Cannot specify XMP file using darktable-cli

Software darktable
1

I’d like to convert a folder of RAW files to JPGs using darktable-cli. As a quick test, I installed darktable from the Ubuntu repos (yes, it only has 3.8.1 which is old), created an XMP file in darktable with the settings in the various modules that I want, and then tried converting a single image with this XMP file. It gives the following error that it can’t find the XMP file, even if I specify the absolute path to it:

$ darktable-cli /path/to/raw.CR2 /path/to/reference.xmp /path/to/output.jpg --output-ext jpg
error: can't open xmp file /path/to/reference.xmp

How can I successfully pass the XMP file to darktable-cli? Thanks!

2

Checked with darktable-cli from current master (4.3.0+2108~g73e961e1ed) with Sony ARW (instead of .CR2). Works for me without any problem. Possibly you should try with a more up-to-date version, 3.8.1 is really outdated.

3

2 things I can come up with why this might happen:

  1. File (the sidecar in this case) permission problem.
  2. The xmp file used is too new. Made with 4.2.X and using it with 3.8.1.

As also confirmed by pehar: I tried with 3.8.1 (+ a 3.8.1 xmp) and that works. Did the same with a 4.2.0 and 4.2.1 combo and those all work on my side.

4

Thanks for the help - indeed it was as simple as the sidecar being from a newer version. I upgraded to 4.2 on this server and it immediately recognized the sidecar. Thanks again!

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