Serious Bug - Carriage Returns in...

LR for Windows does not handle Carriage Returns/Line Feeds correctly in the metadata Caption field.

Windows Vista SP1, 32-bit
Adobe Lightroom 2.4
Library Module, Grid View

Initial settings:

LR Menu bar %26gt; Edit %26gt; Catalog Settings... %26gt; Metadata tab %26gt; Editing
uncheck Offer suggestions from recently entered values
uncheck Automatically write changes into XMP

LR Menu bar %26gt; View %26gt; View options... %26gt; Grid View tab %26gt; Cell Icons
check Unsaved Metadata

Metadata panel: choose the Default Metadata Set.

Import a JPG file into LR which contains no IPTC metadata.
LR Menu bar %26gt; File %26gt; Import Photos from disk... %26gt; Choose the JPG file
In the Import Photos dialog box, Information to Apply:
Develop Settings: None
Metadata: None
Keywords: None
Click Import.

Click thumbnail of the JPG file which was Imported.
In the Metadata panel click Caption field.
Type ''Word1'' in the Caption field and press Return/Enter key.
The Caption field loses focus.
The Caption field should not lose focus when the Return/Enter key is pressed.

Click the Caption field and press the Delete key to remove ''Word1'' from the field.
In the Caption field type ''Word1'' and press Ctrl+Return/Enter key.
As expected, the cursor moves to the line below ''Word1'' and the Caption field remains in focus.
Type ''Word2'' and press Ctrl+Return/Enter key.
As expected, the cursor moves to the line below ''Word2'' and the Caption field remains in focus.
Click the JPG thumbnail and notice a down-arrow icon appears on the thumbnail indicating that the metadata for this JPG has been changed in the LR catalog and that it does not match the IPTC metadata that is embedded in the JPG file on the hard disk. Also notice in the Metadata panel, Metadata Status is ''Has been changed''.
Click the down-arrow on the JPG thumbnail.
See the dialog box that pops up saying ''The metadata for this photo has been changed in Lightroom. Save the changes to disk?''
Click Save.
Notice on the JPG thumbnail, the down-arrow icon remains visible and does not disappear as it should if the JPG's metadata in the LR catalog and the metadata embedded in the JPG file on the hard disk were the same.
Also notice in the Metadata panel, Metadata Status is ''Has been changed''.

Click LR Menu bar %26gt; Edit %26gt; Catalog Settings... %26gt; Metadata tab %26gt; Editing
check Automatically write changes into XMP
Click OK.
Notice on the JPG thumbnail, the down-arrow icon blinks rapidly. Also notice in the Metadata panel that ''Metadata Status: Has been changed'' blinks rapidly.
Click LR Menu bar %26gt; Edit %26gt; Catalog Settings... %26gt; Metadata tab %26gt; Editing
uncheck Automatically write changes into XMP
Notice the blinking stops.

Using a program that properly handles Carriage Returns/Line Feeds in IPTC metadata, such as Photo Mechanic 4.5, edit the metadata of another JPG file by typing ''Word1'', pressing the Return/Enter key, and typing ''Word2'' in the Caption field.
Import that JPG into LR.
LR Menu bar %26gt; File %26gt; Import Photos from disk... %26gt; Choose the JPG file
In the Import Photos dialog box, Information to Apply:
Develop Settings: None
Metadata: None
Keywords: None
Click Import.
Click the JPG thumbnail in LR Library Module.
Notice in the Metadata panel, ''Word1Word2'' appears in the Caption field, in both the Default Metadata Set and the Large Caption Metadata Set. The CR/LF has been stripped away.

CR/LFs typed into or pasted into the Large Caption set, also result in the persistence of the down-arrow icon even after metadata is saved to disk. And, if the Automatically write changes into XMP option is checked, the down-arrow icon blinks rapidly. And, if you view the Default set, notice Metadata Status: ''Has been changed'' blinks rapidly.

When metadata is saved to disk, the down-arrow icon should disappear from the thumbnail, and in the Metadata panel, Metadata Status should read ''Up to date''. I would guess the blinking behavior indicates LR is stuck in some kind of loop - it is trying to save the metadata to disk and verify that it has been saved, but it keeps going round in a vicious circle. I also notice there is increased hard drive activity during the blinking behavior.

Serious Bug - Carriage Returns in...

What happens if you use Control-Enter (or perhaps Alt-Enter) to add a new line?

Option Enter adds a new line on Mac, don't have boot camp setup to check this on PC.

Serious Bug - Carriage Returns in...

I mentioned using Ctrl+Enter/Return in my note. It results in the persistence of the down-arrow icon and Metadata Status:Has been changed, and if the Automatically write changes into XMP option is checked, it results in the down-arrow icon and the Metadata Status: Has been changed to blink rapidly.

Ah.. I didn't take in the Ctrl + return/enter as Ctrl + enter.?

I don't get blinking on Mac, but I do need to save xmp twice to remove the 'dirty' metadata flag.

By ''Return/Enter'' I meant the Enter key.

I don't understand what you mean by dirty metadata flag.

On Windows, it makes no difference if you save the metadata once or many times, If the caption field contains a CR/LF, the buggy behavior persists.

When you get access to a Windows machine, please verify this is happening. I apologize for my lengthy note but I wanted to state it in such a way that it could be replicated.

Dirty means metadata has changed but is not saved.

The note is lengthy but precise. I would edit and headline each section so others would be aware it's more than one method, also for better readability.

I don't see an option available to edit my original note.

Would you agree that the blinking behavior indicates the program is stuck in a loop? That LR attempts to save the metadata to disk, and then checks to see if the metadata on disk matches that in the catalog, and then sees that it does not match, and tries again to save . . . ad infinitum? I'm surprised apparently no one has noticed this before.

It doesn't sound right anyway. And I'm not going to be able to access a windows version for more than a few days either. Introducing a carriage return shouldn't really introduce an issue though.

Do you know anyone else who uses Windows who might could verify this sooner?

Fill in a bug report.

https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

I did file a bug report, but my note was way too long to fit on the form. I shortened it by just deleting parts of it, but I'm afraid it won't be very understandable in the short form. Do you think it would be worthwhile to file a bug report again and give the URL of this forum message to refer them to the original note?

By the way, the problems I listed are the same if a NEF (raw) file is used.

Would any other Windows users here please verify this problem so that I'll know it's not just a problem with my computer?