Lightbox XMP is an export plugin for Apple's Aperture tool that allows you to export XMP information, beyond what Aperture provides automatically, with your images. It is donationware, meaning that it's free, but if you like it, please make a donation to us to encourage more software development.

To install:

  1. Download the DMG from here, and it'll mount automatically
  2. Double-click the Install Plug-In tool (this makes the ~/Library/Application Support/Aperture/Plug-Ins/Export directory, where "~" means your home folder, and copies the plugin over there; should the installer fail, make this directory yourself and drag and drop LightboxXMP into it)
  3. Re-launch Aperture

Please make a donation if you find Lightbox XMP useful!
Some sponsors: Adobe | Canon | Par Weld Services


To use:

  1. Select some images
  2. Select File > Export > Lightbox XMP
  3. Pick how you want your XMP metadata and click Export
Referenced Master sidecar only Master export only: for each referenced master, write an XMP sidecar file in the same location as the master
Export sidecar files only Write only the XMP sidecar files to a specified location
Export image and sidecar Export the images (master or version) using the specified settings with XMP sidecar files to a specified location
Embed XMP into exported image version Version export only: export the images using the specified settings and embed XMP information into them
Sidecar and embed XMP into exported image version Version export only: export the images using the specified settings, embed XMP information into them, and write XMP sidecar files