Hi Rob,

I've made some progress—ExifMeta is enabled but I must be doing something wrong as it doesn't appear to hold the exif data and after closing Lr and even restarting my MacBook the ExifMeta plugin often comes up disabled.

Last night, using Plugin Manager I experienced a series of difficulties:
• General Settings:
  - Metadata items is set to 20
  - each time I deselected "Enable auto-update most selected photo", I received an error message stating auto-update had stopped. (Reselecting started auto-update.)
  - I selected "auto-update selected photos." I used this for photos to run my "representative sample/test run".

• ExifMeta Metadata Selections:
  - I chose ExifMeta Metadata Selections using the first column checkboxes and using the last column, hid the items not wanted.
  - Clicking on the "Hide Boring Tags" button, I logged numeral "1" in the appropriate field.
  - I then clicked "Commit".

I then got the pane stating: "Metadata definitions and tag sets have changed. Your catalog must be updated." [AuthorTools section / "Reload Plugin" button.*

In Lr, I was able to see an option for "rc Metadata" in the Library/Metadata drop down box. In my first round of this endeavor, in the Metadata panel, I got
all of the option items listed in a single text box on the right side of the panel, followed by a list on the left-side of only the names of the chosen items but none of the specific data. — very weird!

Then before closing down the app and restarting my Mac and Lr, I followed my understanding of the pane (see above asterisk), I opened Plugin Manager and clicked the "Commit" button. I'm guessing this undid all my effort, because the next time I opened Lr and looked at the selected photos, the "rc Metadata had disappeared and the plugin was "disabled": very confusing. I'm stumped.

• Is there something I'm doing to cause the plugin to disable itself?

• Might this have anything to do with OS X Mavericks and the issue of a "bash script" to run "enabling access to assistive devices" (jacobsalmela.com)?

• Below is the text from the plugin diagnostic file.

I look forward to any light you can shed on what I might do next. I'm really hoping I can get this to work. ExifMeta a great tool for learning how to fine-tune my camera and I would also like to apply it when using my old legacy lenses.

SCC
=============
Here is the text from today's diagnostic file. (It doesn't appear to show anything from last night's efforts.)

2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Logger enabled.

2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   10.9.4 (x64)
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Number of CPUs: 2
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Memory size: 4294.967296 MB

2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Lightroom 5.7

2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Plugin name: rc Exif Meta
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Plugin path: /Applications/Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Addons/ExifMeta.lrplugin
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Plugin version: 5.7
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Toolkit ID: com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Plugin enabled: false

2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Plugin username: _Anonymous_
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Platform support verified - certified for Windows+Mac
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Lightroom version support verified - certified for Lr3 to Lr5
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Switched to pref set Default backed by /Applications/Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Addons/ExifMeta.lrplugin/Preferences/Default.txt
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Elare plugin framework initialized.

2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Found ExifTool built-in with plugin.
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Plugin synchronous initialization completed.
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   
2014-12-14 22:32:30 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Switched to pref set Default backed by /Applications/Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Addons/ExifMeta.lrplugin/Preferences/Default.txt
2014-12-14 22:32:31 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Background state changed to: starting
2014-12-14 22:32:41 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Asynchronous initialization completed successfully.
2014-12-14 22:32:41 com.robcole.lightroom.ExifMeta   INFO   Background state changed to: running

Hi SCC,

Have you tried enabling ExifMeta (Status section of plugin manager).

The log file did not have much in it - were there diagnostics mentioned (in plugin author tools section).

I'm still working on the "assistive devices" stuff, but that stuff not required for ExifMeta functionality.

I don't think the problem is exiftool configuration, yet, or at least there was no indication that anything had yet been tried which uses exiftool.

I know some people are using ExifMeta in Mavericks, so there is hope..

Rob

Log file attached—
SCC

Hi Rob,

I'm running Lr5 on a MacBook (OS X 10.9.4). After downloading and installing ExifMeta, I'm getting the Lr Plug-in Mgr status shown in my subject line.

I have a Fujifilm X-T1 and would like to have better EXIF data available so I can compare shots and gain a better understanding of the camera's manual setting variables, particularly WB Mode and Film Simulation. I also am using several legacy manual lenses and would like to know what exif data might be available when using them.

I'm a novice and not a programmer. Here are my questions:

- How can I determine why ExifMeta is not functioning?

- ExifTools is downloaded. How do I verify if it is properly installed and functioning?

- I read "Bash Script: Enable Access to Assistive Devices Programmatically in OS X Mavericks 10.9.x – Simulate Keystrokes”
     (http://jacobsalmela.com/bash-script-enable-access-assistive-devices-programmatically-os-x-mavericks-10-9-x-simulate-keystrokes/)
   - Do I need to run this script if I am using Mavericks (OS X 10.9)?… if so,
       - how is this done? (which app is used?, Do I simply copy/paste the script into that app?)

Thank you,
SCC

Thanks BillaVista,

I wonder if Lincoln ever got has data..

PS - exiftool is included for Mac users too now  .

Rob

If I had all the data (which raw settings should display which user-friendly text strings..), I could put together a preset in short order, but I don't have a D810 to experiment with.

Bottom line: if you come up with the requisite info (by experimentation or from Nikon support..), I'll roll it into a preset for you, if that would be a sticking point..

Not sure what else to say..

~R.

I always like to shoot in JPG+RAW and try to get the picture well out of the camera. This way I am spending less time on the computer and have more time available to make great pictures. But for this to work I need to know what I have been doing with the picture control. Very strange Nikon messed this up. To be honest I don't think I will be able to solve this, but will ask Nikon for info.... Who knows they will share.

If not and in the meantime I will switch to shooting RAW only most probably.

You're welcome.

I certainly recommend shooting raw if that helps - Lightroom does a mighty fine job with D810 raws (now that the color/profile issues are resolved - knock on wood).

Anyway, I have no additional ideas, other than the one presented in previous post..

Good luck,
Rob

Thank you for looking into my question / issue!
Very strange Nikon put this kind of information into numbers instead of real exit data which is much more user friendly as they did with previous camera's. Their own software do understand this way of working, but it will be quiet difficult to get all combinations of values of picture control settings translated to understandable information.... But to me this is really important or I have to switch to using RAW instead of JPG. This really is a deal breaker for me because now I am looking into the dark considering settings made within the camera.

Have to find out how Nikon is using the numbers. I will write Nikon support an email, but doubt if they will give more insight. Do you have any ideas left about what to do next?

Thank you so far and will keep you posted about the response of Nikon.

Got the files - thanks, but you're probably not going to like what I have to say next 

The values you're seeing (I'm seeing anyway) are just how they are in the file. ExifMeta does not decode metadata on a model-by-model basis, it just shows you the "internal" (raw format) values. If you want to come up with something more friendly, you have to do it yourself by editing the getNameAndValue function in advanced settings.

Let me know if you decide it's worth rolling up your sleeves and I'll try to help.

PS - Regarding cpu consumption - yes: auto-update will consume some cpu, more or less depending on ExifMeta general settings and whether photos need updating or are already updated. I up-throttled the rate in v5.7 so freshly imported photos would have exif-metadata at the ready more quickly, perhaps I should have made it configurable - under consideration..

Cheers (if possible),
Rob