XnView Software

I've come across a problem after leaving lightroom. The files are CR3 files (Canon) and they have an associated XMP file of the same assigned name. I can read the xmp files on their own. They are in the same directory/folder as the image files and have the same file name, just the different extension. However, when I click on the image CR3 file and click on the xmp tag, there's nothing there except a single line: Rating 0.

When I look at the same files in Adobe Bridge, the xmp files are associated and I can see the keywords and ratings. Therefore, I'm wondering if the problem might be because I imported files into lightroom from the camera and, when doing so, I changed the name of the files to include the date as well as the name assigned by the camera, but that's speculation.

What is the best way to fix this? Now that I've left Lightroom, I wonder if there is anything I could do in Adobe Bridge that would fix this. What about XnView MP - is there a setting I could change there that would re-associate the XMP files with the photo files?

I hope I've explained things well enough. Although I suspect this problem may have been somehow caused by Lightroom, any help would be great.

Using XnPView MP v1.9.8 64bit Windows 11.

Therefore, I'm wondering if the problem might be because I imported files into lightroom from the camera and, when doing so, I changed the name of the files to include the date as well as the name assigned by the camera, but that's speculation.

Regarding the above comment, if you only renamed the cr3 and not the xmp files, that was a mistake. If you now have files something like A12345-08-12-25.cr3 and A12345.cr3.xmp then you have indeed broken the xmp files.

The name of the xmp file must have the same base name as the master file. So for a master file named A12345.cr3, there are only two acceptable names for the xmp:
A12345.xmp or A12345.cr3.xmp

It is advisable to adhere to the .cr3.xmp standard.

You can rename files all you want, but the xmp files must be renamed to match. So if you have files named something like:
A12345-08-12-25.cr3 and A12345-08-12-25.cr3.xmp then you should be ok, since both the cr3 and xmp have the same base name.

The only solution for breaking your xmp files in that way is renaming things so they match again. To ensure you do not break them in the future using XnViewMP, ensure the "Link companion files for the following actions" options are enabled on Settings:File list:Companion files.

Beyond that, check that you have some settings correct:

-In Settings:File List:Companion files you should have:

Master Extension
*

Companion
{ext}.xmp;xmp

In Settings:Metadata, ensure all the Import options are selected (really, check all the options on that page)

In Settings:Metadata:Sidecar, ensure the Naming Convention matches the naming of your sidecar files. Since you will probably want to save metadata in sidecars as well, put a check by "Create or Update XMP Sidecar", and then also activate the export options on the Metadata page.

After all that is done, restart the app just to be safe, and then select the files in the browser from the Menu select Metadata->Update Catalog from FIles.

Thank you very much for your detailed response. I've checked everything you mentioned, but have had no luck in figuring this out yet.

jkm wrote: Sat Dec 06, 2025 7:39 pm The name of the xmp file must have the same base name as the master file. So for a master file named A12345.cr3, there are only two acceptable names for the xmp:
A12345.xmp or A12345.cr3.xmp

The xmp files have the exact same base name as the master file in every case. (The xmp files were created after I imported the master files into lightroom so they were assigned the same name by lightroom.)

To ensure you do not break them in the future using XnViewMP, ensure the "Link companion files for the following actions" options are enabled on Settings:File list:Companion files.

Do you mean me to check the boxes "delete" and "copy/move/rename". That makes sense, though it won't fix the problem I'm having right now.

Beyond that, check that you have some settings correct:

I've had a look and the settings you mentioned are all correct.

It's a puzzle. The only reason for my initial speculation was a post I found when searching for a solution. Note that this only affects the files that I imported with a date added to the file name (the xmp files have the same name, added date and all). Other raw files imported previously are unaffected. I couldn't find an ini file to test the solution proposed there:
viewtopic.php?t=45638

BogongBreeze wrote: Sat Dec 06, 2025 8:04 pm

To ensure you do not break them in the future using XnViewMP, ensure the "Link companion files for the following actions" options are enabled on Settings:File list:Companion files.

Do you mean me to check the boxes "delete" and "copy/move/rename". That makes sense, though it won't fix the problem I'm having right now.

Correct on both counts. Necessary for future, not related to your current problem.

Beyond that, check that you have some settings correct:

I've had a look and the settings you mentioned are all correct.

It's a puzzle. The only reason for my initial speculation was a post I found when searching for a solution. Note that this only affects the files that I imported with a date added to the file name (the xmp files have the same name, added date and all). Other raw files imported previously are unaffected. I couldn't find an ini file to test the solution proposed there:
viewtopic.php?t=45638

Hmm, ok, and you've selected the images and done update catalog from files?

Yes you can have problems if you're trying to preserve the original name in the metadata. Trying the setting in that thread is a good idea.

Your ini file (xnview.ini) is in one of two places, depending on what you chose when you installed the application.
It is either in the directory where XnViewMP.exe is (check the location on your app shortcut) or it is in C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\XnViewMP


If you edit the xnview.ini file, make sure the app is closed before you do so. The app re-writes the file on exit.

One last thing to check (for future, not for the current issue) is in Settings:Formats:Write ensure that all the "Keep" options at the bottom are enabled. This will ensure when writing XMP files that all the data types are included.

@jkm thank you for all your help. It was the file name. I edited the ini file and all's good now.

I also did a test by renaming one of the delinquent files and its xmp back to the basic format as in the camera, removing the date characters I added when I imported to lightroom. That also worked and the xmp files showed up.