Aperture previews/Can't see Aperture library in other apps.

Question

This isn't really a new problem for me, but I decided to ask now to see if it can be fixed somehow. I use Aperture 3.4.5, OSX 10.8.4. The problem is that Aperture doesn't show up under the Media tab when in other apps. For instance, in Mail if I try to attach a picture. It shows iPhoto and Photobooth. But I get an error when I click on Aperture that tells me I need to turn on sharing to iLife in the preferences of Aperture. But this is turned on. Still no access to the Aperture library. Same thing in iTunes. Now, since my Aperture and iPhoto libraries are linked I can just choose the photos I want to attach from the iPhoto library. But I want to choose the Aperture library!!
But it won't let me. I cannot add projects/folders to my iPhone or iPad in iTunes either. I get the same turn on the sharing message. And I have this turned on.
I've seen a few other people with this problem in searches I have done but I have not seen any solutions...
Help?!?

Answer 1

So your Aperture library is in fact a previous iPhoto library.
Correct. When I purchased Aperture, I imported from my iPhoto library. And I guess they are shared.
I am still not quite sure about the state of your iPhoto/Aperture library.  Depending on when you bought Aperture, you may have imported the iPhoto Library into a new Aperture Library; then you now have an Aperture library, or you may have simply opened the iPhot Library in Aperture, keeping it an iPhoto Library.  The Finder can show you what it is.
Select your library in the Finder and use the Finder command "Get Info ⌘I". The Info panel will show you the type of the library.
Disclose the "General" brick in the panel. The "Kind" will either show "iPhoto Library" or "Aperture Library".
Then disclose the  "Name & Extension" brick and look, if your library has a filename extension - aplibrary or photolibrary. Uncheck "Hide Extension" to see it.
If your library still is "Kind iPhoto Library", then you never imported your Library, you only used it in Aperture.
Or if you want to use iPhoto and Aperture with separate photo libraries, import your current library into a new Aperture library. Open your now empty Aperture Library in Aperture by double-clicking it. Then use the command "File > Import > Library" in Aperture and select your iPhoto library. This will import all events, albums, etc. into your empty Aperture Library  and craete a copy of the iPhoto library, but now it will have the kind "Aperture Library" and the Media Browser should show it in the Aperture section and not the iPhoto section. Only make sure, that you unhide all photos in iPhoto, before you do that. Aperture cannot unhide photos that have been hidden in iPhoto.
My question here is if I go into my new Aperture Library, and import from iPhoto again (and I guess make them not shared?) Will it then *copy* my iPhoto library, which is 240GB. Then I would have 2 240GB folders??
I appreciate the help so far. Right now I'm doing the generate preview thing again, which is taking awhile. But I'm guessing that since my iPhoto and Aperture libraries are linked and shared now this won't matter much. I will still only see iPhoto listed in the Media Browser..
Let's talk about that part of your question when we know for sure, if you already imported your iPhoto library or simply opened it in Aperture. If your library is an Aperture library with an imported iPhoto library inside there may be additional complications.