Alias in iphoto library

Hi I was wondering if anyone knew what the alias folders within your iPhoto library package content are used for, I'm talking about the folders titled.
Data
Data.noindex
Modified
Originals
I have tried moving them out of the content and it didn't seem to harm anything but I wanted to make sure they are not used before permanently deleting them. The reason I would like to remove them is because I want to backup my library to an ftp but the ftp seems to follow the alias files and make the upload 3x bigger. Any help would be great, thanks

The Modified and Originals alias files point to the new location of those photos in an iPhoto 11 library, i.e. Masters and Previews. I believe if you create a new library those alias files will not be present. The are only when you convert an earlier library to iPhoto 11.
The Data and Data.noindex alias point to the Thumbnail folder. In previous versions the Data.noindex folder contained the thumbnails and the Data alias pointed to it for some reason I don't know, possible a carryover from the earliest versions. iPhoto 11 now stores the thumbnails in the Thumbnails folder so created the two alias files upon conversion of earlier libraries.
I don't know if removing those alias files would compromise the backed up library or not. I'd look into the FTP clients preferences to see if you can set the client to upload just the alias files and not the files they link to?

Similar Messages

Can i make an alias of an iPhoto Library folder?

so i've decided that i'm going to try and tinker with Bridge that comes with Photoshop Elements, but of course, I can't access my pictures from iPhoto in Bridge. I just need to play with both iPhoto and Bridge to see which will work out better for me.
I don't want to corrupt any files....so googling (my "research" method) I came across this http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20070813153307986
basically telling me to "In the Finder, navigate to the iPhoto Library, control-click and select Show Package Contents from the pop-up folder. Now create an alias for the Modified and/or Original folders within the package (your preference) and drag it/them to another folder on your drive."
(sorry, I don't know how to create links or quotes here in this forum)
Is that ok? I'm pretty sure I want to make an alias of my Original Folder, but I don't want to corrupt anything. All my pictures are now on iPhoto - my External Harddrive that I used to transfer backup my PC stuff & keep extra pics and music to free up PC space has now been converted to use as Time Machine. So I don't really have anything else with the pictures backed up but that Time Machine.
by the way - Pros and Cons with Bridge and iPhoto would be greatly appreciated. I understand iPhoto will basically work with Mac stuff better - but I don't even know how to use iDVD, iMovie, etc. Bridge, I've been told, is good because I can keep my pictures in psd format instead of jpg therefore i'm able to keep layers.
Thanks!

Yes, that would be OK. Just move the Originals copy folder to the Desktop when done. Or you can *Option drag* the Originals folder to the Desktop where the duplicates will be created leaving the Originals folder safe in the library.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

IPhoto Library w/ both alias and real files

I just discovered my iPhoto Library contains both jpg files and aliases. Looks like I changed ships midstream (moved from Referenced to Managed). It is a small library, less than 1000 pix. Should I start over? or is there an easy fix?
I am a former PC user, and thought I would use a referenced library on an external drive, but it seems like a lot of bother. Thought I would just let iPhoto manage everything on my HD until the library gets too big and then move it to an external drive. It sounds like it is easy to move if it is all kept as a managed file.
Is this a good idea? I have 12 yrs of digital family photos, less than 7,000.

What version of iPhoto? If it's 11, then you're as well to start over - especially if it's only 1k photos.
On some earlier versions you could use an app called Alias Herder to change a referenced to a managed Library. (http://www.rorohiko.com/wordpress/downloads/aliasherder) but this is not being updated for 11
Regards
TD

IPhoto Library alias on desktop

Don't know how I did this, but an icon is now on my desktop - an iPhoto Library alias. Get Info says it is an 893KB file - not anywhere near the size of my entire iPhoto Library.
Is it safe to delete the icon by dragging it to the Trash? How do I make sure I do not wipe out 893KB of photos if I do that?
Time Machine current ... and although just created a SuperDuper! complete bootable backup yesterday, I can do that again right now.
Clint Bradford

If this is what the alias looks like, it is safe to move to the Trash.

Delete photo from iPhoto library and HDD

Hopefully I'm not repeating a previous thread...
Not being an expert, am I correct in saying that iPhoto only changes its version of the photo when editing it?
Also, if you delete the photo by moving it to the trash can, it doesn't physically delete it from the HDD? (When you empty the trash can)
This causes a problem for a few reasons.
I have just loaded Medialink PS3 which allows the iMac to serve the PS3. (BTW - Good product)
If you point Medialink to the original HDD folder then this still includes photos I thought I had deleted.
Also If I want to burn a cd with the photo folder external to iPhoto , the "deleted" photos are also burnt.
I copied all of the photos from a windows PC, and Picasa allowed you to physically delet from its own folder as well as the HDD.
Doesn't iPhoto 09 allow this?
What would iPhoto do if I went through and cleaned up the external folder and deleted jpgs or edited using Canon editing software? If using the external editor, would iPhoto reflect the changes?
Sorry if this is verbose.
regards,

You might want to have a llook at the iPhoto tutorials. They cover a lot of these basics.
http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#iphoto-hero
And the version of iPhoto you are using?
I'm not at all sure that a Referenced Library is what you want. In fact I strongly recommend against it. But however:
*How to do it:*
Simply go to iPhoto Menu -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck 'Copy Files to the iPhoto Library on Import'.
*What Happens:*
Now iPhoto will not copy the files, but rather simply reference them on your HD. To do this it will create an alias in the Originals Folder that points to your file. It will still create a thumbnail and, if you modify the pics, a Modified version within the iPhoto Library Folder.
*Some things to consider:*
1. Importing and deleting pics are more complex procedures. You have to to put the files where they will be stored before importing them. When you delete them you'll need to remove the files from the HD yourself.
2. You cannot move or rename the files on your system or iPhoto will lose track of them on systems prior to 10.5 and iPhoto 08. Even with the later versions issues can still arise if you move the referenced files to new volumes or between volumes.
3. Most importantly, migrating to a new disk or computer can be much more complex.
4. Because iPhoto has no tools for managing Referenced Files, if, for some reason, the path to the photos changes then you could find yourself resolving aliases for +each photo in the Library+ one by one.
My own opinion:
I've yet to see a good reason to run iPhoto in referenced mode unless you're using two photo organisers
If disk space is an issue, you can run an entire iPhoto Library from an external disk:
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library as an entity from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
If you're concerned about accessing the files, There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 and later*
You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:
For users of 10.6 and later:
You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
For Users of 10.4 and later:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *File -> Export*: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
3. *Show File*: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
+Some Other Comments+
iPhoto will not touch any file outside its library. Period.
It will copy files on import and leave existing files untouched,
It will delete files within the Library but not outside the Library.
When you choose to go with a Referenced Library you are deciding that You want to manage the Files. You want to import them from the camera, you want to sort them however you want and you want to delete them yourself. That's the point of a referenced Library.
I just did a test by editing a photo using Canon Professional and the changes were not reflected in iPhoto. And vise versa.
The point of iPhoto is that you interface with your Photos via the Application. Like Addressbook for your contacts, iTunes for your Music, it's the go-to app for your Photos.
So, you want to edit Photos, you go to iPhoto and use the External Editor:
You can set Photoshop (or any image editor) as an external editor in iPhoto. (Preferences -> General -> Edit Photo: Choose from the Drop Down Menu.) This way, when you double click a pic to edit in iPhoto it will open automatically in Photoshop or your Image Editor, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically. This is the only way that edits made in another application will be displayed in iPhoto.
Note that iPhoto sends a copy+ of the file to Photoshop, so when you save be sure to use the Save command, not Save As... If you use Save As then you're creating a new file and iPhoto has no way of knowing about this new file. iPhoto is preserving your original anyway.
Regards
TD

I am trying to rebuild my iPhoto library and noticed my backup contains aliases (pointers?) and not the actual file. What's the best way to rebuild my library?

I am trying to rebuild my iPhoto library and noticed my backup contains aliases (pointers?) and not the actual file. What's the best way to rebuild my library?
Facts:
In moving to a new iMac, I copied the iPhoto library to an external HDD assuming that I would point the new iMac to the backed up iPhoto Library
All worked fine when I pointed the new library but noticed that some folders contained aliases and not the original file. So when I attempt to open that photo it can't find it because the alias is pointing to another drive.
I do have all original photos from a couple of external HDDs. In the folders titled, "Originals" (from older versions of iPhoto) and "Masters" (from current iPhoto)
I'm thinking I can create a new folder and drop the original files and make that my new iPhoto library. Is there a better way to rebuild my library? I do not want to create any future aliases.
Thanks in advance for any help!

do you have a strongly recommended default "managed" library (the iPhoto preference to "copy imported items to the iPhoto library is in its checked state) or a referenced library - you have unchecked that option?
It sounds like you have a referenced library and are now experiancing one of the very siginificant drawbacks of a referenced library and one of the many reasons they are strongly not recommended
Also note that iPhoto '11 may use alises in the originals folder as part of the upgrade
It is important that we understand exactly what you have and what is not sorking - what error messages you are getting
You must NEVER make any changes of any sort to the structure of content of the iPhoto library - there are no user servicable parts in it -- and you can not rebuild yoru librtary - only iPhoto ir iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - can rebuild a library unless you are a SQL programmer and understand the structure that iPhoto uses
LN

I have an external hard drive connected to my iMac 2006; the OS on this iMac has been upgraded. I wanted to have back up copies of all our photos on iPhoto; I moved the iPhoto Library folder to the EHD. Now I want to delete a lot of the photos on the iM

I want to delete the photos on the iMac's hard drive but I want all the copies on the EHD; to free up space on the iMac. I experimented by deleting one photo in the iPhoto library on iMac but when I checked the EHD, it was deleted there, too. How can I delete photos from iMac w/out deleting from EHD?

Photo Library icon that sits on my desktop
Do a Get Info in the Finder on that, is it an Alias pointing to the external drive?
Open the iPhoto Library folder on your actual internal drive in the Finder, is that deleed pic stil there?

How do I reimport iPhoto Library from an external hd?

Hi all - apologies if this has been posted before (but, couldn't find exactly what I need in the forums). I think I need to rebuild/erase, whathaveyou, my current iPhoto Library on my Mac because I'm getting a perpetual error/alert:
*"The Volume for "CDY_.0005.JPG" cannot be found. Insert the disk or*
*connect to the server volume and wait for it to appear on the desktop,*
*then try again."*
*Here's what happened:* I originally downloaded some pictures and video clips off of Compact Flash memory cards into a new folder ('Photos') onto the desktop of an IBM Thinkpad. I then transferred that folder - 'Photos' - to a new external hard drive (250 GB, Western Digital MyBook Essential Edition). They are visible on the external. I then tried to tranfer this 'Photos' folder from the MyBook into my iPhoto Library by going to 'Import to Library' and then choosing the appropriate drive (i.e, my external MyBook). This folder and it's contents (i.e, the images and their respective folder in which they were placed) seemingly went into my iPhoto Library, and also seemed to organize themselves appropriately....what I mean by this is:
All of these images/videos I'm talking about are for my grad project, and must be organized by date. I had one scouting camera at each of 26 different sites. Each of these sites has it's own folder....and each of folder (site) contains an album for each date the site was checked. So in other words, I've got LOADS of albums organized by date checked and site. *+I must preserve this structure or data analysis and, subsequently, my thesis, will be quite painful, cruel and unusual punishment!+*
*By the way, I have tons of images and videos named "CDY_.0005.JPG" because of the way the scouting cameras save files to the memory card. Each time the card is cleared (each date I checked a site and downloaded images on a card), images are again saved numerically:
CDY.0001.JPG.....CDY.0002.JPG etc etc. Also, these cameras were set up to take motion-activated video (they're infrared), and for every video it captures, it takes a still photo. So, every still photo is essentially associated with a video, and vice versa.
This error/alert occurs when I try to view images that were transferred from the IBM/MyBook to iPhoto. Additionally, since I did the transfer, another qwerky thing occurs: Regardless of what I'm trying to do in iPhoto, when I open iPhoto and click *anywhere else* outside of the iPhoto window (such as back to the desktop or click to open any other program) I get this exact same alert, but it's always an .avi file, not a .jpg, and in this alert (.avi), I am forced to force-quit iPhoto because if I hit cancel, the pinwheel appears indefinitely and never goes away, at which time I forequit and see 'iPhoto (not responding). Essentially rendering iPhoto useless for my purposes (I've got to be able to go back and forth between Excel and iPhoto, for example, and cannot do so because of this alert).
So, I feel like to I need to start from scratch to fix this problem (through a series of discussions with Apple reps and the Mac gurus, I was told this is probably due to corrupted files, I may need to rewrite the program etc etc). And...so...the real QUESTIONS:
*Is this really the solution (backing up my iPhoto Library to the external, which I've done, then clearing my current iPhoto Library on my Mac entirely, then reimporting)?? I don't really have much time to fiddle with too many different solutions...if re-creating a new library seems extreme, I guess I really don't care, as long as it works.*
*If I do this, and delete/clear all the photos in my iPhoto Library on the Mac, then reimport them from my MyBook external harddrive, will they be imported in the same structure as they were before I deleted them from iPhoto? Will I still have all photos in the same albums under the same folders? It is essential for me to retain this structure, as I am analyzing images/videos for my grad project and all these images are organized very specifically by certain dates. *Is it possible to do this??** I was told that if I burned my Library, or folders, onto a DVD, and then brought them back into iPhoto, this would retain the folder structure. True??
Thankyouthankyouthankyou in advance if anyone has some thoughts! I'm still relatively new to Macs, so rudimentary, kindergarten step-by-step thoughts are encouraged....Cheers!

TD-
Great, thanks for helping. I think I've got some useful info for you. I went throught the process you suggested, here's what I found out:
I viewed the rolls through the Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals route. I see the rolls, but I do NOT think these images from the pc are there. Here's what's weird: Towards the end of my 'rolls' list (they're not named, just numbered), the rolls jump from 495 to 503. Though I didn't check all those rolls up to 495 (it would take forever!), I'm pretty sure those are my 'ok' files/rolls. I don't think they house any of the pix I was having issues with (the ones that came over from the pc). BUT...roll 503 DOES in fact have one image, and here's what happens when I click on it:
Only that jpg icon shows up where the picture normally would be viewed, it has a shortcut arrow in the bottom left corner (like that which would appear on any shortcut icon on your desktop), and the info for this image is different than the other ones:
Kind: Alias
Size: 4 kb on disk (usually these scouting camera images are upwards of 800 or 900 some kb)
Created: 9-23-07
Last opened: fetching...
And finally, the infamous alert comes up for this specific image: "The volume for bla bla bla cannot be found...." etc etc.
I'm pretty confident that the missing rolls that should be after 495 are from when I tried to transfer the folders of images from the IBM because those are the very last things I 'imported' into iPhoto. Thoughts??? One other weird thing I noticed, too, was some of my rolls do NOT show all of the images that are in the iPhoto folders...in other words, say roll 300 shows 4 images in the 'Originals' folder you asked me to go to. Well, each roll was created when I would download each card, so essentially I know that each roll represents each time a card was downloaded. But, when I go straight into iPhoto and look in that folder that represents when I downloaded each card, there are many more images there than are in the 'roll' folder for the same download...yikes, does that make sense?!
Thanks again...I feel we're getting somewhere at least!

Sharing iPhoto Library between users

Is there an easy way to share one single iPhoto Library between 2 different users on the same Mac? My girlfriend and I want to be able to access all our pictures from our separate user screens without having to have all the photos saved twice and using twice as much space. I tried having a central Library and making our separate Libraries an alias link to the main one, but this doesn't work. Any ideas?

The optimal way (and Apple's recommended method) is to have the library on an external HD whose ownership has been set to be ignored . That way both users can add, edit, create slideshows, etc. that both users will have access to. Also the external HD can be used to backup other important files. Also you need to have the library backed up so you could back it up from the external HD to the Shared folder on your boot drive. But both users can't operate it from the Shared folder due to permissions issues.
OR, create a disk image of a size that will hold the library with room for expansion over time and put the library in it and the disk image in the Shared folder. Then have each user set that disk image to be mounted (System Preferences/Accounts/Login Items) automatically when the user logs in. It will act as an external HD with the library in it. Personally, I recommend the external HD with backing up the library to the Shared folder with a backup application like Synk Standard that can do incremental backups after each use of the library.
Here's Apple's document on that: iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.≤br>
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

How do I share certain albums in my iphoto library with other users....

without using the fast user switching/sharing preference in iphoto?
I have about 12,000 photos in my library of which about 6000 are for work. I would like to share all of my non work photos with the other users on my imac. I would rather not use the fast user switching and keep the iphoto application open for all the users. I would like to either import only selected albums to the user account or add them to the shared folder for their access. How can I export/import only the albums I wish to share without having to do it manually for each? Should I make a copy of the library, add it to the other users accounts and then delete the photos? Or can I put the library in the shared folder and limit access to certain albums? I don't think it would make too much sense to have a duplicate library since I only have about 10GB left on my HD.

With iPhoto 6 you can place the source files, i.e. exported the full sized files for those albums you want to share, in appropriately names folders in the Shared folder. Then have each user create an new library with iPhoto's alias mode, i.e. create alias files of the source files instead of copying the a full sized version into the library. This way each of the other users can have a working library and you only have to have one copy of each file on the HD. Saves a lot of space. Any edits that one user performs will not be seen by the other users. If a user delete a photo from their library only the alias files is deleted. The source files are untouched.
The downside to this method is if you add a file(s) to the Shared folder each of the other users will have to import that file into their own library. An easy way around that is to always put new photos in new folders and let the others know there are new ones to import. You could also divide your library up into to two, keeping your work library a conventional one and removing the "shared" source photos and have a similar alias based library for the personal photos that are in the Shared folder. Then use iPhoto Library Manager or iPhoto Buddy to quickly switch between the two. I have 7 libraries that I use iPLM to switch between. It's very convenient and fast. If you want to convert over entirely to an alias system, both work and personal, here's a way to retain the keywords you've assigned to them. See tutorial #2 here.
G4 DP-1G, 1.5G RAM, 22 Display, 200G HD, 160G HD, 250G FWHD, QT 7.0.4P Mac OS X (10.4.5) Canon S400, i850 & LIDE 50, Epson R200, 2G Nano

No pictures show up in iPhoto Library on my hard drive.

When I try and find my pictures on my hard drive, there is only a iPhoto Library icon but no pictures show up. I upgraded my iLife to '08 and now I can't find the folder in which my pictures are stored. I can't drag and drop the pictures from iPhoto for everything! Say I wanted to upload the picture on MySpace, I click Browse and find the iPhoto Library icon but it's not a folder! Is there a different place they are stored? Or do I have to drag and drop everything to my iDisk in order to have a folder with my pictures in it? Any help would be great.

merma
Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
iPhoto is not designed to network with Windows machines. Does Windows understand Alias files? If so the hack detailed above should solve the problem.
The library format is v6 was a hack too, it was never the intended use of the iPhoto Library Folder that it should be browsed by users or other software.
Now they are in a proprietary format?
No, it's a UNIX package file. Right-Click on the pkg file and choose 'Show Package Contents'... nothing hidden or proprietary there.
Can I export all the photos in one shot to create a mirror of the library so other machine with iLife can see the photos?
Why do that when you can use Sharing?
If you want the other machine to be able to see the pics, but not add to, change or alter your library, then enable Sharing in your iPhoto (Preferences -> Sharing), leave iPhoto running. On the other machine, enable 'Look For Shared Libraries'. Your Library will appear in her source pane.
Remember iPhoto must be running on both machines for this to work.
You can, if you choose, export the lot into a folder, but this won't be updated when you add new pictures or make changes.
If not, how do I go back to iLife 06?
Have you got a v6 library untouched? If so, simply install v6 and use on the v6 library. If you don't have a v6 library, then you'll need to re-install v6 and then create a new library from scratch. v6 cannot read a v7 library.
Regards
TD

Want to "move back" my iPhoto library +photos

Hi,
I am new to this forum and after reading a lot of pages I canot find any answer to my question !!
I changed my HD on my MBP (I have now a 320Go) and wanted to "get back" from an external HD, my iPhoto library and my files with originals photos wich have not been "imported" into iPhoto : menu "prefs/advanced/Import/copy in the iPhoto library is not checked".
I hope my explanations are OK !!
thanks
Jacques

James
Welcome to the Apple user to user assistance forums
my iPhoto library and my files with originals photos wich have not been "imported" into iPhoto : menu "prefs/advanced/Import/copy in the iPhoto library is not checked".
You are running a referenced library - which is not recommended for a number of reasons including it makes things like new hard drives and computers more difficult
One way to accomplish your desired move is to use alias herder - http://www.rorohiko.com/wordpress/downloads/aliasherder/ - to convert your library to a managed library - then you can simply quit iPhoto and drag the library where ever you want it and launch iPhoto while depressing the option (alt) key and point to it
Since the key to a referenced library is that the path to the photos does not change it may be possible to move the referenced library to your internal drive leaving the original photos where they are - I've not seen this but it seems that it might work - easy to give a try - quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library to the pictures folder on the internal drive and launch iPhoto while depressing the option (alt) key - if it works you have a partial solution - if it does not simply launch iPhoto with the option key and point back to the library that still exists on the EHD and delete the one you just moved to the internal drive
And note that you have imported your photos into iPhoto - you simply have not copied the originals to the iphoto library - the importing process is much more than just copying the photo - it involved updating all of the iPhoto database pointers
LN
Message was edited by: LarryHN

Upgraded: New Mac, Setting up iPhoto Library From Multiple Old Backups

Over the years (Jaguar to Snow Leopard), I've had multiple Macs in different locations (work, home) to which I've loaded photos from cameras into multiple iPhoto libraries. As these Macs have died (G4s, G5s), or I've been forced to upgrade, I've made a backup on CDs and DVDs of the iPhoto libraries (different versions of iPhoto over the years).
Now I've got a brand new Macbook Pro and I want to put all these photos into one library on one disk. I don't care much about preserving photos edited in iPhoto (I use Photoshop for serious editing), nor do I have particular album or roll data from these old libraries that matters. I just want to get all the original photos into one library so I can search and access them all in one place.
I have always found the way iPhoto organizes the photos on disk a bit confusing, especailly when it comes to backing up and accessing the files at the Finder level. And now it seems things have gotten even more dumbed away from the user in "package" w/ the latest iPhoto.
I would like to just have my photos in a folder, not a "package," but I would like to be able to search and organize photos and load them to my iPod Touch. (Maybe isn't the best application for me?) I'd also like my iPhoto folder to be on an external HD.
This is one of those grueling tasks I've been putting off for years. So many disks, so many libraries, how to get them all into one. I want to get it right once and for all, so I'll have all my photos on in one place and hopefully in a Finder-level folder that will be easy to back up and easy to port to my next Mac down the road in the future.
Can anyone offer any advice on the best way to proceed? Anyone else been through something like this?
Thanks in advance,
Babz

This is actually more simple than it seems as you
just want to get all the original photos into one library so I can search and access them all in one place.
So, create a Library: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library' and import the contents of the originals from the other Libraries: (File -> Import, Drag to the iPhoto Window, Drag to the iPhoto icon on the Dock)
That's all your originals in a single Library.
I have always found the way iPhoto organizes the photos on disk a bit confusing, especailly when it comes to backing up and accessing the files at the Finder level.
It's actually quite straightforward, but the key is +you don't access the files at a Finder level+.
And now it seems things have gotten even more dumbed away from the user in "package" w/ the latest iPhoto.
Remember: iPhoto is a Database. Like any database, you need to manipulate the data via the db and not a back door.
Since iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is now a Package File. This is simply a folder that looks like a file in the Finder. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves. That's why +you don't access the files at a Finder level+.
Want to see inside: Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.
Standard Warning: Don't change anything in the iPhoto Library Folder via the Finder or any other application. iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
How the library is organised: There are various files, which are the Library itself and some ancillary files. Then you have three core folders
Originals are the photos as they were downloaded from your camera or scanner.
(ii) Modified contains edited pics, shots that you have cropped, rotated or changed in any way.
(iii) Data holds the thumbnails the the app needs to show you the photos in the iPhoto Window.
But none of that matters, as you never access the files via the Finder.
*To back up an iPhoto Library* make a copy of the Library on another disk. You can automate this process with Time Machine or many other back up apps like Chronosync or DejaVu. There are many, many other options. Search on MacUpdate.
I would like to just have my photos in a folder, not a "package,"
*How to do it:*
Simply go to iPhoto Menu -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck 'Copy Files to the iPhoto Library on Import'.
*What Happens:*
Now iPhoto will not copy the files, but rather simply reference them on your HD. To do this it will create an alias in the Originals Folder that points to your file. It will still create a thumbnail and, if you modify the pics, a Modified version within the iPhoto Library Folder.
*Some things to consider:*
1. Importing and deleting pics are more complex procedures. You have to to put the files where they will be stored before importing them. When you delete them you'll need to remove the files from the HD yourself.
2. You cannot move or rename the files on your system or iPhoto will lose track of them on systems prior to 10.5 and iPhoto 08. Even with the later versions issues can still arise if you move the referenced files to new volumes or between volumes.
3. Most importantly, migrating to a new disk or computer can be much more complex.
4. Because iPhoto has no tools for managing Referenced Files, if, for some reason, the path to the photos changes then you could find yourself resolving aliases for +each photo in the Library+ one by one.
My own opinion:
I've yet to see a good reason to run iPhoto in referenced mode unless you're using two photo organiser
If disk space is an issue, you can run an entire iPhoto Library from an external disk:
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
If you're concerned about accessing the files, There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 and later*
You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:
For users of 10.6 and later:
You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
For Users of 10.4 and later:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *File -> Export*: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
3. *Show File*: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
*To use iPhoto with Photoshop*
You can set Photoshop (or any image editor) as an external editor in iPhoto. (Preferences -> General -> Edit Photo: Choose from the Drop Down Menu.) This way, when you double click a pic to edit in iPhoto it will open automatically in Photoshop or your Image Editor, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically. This is the only way that edits made in another application will be displayed in iPhoto.
Note that iPhoto sends a copy+ of the file to Photoshop, so when you save be sure to use the Save command, not Save As... If you use Save As then you're creating a new file and iPhoto has no way of knowing about this new file. iPhoto is preserving your original anyway.
There's a lot of material there. By all means come back for clarification if you need it. But I strongly urge you to think very carefully before running a Referenced Library.
Regards
TD

Move Photo Files back in the iPhoto Library

Before a few months ago, I had not checked the "copy files into the library" (or something similar, my iPhoto is French-speaking...).
As a result, whereas my newer photo files are in the iPhoto library special folder, the older ones are not (there are plenty of them).
I have successfully moved my iPhoto Library to an external hard drive, all is well for the newer files, but how do I handle those files that are not in the library?
Ideally I would like them to be integrated in the library so I don't have to bother anymore, very much in the way iTunes can copy all files in the iTunes Library, basically.

Migoo
In the iPhoto Library Folder/ Originals you now have alias files for these pics. You need to copy the full files into the Originals folder and overwrite the aliases that represent them.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1172120&tstart=0
is a thread that details some efforts in the area.
Regards
TD

Why won't Front Row play movies located in my iPhoto Library?

I currently have a little over 300 short movies from my digital cameras. I keep them in subfolders located at /Users/shared/Shared Movies/digital camera movies/ and Front Row plays them just fine under each user account since each user has an alias to /Users/shared/Shared Movies/ located in their "movies" folder within their home folder.
Recently a buddy convinced me to import my short digicam movies into iPhoto as an easier way to organize the short .mov and .avi files. I have over 14K image files in my library so I liked the idea of browsing my video shorts using iPhoto. I created a smart album in iPhoto for all file names ending with .avi or .mov and that works great to quickly locate the relatively few video files in the sea of digital stills.
BUT... WHY won't Front Row locate or play the movies that are located inside of iPhoto's Library? Did they just forget this functionality? Front Row's Video player displays Video Podcasts located in iTunes why wouldn't there also be an automagic category that appears in Front Row for movies located in your iPhoto Library?!
Front Row chokes if I attempt to play the smart "movies" album I created in iPhoto. It just keeps spinning the little "train tracks" progress thingy and never shows a movie. I finally just hit the menu button on the remote to "back out" of that selection.
The other work around I tried to play these movies located in iPhoto was a smart folder located at /Users/shared/Shared Movies/ that displays filenames that contain .mov and .avi located in my iPhoto library folder. This doesn't work. Front Row's Video player will not display the movies found by a smart folder the same way it does for an alias to a folder or file.
I don't want to keep duplicate copies of these movie files on my HD. I'll have to keep them located outside of iPhoto so I can enjoy browsing and watching them "on demand" using Front Row.
What is the fix? Work around?

Thanks for the suggestion but that isn't an option. Think about how iPhoto stores images and movies you import into the photo library. It will import files originally located in one folder and scatter them by storing all the files in hundreds of folders and subfolders based on date. Originally I had my movies in my home movie folder and even used an alias to the shared movies. That all works fine and it isn't the issue. The issue is when you try to use the only tool Apple provides to organize your digital images, both still and moving pictures. Once you import your movies into the iPhoto Library they become invisible to Front Row's video player.
Once iPhoto imports my 300+ files and scatters them into hundreds of subfolders based on the date -how in the world would you even begin to maintain aliases in a folder that point to these files. That is NOT an option, who would do that?! That is why I decided to try the smart folder since it would dynamically locate all the files with .mov and .avi in the file name located within the iPhoto library. Good idea but Front Row will not play these files listed in the result set of a smart folder. It will follow an alias but not play the contents of a smart folder.
Front Row should handle movie files within the iPhoto library the same way it deals with videos within the iTunes library. Poor design, oversight, bug, whatever -it should be fixed. There should be an automatic category that appears under the Front Row video player for "Movies in iPhoto" and if you have no movies in your library it displays something like it does when you have no video podcasts, or no TV shows, or no music videos in iTunes. Come on, how many users have those items vs. an iPhoto library with movies from their digital cameras? I bet more users have movies from their digital cameras that currently drop through a gaping hole in the design of Front Row if they use iPhoto to manage their digicam movie files.

Alias in iphoto library

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