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By default, changes made to photographs in Lightroom using either Quick Develop in the Library or the Develop module are stored in the Lightroom database. To ensure that
Lightroom photo adjustments can be viewed properly in Camera Raw, these settings can be written to an XMP sidecar file. This feature is enabled in LIghtroom under File Management in the Preferences
dialog, simply by selecting the check box labeled "Automatically write changes into XMP". This XMP sidecar file will automatically be written into the same folder as the original raw photo file, or
stored directly within files in the DNG format. Likewise, in Adobe Camera Raw, customers should set the General preference to "Save image settings in Sidecar ".xmp" files".
As of version 3.7, Adobe Camera Raw cannot make further adjustments to enhancements made with settings or tools that are exclusive to Lightroom. These include Recovery, Fill
Light, Vibrance, HSL, Grayscale, Clone/Heal, and Red Eye Reduction. However, Camera Raw 3.7 will recognize these adjustments as contained in the sidecar files created by Lightroom. Also, while these
settings cannot be modified in Camera Raw 3.7, they can be cleared entirely, if desired, by using the Clear Imported Settings or Reset Camera Raw Defaults options.
As Camera Raw can only read the current settings for the primary image in the Lightroom Library, adjustments made to virtual copies of photos and Snapshots will not be displayed
or available in Camera Raw 3.7.
Will Photoshop Lightroom recognize adjustments to photos made in earlier versions of Adobe Camera Raw?
Photographs adjusted in versions of Camera Raw prior to 3.7 will maintain their previous appearance in Lightroom, as long as those files were edited with the preferences in
Camera Raw set to save XMP setting files as detailed above. If photos are manipulated in Camera Raw after being imported into Lightroom, they can be updated by choosing "Import XMP Metadata from File" from
the Metadata > XMP file menu in the Lightroom Library module.
What if I don't want to use sidecar files all of the time?
Sidecar XMP files are only required when moving photo files back and forth between Lightroom and Adobe Bridge or Photoshop CS2 for use in Camera Raw. If you prefer, you can simply
wait until the files need to be moved to Bridge or Photoshop, and only then select the photos in the Library module in Lightroom, then choose Metadata > XMP > Export XMP Metadata to Files.
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