally avoiding the ACR database and using sidecar files would appear in your scenario to be a much better option. Which is why the request here to back up just the database is iffy at best.
Isn't this one of the big advantages of LR? I just took a look at my image folder and the xmp files are right there in the same place as the RAW files (as they should be :)). So other than the few things you already identified as residing on the OS drive, the key things are all neatly in one place on my data drive and easy to back up.
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Isn't this one of the big advantages of LR? I just took a look at my image folder and the xmp files are right there in the same place as the RAW files (as they should be :)). So other than the few things you already identified as residing on the OS drive, the key things are all neatly in one place on my data drive and easy to back up.
My main image editor is Photoshop and it also saves the XMP metadata alongside the RAW images. The approach seems uncomplicated.
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My main image editor is Photoshop and it also saves the XMP metadata alongside the RAW images. The approach seems uncomplicated.
+1.
I know most photographers have moved to LR. But I see no reason so far to move away from Bridge+CameraRaw+Photoshop combo. May be this (old) dog does not want to learn a new trick. Particularly since they added the CameraRaw filter in PS so you can go back and forth between the two. To each his/her own, I guess. Adobe should give me discount for not using LR (yeah, right!)
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A few further comments: LR's catalog 'contains' a lot more important data than the ACR database (all that DAM stuff for one ;D ). So it's absolutely important to back up the catalog even if you use proprietary raws and sidecar files. And you can store some editing data in both locations (belt and suspenders). But going back again to the topic; back up everything. Or anything you can't afford to lose.
I cannot see any reason to use the ACR database! I can see lots of reasons to back it if if one insists on using it. I can see lots of reasons to back up any file that falls into the useful camp.
As for why some of us use LR vs. an ACR/Bridge workflow is Bridge isn't a DAM, it's a browser. And for some of us, the Print module in LR is worth the price of admission alone. Photoshop from day one is kind of a 'one file at a time' workflow where LR bypasses that, even for printing.
ACR as a filter is pretty slick. But it's not the same as using ACR on raw data!
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A few further comments: LR's catalog 'contains' a lot more important data than the ACR database (all that DAM stuff for one ;D ). So it's absolutely important to back up the catalog even if you use proprietary raws and sidecar files. And you can store some editing data in both locations (belt and suspenders). But going back again to the topic; back up everything. Or anything you can't afford to lose.
I cannot see any reason to use the ACR database! I can see lots of reasons to back it if if one insists on using it. I can see lots of reasons to back up any file that falls into the useful camp.
As for why some of us use LR vs. an ACR/Bridge workflow is Bridge isn't a DAM, it's a browser. And for some of us, the Print module in LR is worth the price of admission alone. Photoshop from day one is kind of a 'one file at a time' workflow where LR bypasses that, even for printing.
ACR as a filter is pretty slick. But it's not the same as using ACR on raw data!
I understand all those differences between the 2 approaches. I can see if you process and print lots and lots of photos, LR would be a better application. My needs are more modest. And I love to see the layers and masks all lined up nicely where I can follow what's going on and who is doing what. May be someday in the future I might come around and move to LR...
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My main image editor is Photoshop and it also saves the XMP metadata alongside the RAW images. The approach seems uncomplicated.
Thanks, it wasn't clear from Andrew's post that this was the case. I use Affinity Photo rather than Photoshop for things that I need to do outside of LR as I want to support developers other than Adobe.
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...think about this scenario:
You start with a Windows computer and chose to store ACR edits in the ACR database. Then, after a few years and thousands of edited images, you decide to migrate to Mac ... I wish you luck!
I performed some tests based on this scenario. I could not find a way to create the XMP files directly from ACR, but LR is capable of retrieving the edits from the ACR database when importing the raw files that have been edited in ACR into Lightroom. So even if this is a workaround, it works very well.
I stand corrected: It is a scenario easy to solve.
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I performed some tests based on this scenario. I could not find a way to create the XMP files directly from ACR, but LR is capable of retrieving the edits from the ACR database when importing the raw files that have been edited in ACR into Lightroom. So even if this is a workaround, it works very well.
I stand corrected: It is a scenario easy to solve.
Cool! How did you get LR to retrieve the ACR database?
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Cool! How did you get LR to retrieve the ACR database?
I did nothing. When I imported the images they had the edits performed in ACR, just as if I had used XMP files. In any case there is a difference in the case of doing modifications in ACR after the file has been imported in LR:
- Using XMP: Lightroom will show a warning in the top right corner (grid view) that there has been an external change and gives you the option to choose to update either the LR database or the external settings
- Using ACR Database: Lightroom will not show any warning, but you can update the settings in LR database with the menu option "Metadata -> Read Metadata from File"