Export Metadata to 'XMP-dc:subject' and 'XMP-lr:hierarchicalsubject' automatically?

[OnkelTom]

Hello dear forum members, I just noticed, that during assigning categories, these are automatically
exported to 'xmp-dc:subject' and 'xmp-lr:hierarchicalsubject'.

As far as I remember, I needed to do (could do) this manually with the menu "metadata - update files from database".
Until today, this was my workflow, but now I noticed, that as soon as I assign a category, the xmp-subjects (lr and dc) are instantly created, on most of my JPG's (whereas some JPG's are not showing any XMP data... for which I have not found a reason, so far).

Is that automatic-export a new "feature" I missed or a bug? I could not find any announcement or other reports, regarding this behaviour.

I want to have the option, to export assigned categories as described, but only after I finished assigning (all) categories to all files, not automated, resulting in numerous write-processes. As far as I remember, I have not changed anything in the xnview.ini or my settings.

For reference, you can see my "settings-metadata" and "settings-metadata-sidecar".
Can anybody please give me a hint or advice, please?
Thank you in advance!

[xnview]

automatic update was always here, as soon as you change the file selection

[OnkelTom]

Pierre, thanks for your feedback.
I would swear on my mother's life, that it was not for me...

Especially for these two tasks, I modified the toolbar, to have "updating files" and "updating database" always at hand...

Screenshot 2026-07-10 124457.jpg

Just as a side-note: As I often simultaniously use "ExifToolGui" in the same directory, where I categoriese files, I see XMP-DC, XMP-LR, IPTC data, in parallel or synchronous and still, I would swear on my life, that - at least for me - the automatic update of XMP data in the files was not happening
(which I was happy with).

I cannot tell, if there was a mixed-up setting in some ini-file or whatever changed with one of the recent updates...
I will then just need to adjust my workflow like...

1. de-activate XMP export
2. categorise files
3. re-activate XMP export
4. update files by "update files from database"

...something like this.

Anyway, I appreciate your time, looking into this and for your feedback.

In my opinion, the efforts you invest into the software are priceless - again, THANK YOU for this fantastic piece of software and the support you and the forum members provide!