Aperture iPhoto library storage

Just a little bit of background. I have two computers (iMac and Macbook) and I currently use iPhoto on both. I sync the libraries using Chronosync.
I am thinking about buying AP3 and installing it on the iMac but I still want to be able to sync its library with iPhoto on the Macbook. Now, currently to sync my 2 iphoto libraries I select the library files on each computer. If I get AP3 on my iMac, can it just use the iPhoto library to store without creating a new AP3 library?
If AP3 can store the images inside iPhoto library, how will iPhoto appear if I open that?
Or is the best option just to install AP3 on both computers seeing that Apple's license allows it?

I have two computers (iMac and Macbook) and I currently use iPhoto on both. I sync the libraries using Chronosync.
What do you mean by "Sync".
The general term means when two Libraries (A and B) are compared and files in Library A are copied to Library B, while files in Library B are also copied to Library A so that both Libraries are identical.
This is bi-directional copying and you cannot do this with automatically with iPhoto. No Syncing software is capable of parsing the iPhoto Library in this manner. One or both of your Libraries will be damaged if you try this.
You can have uni-directional copying - files in Library A are copied to Library B - this is essentially backing up. Obviously you can also copy from Library B to Library A.
The nearest you can get to syncing is to use iPhoto Library Manager to move files/Albums/Events plus assoicated metadata between Libraries. This process cannot be automated.
hinking about buying AP3 and installing it on the iMac but I still want to be able to sync its library with iPhoto on the Macbook.
Sync Aperture and iPhoto? Aperture has an entirely different Library from iPhoto and iPhoto will make no sense of it whatever.
If I get AP3 on my iMac, can it just use the iPhoto library to store without creating a new AP3 library?
Yes.
If AP3 can store the images inside iPhoto library, how will iPhoto appear if I open that?
The same as now.
Note that iPhoto will have no access to edits done in Aperture.
Regards
TD

Similar Messages

I just noticed that I can no longer select photos out of my finder that are located in my Aperture/Iphoto Library. I used to be able to attach photos to my gmail out of the aperture library in the finder and for some reason, no longer can.

I just noticed that I can no longer select photos out of my finder that are located in my Aperture/Iphoto Library. I used to be able to attach photos to my gmail out of the aperture library in the finder and for some reason, no longer can.
I can't access these images except to go into the applications.
Also, I'd like to import my iphoto library into aperture, and move aperture library to an external drive. I tried the import first, but there wasn't enough space. Then I tried copying over the aperture library onto the external drive but it failed bc it said file was in use.
As it is, I only have 50gb left on my imac, and the aperture library is 150gb. Also, I have over 10k images in both libraries combined and there are tons of duplicates that need to be sorted, and hopefully not messed up because I've organized most of them.
So in short, I need to know how to do the following:
-select photos in finder in aperture/iphoto libraries
-move aperture library to live on external drive
-import iphoto library into aperture library
-eliminate dups but maintain organization
-moving forward i need a better workflow so that I import images from camera, and can organize right away into albums rather than creating projects by default and then creating albums so essentially the photos are in 2 different places, even tho they are referenced
-live happily ever after
Thanks in advance for any support you can offer!!

If you're using apps like iPhoto or Aperture then they replace the Finder for managing your photos. The point is that you use the (many) options available via these apps for the things you want and need to do with the Photos.
So, simply, you don't select the photos in the Finder. I'll append the supported ways to do this - which are faster and will yield the current version of your Photos - to the end of this post.
-move aperture library to live on external drive
Managed or Referenced Library? Managed -
Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
1. Quit Aperture
2. Copy the Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching Aperture. 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.
Referenced - relocate your Masters first.
These issues are covered in the Manual and on this forum hundreds of times.
-import iphoto library into aperture library
FIle -> Import -> iPhoto Library? Have you done this already? If so are you trying to move the Masters to Aperture from an iPhoto Library? Or Consolidate them?
-moving forward i need a better workflow so that I import images from camera, and can organize right away into albums rather than creating projects by default and then creating albums so essentially the photos are in 2 different places, even tho they are referenced
You can't. Every photo is in a Project. They’re the basic building blocks of the Library.
You might want to spend a little time with the manual or the video tutorials. I'm not sure you've grasped the app you've purchased.
The following is written for iPhoto, but about 97% works for Aperture too.
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto/ APerture: 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. This is what you use to attach your shot to your GMail
(Note the above illustration is not a Finder Window. It's the dialogue you get when you go File -> Open)
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
There's a similar option in Outlook and many, many other apps. If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto/ Aperture.
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/ Aperture 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 Library from your Services Menu.
Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser

Sync BOTH Aperture & iPhoto library

Hello!
Is there a way to sync both Aperture & iPhoto library onto an iDevice? I know that I can import the iPhoto library to Aperture but this does not solve my problem.
I update both libraries separately as I use Aperture for RAW images which were taken with a DSLR and iPhoto for other image files from point-and-shoot cameras or mobile devices.
If I import iPhoto into Aperture and then later update the iPhoto library then the new images do not show up in Aperture or my iDevice.
Thank you.

I'm using they both to get more free space.
Using two libraries in different applications to manage the same data does not get you "more free space". Precisely the opposite, in fact.
Unless you have a specific need for using iPhoto as well as Aperture, you should simply elect to use one and forget about the other. Pick one horse and ride it.
Regards
TD

Aperture / Iphoto library looks empty.

I installed the latest Aperture version 3.6, and when i tried to open, it ask me to rebuild the library for the latest version with iphoto, i did everything it asked and after all when i open aperture or iphoto they don't show anything, they don't have any pictures. One important thing is that the file size of the library, thats stored on an external drive, is really big, 4.6gb so i think my photos are still there.
I tried rebuilding it, repairing permissions and all that and its still the same, what else can i do?
thank you for your help

Does it mean that I will lose all my versions, ratings etc with my old photos? I have 400Gt+ library with lots of modifications and I would be a catastrophe it they are blown away ;(
Are you seeing the same library corruption as omar.msk after trying to upgrade the library? An apparently empty iPhoto library, and the original image files in the "Old Masters" folder instead of the "Masters" folder?
Then it is the same bug. Recreating he iPhoto Library by importing the Old Masters into a new empty library will only rescue the photos, but not your work - edits, rating, albums, ...
Copy the Old Masters to an external drive for save keeping, also the Old Previews and Old Thumbnails. Then try first to restore your iPhoto library from your last backup you made before the upgrade. (iPhoto '11: Restoring from Time Machine with iPhoto '11 (9.2 or later) and OS X Lion 10.7.2 (or later)). Then add any newer photos from the "Old.." folders, that have not been part of the backup.

Share Aperture & iPhoto Library

Is it possible for Aperture to use my old iPhoto library or do they have to be two distinct librarys? I'm not quite ready to give up iPhoto but don't want to duplicate my 100GB library.
Also, is there a maximum size, or perhaps a recommended size of library to kep the application running fast? iPhoto is a bear to load now wich I assume is due to the size of the library.

Leaving Files in their present location is known as Referenced Files. Lots of pro's & cons. Managed Files have the masters kept in Aperture. The main difference you have probably gathered, referenced frees up internal HD space. You lose a major Aperture feature, as the vaults won't back up the referenced files, but a back up as you import is possible so not such a big deal.
The really good news is you have the option to change at any time. My advice is to feel your way round Aperture before dealing with the real thing. You can even set up the whole workflow before bringing in a single image. Shoot off some unimportant pictures and have some dry runs before going for it. It may be you could just leave iPhoto as is and just start using Aperture instead. Then just bring stuff over as and when required, in a way you are comfortable with.
A lot of people seem to come unstuck when they first get Aperture and in particular coming from iPhoto and bringing a lot of images to Aperture. There is a lot that can go wrong. It seems intuitive on the surface but not when you start to delve a little deeper. I would say there are a lot more implications if you don't leave the masters were they are. Also much depends on what you want to do, people seem to not want to totally leave iPhoto behind them. I was glad to see the back of it when Aperture came out but thats me. It's not even on the machine, i've no use for it.
Aperture is a jolly good Darkroom in a box. Perhaps the bulb is duff in the safelight though. But i'm sure you will get to love it; eventually.
Allan

After "consolidating masters" to transition from iPhoto to Aperture, iPhoto library is still 36 GB

I have, I believe completed the process of moving everything from iPhoto to Aperture (after having a mix of managed and referenced files) by the "consolidate masters" process.
I notice now that my iPhoto library is still 36 GB in size. When I "show package contents", I see there are still a number of folders (named by year) each containing subfolders which contain a number of photographs. (See attachment).
I've got about 25,000 photos in Aperture now and I believe these seem to never have been imported (either as managed or referenced photos) into Aperture.
Are they located within the iPhoto Library package in such a way as to have been hidden from Aperture when I originally elected to reference iPhoto files?
Just trying to figure out what happened...

When you consolidated, did you elect to move or copy the files to the new location?
Regards
TD

IPhoto library storage problems.

I have been storing my iPhoto library on a 200GB external HD for about a year with no problems.
I recently got an additional 750 GB external HD and would like to transfer all my photos to this 750 drive.
When I copy the iPhoto library to the bigger drive, then open iPhoto holding down the alt key, the iPhoto library is "grayed out" and I am unable to choose this library.
What is the proper way for me to transfer from external HD to external HD, then choose the iPhoto library in the new location?
Thanks

Stephen
When I copy the iPhoto library to the bigger drive, then open iPhoto holding down the alt key, the iPhoto library is "grayed out" and I am unable to choose this library.
This sounds like the correct way,.. it suggests that iPhoto is not finding a valid library file on the new disk. Try double clicking on the library6.iphoto file in the new location, see if that pulls up iPhoto.
Try replacing the library6.iphoto file in the new disk with the same file from the old one.
It's possible that the library file was corrupted in the move. What's the format of the new disk?
Regards
TD

Aperture & Iphoto library

Hello, I'm trying aperture, it's good for me, but I'd like also to continue using Iphoto for easy works. I've read that the libary can't be shared. Can you help me. I''ve 20000 photo on iphoto, but I like to use both the 2 programs, how it's possible without complications?
Thks
Enrico

There is no way to do this. Period.
If you import files to iPhoto you will also then have to also import them to Aperture. If you modify a photo in Aperture you'll need to import that modified version to iPhoto etc etc.
Really, using the two is a bit pointless and making double the work for yourself. Aperture will do everything that iPhoto will, plus a whole lot more. I would suggest that you use Aperture and for anything that you require iPhoto, then simply share your Aperture Previews with it.
Regards
TD

I just purchased Aperture and have 20,000 photos in my iPhoto Library. Can I import only certain events from iPhoto into Aperture or do I have to merge the whole iPhoto library?

I just purchased Aperture and have 20,000 + photos in my iPhoto Library. I see that I can create a unified library between the two. I am wondering if I can import only certain events from iPhoto (like only 2014 events) into Aperture or do I have to merge the whole iPhoto library? Are there any benefits to bringing the whole iPhoto library over to Aperture (iPhoto is SO SLOW for me, I wonder if it is because I have so many photos). Or, any detriment to only bring a few events over?
And, if I don't merge the two libraries, I assume that means I cannot do it at a later date?
Help. My local Apple store has had very few Aperture workshops, and the next one is like 2 months away.

Thank you so much for this information. Here are some responses/comments:
Disk space - it says 114.43 GB out of 499.25 GB free. I have no idea if that is enough.
iPhoto version is 9.5.1
Again, I am not sure how to know if I have 3rd party software...but I don't think I do. Is 3rd party software anything non-apple?
I will try rebuilding the library. if that doesn't help, maybe I need more memory...? That is what Apple suggested, but that, of course, means buying something else. I've already bought APERTURE, on their recommendation...
It wasn't, and they told me it was slow because I had too many photos for iPhoto to handle and that I should buy Aperture. Which I did.
What is your iPhoto version? Are you using the most recent version 9.5.1?
iPhoto can handle 20000 photos, no problem. Your computer can be slow for several reasons:
The most common problem for slowness - insufficient disk space. Don't let your free disk space drop below 20 GB of free space, better more. If the operating system does not have enough working space and the applications you are using, you will notice a very lagging behaviour.
Older or incompatible softweare can cripple your mac. Do you have any older third-party software installed, that might have installed incompatible kernel extensions?
Aperture might be slow or keep crashing, if you imported a corrupted image or incompatible video, that cannot be processed. Then Aperture will try over and over again to create previews and never succeed. You could test for this situation, by launching Aperture with the Shift-key held down. This will defer the generation of previews. If Aperture will launch and work better this way, you probably have some bad media in your photo library.
Another problem to check for is a corruption of your Aperture/iPhoto library. You have run the First Aid Tools to repair the iPhoto Library, but have you ever tried to rebuild the library? See this post by Old Toad: Rebuild iPhoto Version 11

IPhoto library-file deleted - and originals missing in Aperture....

Just moved my Aperture-library to my new iMac. Unfortunately almost all pics came from my old iPhoto-library which is gone now.
I can't do anything but look at the pictures. Can't edit, export, share etc.
When trying to e.g. export a file Aperture says 'The selected original image is either offline or not found. Please reconnect it and try again.'.
Don't ask about the backup from Time Machine - that too is gone...
Now what?
Thanks.
Thomas

How did you import your old iPhoto photos? And with what Aperture version?
Before the unified Aperture - iPhoto library has been introduced, it was possible to import an iPhoto library as referenced. This left all originals in the iPhoto library, so iPhoto continued to work, but Aperture could use the master files. Is that the way you imported your iPhoto library, with the master files in there original location?
When trying to e.g. export a file Aperture says 'The selected original image is either offline or not found. Please reconnect it and try again.'.
That is the typical error message, when Aperture cannot access the original files. And Aperture wil not be able to do anything with your images, unless you restore the missing originals.
Just moved my Aperture-library to my new iMac.
Where did you move your Aperture library from ? From an older mac? From a backup?
Did Aperture work on that old Mac and could access the originals?
Do you still have that old mac, and is there any chance that recovery software could retrieve the missing original files on that mac?
Sometimes Aperture reports originals as missing, even if they are managed inside the Aperture library.
You can find out, where Aperture is looking for the original files, if you select some image files in the browser and use Aperture's command "File > Locate Referenced Files".
In the panel that opens, you can see the path to missing files in the upper right corner below the thumbnail.
What do you see, when you use that command?

Aperture and iPhoto library deleted

I upgraded my Aperture w/no problem. About one month later, all images in Aperture and iPhoto dissapeared. "Genius Bar" checked, said no problem and didn't have a clue. Bought a Time-Machine backup at store, had a consultant there show me how to set up, but he had a problem as the Airport Utility was gone. He said that was rare and downloaded it. He suggested there could be a connection to all this. I'm afraid to use the iMac. Help? Doing search for images or libraries no good, will show libraries, but with zero files. Tnx. Leif

How did you import your old iPhoto photos? And with what Aperture version?
Before the unified Aperture - iPhoto library has been introduced, it was possible to import an iPhoto library as referenced. This left all originals in the iPhoto library, so iPhoto continued to work, but Aperture could use the master files. Is that the way you imported your iPhoto library, with the master files in there original location?
When trying to e.g. export a file Aperture says 'The selected original image is either offline or not found. Please reconnect it and try again.'.
That is the typical error message, when Aperture cannot access the original files. And Aperture wil not be able to do anything with your images, unless you restore the missing originals.
Just moved my Aperture-library to my new iMac.
Where did you move your Aperture library from ? From an older mac? From a backup?
Did Aperture work on that old Mac and could access the originals?
Do you still have that old mac, and is there any chance that recovery software could retrieve the missing original files on that mac?
Sometimes Aperture reports originals as missing, even if they are managed inside the Aperture library.
You can find out, where Aperture is looking for the original files, if you select some image files in the browser and use Aperture's command "File > Locate Referenced Files".
In the panel that opens, you can see the path to missing files in the upper right corner below the thumbnail.
What do you see, when you use that command?

How do I transfer my iPhoto library to two separate drives using Aperture

Hi, I'm using iPhoto 9.4.2. My photo library is taking up most of my Macbook Pro's hard drive space so I bought Aperture 3.4.3 after reading the following description:
"As your iPhoto library grows, it may become too big to store on your computer’s hard drive. Aperture lets you set up as many external drives as you want and specify where to store each of your photos."
I want to put most of my photos on an external drive and only the most recent photos on my Mac's hard drive. I can't figure out exactly how to do this, though.
Hopefully someone can provide simple instructions. Thanks!

"As your iPhoto library grows, it may become too big to store on your computer’s hard drive. Aperture lets you set up as many external drives as you want and specify where to store each of your photos."
This is referring to turning your Aperture/iPhoto library into a referenced library. Aperture lets you relocate the original image files to a folder outside your photolibrary (this folder may be on external drive) and reference the originals in this location. This way the library itself will be smaller, but if you want to edit or export the referenced images, you need to make sure the external drive is mounted.
Relocating original files is simple: Just select the images you want to relocate in the browser and use the command "File > relocate original file(s)". But after relocating you are responsible for protecting the originals. Do not move, renmae, or edit them in any way. Make sure you have a working backup of your library before you start restructering it.
See this part of the manual for more help: Aperture 3 User Manual: Working with Referenced Images
Just in case Aperture should lose the connection to some referenced originals (this can happen sometimes, if the you need to restore your harddrive) use the command "File > Locate referenced files" to reconnect them.
Regards
Léonie

Sharing iPhoto Library Not Recomended?

According to this.
Is this really a problem? I would like to do this if its not a problem. Acually I do have several iPhoto Libraries in the /Users/Shared folder and so far in iPhoto 5 there didn't seem to be any major problems except for the one listed at the bottom. When upgrading to iPhoto 6 yesterday I did get the permission error while opening a /Users/Shared/iPhoto Library for the first time and I did this.
Setting Permissions for iPhoto Library Folder
1 - Select the iPhoto Library folder and type Command-I.
2 - When the Info window comes up go to the Ownership and Permissions section and make sure You have Read & Write permission and that the Owner and Group have Read & Write also. Others - Read Only.
3 - Then click on the "Apply to enclosed items..." button.
And it seems to be fine. I would really like to keep the iPhoto Libraries in the /Users/Shared folder if I can so that both me (Admin) and my wife (Standard) can access/edit/add/delete pics to this library. Thats why I'm troubled why it's not recommeded.
I also use iPhoto Library Manager v3.2.1 and have the options set as Owner and Group have Read & Write and Others - Read Only. I also have the settings Permissions to Apply as enabled to automatically apply before launching iPhoto and when iPhoto Quits. But I only use it if I want to change libraries if not I just open iPhoto.
I noticed in iPhoto 5 that sometimes after importing photos to this library from one user that when accessing that library from another user iPhoto wouldn't open until the permissions were changed again. I think this happened when I did not launch iphoto from iPhoto Library Manager. Does this mean if I leave the library in the Shared folder I should after importing photos always open iPhoto with iPhoto Library Manager to change the permissions. Will this fix the problem?
Alan

Hello, I have an issue where my iPhoto library is not visible in iTunes Photo Sharing Preferences. I wish to have my iPhoto library (Aperture Library) available on my Apple TV.
Does your joint Aperture/iPhoto library show in the Finder as "Kind Aperture Library"?
Then set your Photo Sharing to share from Aperture and not from iPhoto.
When I try to sync or share iPhoto libraries from iTunes, it will look for libraries "Kind iPhoto" and not sync with an Aperture library, even if it is the current iPhoto library.

Iphoto library not visible for itunes home sharing

Hello, I have an issue where my iPhoto library is not visible in iTunes Photo Sharing Preferences. I wish to have my iPhoto library (Aperture Library) available on my Apple TV. I have switched on Home Sharing. When I go to iTunes/File/Home Sharing/ then wish to select which photos to share, iPhoto is not listed in the preference pane. The only available option is my Pictures folder.
My library is on an external hard drive. When I try to point to it manually, the library is greyed out.
Any ideas? I have been using Home Sharing for a long time and have not had this before. I have latest version of iTunes and iPhoto. My library is an Aperture library. The external hard drive is Mac OS Extended format. There should be no issues there. I have done a check disk and a repair permissions also.
Thxs

Hello, I have an issue where my iPhoto library is not visible in iTunes Photo Sharing Preferences. I wish to have my iPhoto library (Aperture Library) available on my Apple TV.
Does your joint Aperture/iPhoto library show in the Finder as "Kind Aperture Library"?
Then set your Photo Sharing to share from Aperture and not from iPhoto.
When I try to sync or share iPhoto libraries from iTunes, it will look for libraries "Kind iPhoto" and not sync with an Aperture library, even if it is the current iPhoto library.

Aperture 3 VS. iPhoto Library management policies

Let me start this off with the fact that I am new to the whole Mac scene. I am used to the PC world of managing everything neatly in folders and subfolders inside My Pictures folder. In PC land I was using importing everything automaticaly with my Nikon software. I seriously miss its ability to lable my folders exactly as I wanted them. I could then use whatever software I needed to edit from simple stuff with my Nikon software suite, to Correl Draw, to Photoshop. Sonce everything was left in the same folders, "library managment" was much simpler. Manually going in and moving pictures around was easy. Before the switch to Apple, I spent many many hours researching and studying.
So I have been usign my new MacBook Pro exclusivly for about 6 months now and still can not get my libraries organized as effectivly as I would like. The whole lack of one central folder location, has me thrown off. Okay lets start with my questions. I have a pile of them, so my apologies in advance...
1) Can I use one library for both applications? I started off with iPhoto, then purchased Aperture 3 as soon as it was avalible. I see that deleting fluff in one does not currently correspond to the other program. When setting up Aperture, I imported my iPhoto library. It seems to me that it doubled the amount of space used for my photos...
2) From what I have read, I am lead to understand that iPhoto is less of a space hog. It saved layers of edits over the pictures, while Aperture 3 saves each as a new photo. All done seamlessly behind the scenes. Is this correct?
3) When I imported the iPhoto library to Aperture, it forgot all my faces I had named. Yes I have Aperture setup to see the faces thing... I think.   Can I fix this simply without going through the whole naming process again?
4) Can I "manually" import/export the librarys simply by dropping them to the desktop, and renaming them then dropping them back in the picutres folder?
I would like to really consolidate and trim down the space being used. I have over 100 gigs of photos per library and that is being VERY choosy about what I save. All my professional work I shoot in RAW. As for the two programs, I see no real reason to keep iPhoto, as it seems all the other software programs like mail and iWork integrate just as well with Aperture.
5) How do I set a high quality desktop image from my own librarys? This is super frustrating!!! The only way I can seem to get high resolution pictures reliably, is if I can figure out how to open it in Safari, then set as a desktop.    Sometimes using system preferances it will work, but mostly I get really low resolution shots that look like maybe they are blown up preview or thumbnail images. Even delibertly using the same shot and trying to find it in the multiple locations I find, I can't seem to duplicate a process that gets me a clean shot via System Preferances. It seems that the iPhoto versions are higher quality.
I have gigs woth of personal shots I would love to browse through and use, but everytime it is a huge headache to do so.... I think most of my issues here are in understandign how to navigate the pictures in the Mac OS X. I think ideally I would like to dump iPhoto and stick to just Aperture. Mostly, I am loving the way all the programs in OS X seem to integrate and work together. Just having some serious stumbling blocks with the photography apects, and that was the primary reason I switched to a Mac.
6) So will the rest of the software like iMovie, iWeb, Mail, and Garage Band work as well with Aperture as iPhoto?
I need to sort out all the above issues and decide what direction to go and how to go about rebuilding my libraries. I have gigs worth of older family shots, downloaded images, freinds photography, and other random images I would like to keep seperated from my professional work. Aperture is without a dought a much better program for my professional, and daily use. I am just having issues accessign my work directly like I used to do on the PC no matter what program on the Mac I am working with.

I'll try to help you out a bit more:
First I'd recommend a post here by Kirby Krieger
This will get you on par with Aperture workflow and nomenclature. I can only reccomend you a good book if you're able to understand Dutch ;-) And BTW a book or manual is easier to pause then a video ;-)
The Well-trod Path. Walk it unless you have a map for a different route.
The Library is your image database. It contains all the information Aperture has about your images: where they are stored on your computer/drives/network, how you have them organized within Aperture, what adjustments you have made to them, all the pre-Aperture metadata (EXIF, IPTC, keywords, etc.) they had before you imported them into Aperture, and all the Aperture metadata (Version names, ratings, color labels, Stacks, additional keywords, etc.) you assign to them from within Aperture. The Library also contains small copies of each image (in effect, thumbnails, but in Aperture larger than actual thumbnails and called "Previews").
The image is the core record in your Aperture database. The database is a giant list of images with a whole bunch of information assigned to each image.
Within Aperture you can view individual images and any grouping of images. You can create a group based on any of the information you have about your images.
The Project is your primary image holder. It has a unique, privileged relationship with your images: Every image must be in a Project; No image can be in more than one Project. You should make a Project from every actual, out-in-the-world photo shoot that you do. Shoot=Project. Stick to this (the mis-naming of "Project" is one of the worst interface decisions made in Aperture).
You will regularly want to view your images in groups other than the Project in which they reside. Aperture provides several specific containers for this (as well as superb tools for creating ad hoc groupings). As a family, those containers are Albums. Aperture includes (regular) Albums, Smart Albums, and the following albums dedicated to special tasks: Book, Light Table, Slide Show, Web Journal, Web Page. Any image can be in any album, and can be in as many albums as you want.
As your Aperture database grows, you will want to organize your Projects and Albums. Aperture provides Folders to aid you. Folders hold groups of Projects, Albums, and other Folders. Folders cannot contain images which are not in a Project or Album: You do not put images in Folders; you put containers in Folders.
The organization of your image database is entirely for you to customize for your needs.
There are two additional pieces of the Aperture puzzle every new user needs to understand in order to make good use of it.
In additional to what I listed above, your Library may or may not contain your original image files. Each image in Aperture has an original. Aperture is non-destructive -- your original image files are never altered. If the original image file is contained within your Library, it is called a Managed Master (Aperture's pointer to this file, and the file itself, are both inside the Library). If the original image file is not contained within your Library, it is called a Referenced Master (the pointer in your Aperture Library points to a file outside your Aperture Library). Referenced Masters bring some important advantages -- but the new user of Aperture can rely on Managed Masters until the need for Referenced Masters arises. Aperture makes is easy to convert your original image files back and forth from Managed to Referenced.
A Version is the name given to the variants and copies you make of you original image within Aperture. You use Aperture's tools to make Adjustments to images. Each group of adjustments you make to one image is saved as a Version. You can (and should) create as many Versions as you need. Versions appear as images, but are simply text instructions which tell Aperture what Adjustments to make to the original image file. Aperture presents these to you on-the-fly. This is brilliant. It means that Versions are minuscule compared to Masters. The gain in storage and computational efficiency is enormous.
This also means that your images in Aperture do not exist as image format files. In order to create an image format file, you must export the image from within Aperture. There is no reason to do this until you need an image format file outside of Aperture.
Aperture, then, is best understood as a workspace for
   storing
    organizing
    adjusting
    preparing for publication, and
    publishing
digital photographs.
Your workflow is
    shoot
    import as Project(s)
    add image-specific metadata
    organize into Albums, organize Albums and Projects with Folders
    make adjustments to images (crop, rotate, change exposure, etc. etc. etc)
    prepare for publication
    publish.
If you still need to synchronize between computers (which or NOT running Aperture) you could still be using your old folder structure. Import then from the _raw folder, organize and manage them in Aperture and use relocate masters to move them to the correct position. In Aperture you could setup a Project per shoot, and then (Smart)albums in that project for what used to be subfolders when you where working on Windows. For synchronizing between Aperture using computers it best to copy libraries. (You can export a project as a new library as well)
Then for other RAW converters, take a look at why people recommend CaptureNX. It's mostly because of initial conversion. That is because CapertureNX is able to read in camera settings whereas other converters cannot. For some Nikon's color rendering in Aperture might be a bit of, but you can correct that while developing. Personally I had only one occasion where I wanted to edit in ACR instead of Aperture. (Because I needed a gradient adjustment and Aperture at that time did not have brushes yet) As you mentioned yourself already, one converter is usually the best choice. Pick one that suits you and stick with it.
For HDR, there are some plugins for that, otherwise export to 16-bit TIFF (which is essentially RAW), do the HDR in PS and import back again. Not that big-a-deal.
For there rest, when you encounter some problems anywhere on the Mac, think of the easiest solution you can imagine, that usually how it works on the Mac. That why you hardly ever have to leave your Aperture interface while organizing your photo's.

Aperture iPhoto library storage

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