sync RAW image mods between computers

Zmom

There may be a simple answer to this question...

My desktop is the primary repository of images (excluding backups, etc.) but I like to do some edits with my laptop. I have a Western Digital USB drive that I connect to the desktop and then copy folders containing distributed Adobe cache files .bc and .bct, and the Neffs w/ sidecar xmps to the USB drive. I then connect that USB drive up to my laptop and make my "edits" of the NEFF using ACR in PS CS2. I'm defining "edits" as white balance, exposure, brightness - just the tabs on ACR.

To then update the ACR modified NEFFs on the desktop, what is the minimum that I need to copy back to the desktop? Just the sidecar XMPs?

If I label or rate any of these images with Adobe Bridge on the laptop, what do I need to transfer back to the desktop to get these updates sync'ed for Adobe Bridge?

There are not too many files since I've already down-selected images of interest into specific folders- maybe it is just simplest to copy the entire folder back over.

Thanks - helpful suggestions for this type of workflow are welcomed.

arodney

The sidecar XMP files define the edits but the previews are stored elsewhere. Using DNG would make this all so much easier as you can embed all that stuff into the document itself, move the DNG to another machine and use the embedded data in another copy of ACR. Or, even easier, use Lightroom, then export/import into the catalog.

stuffjunkie

If I presume you're using a PC (since you said laptop and not iBook, etc)
check out synctoy. I'm using the 2.0 beta. Works great, is free and,
while it certainly doesn't mean too much, it is a Microsoft product.