Back up iPhoto 08' for the first time (different than last time I did it)

Question

The last time I backed up my photo library was before I got iPhoto 08'. I know I should have done it a long time ago and backed things up at least once a week but I kinda got busy. Since my last backup I have also upgraded to Leopard, which yes I did back up my hard drive when I did that, but I also had the advantage of having an IT person personally helping me.
Today when I went to back up my library things were different. Rather than the old "iPhoto Library" folder that use to be in the pictures section, I just see a single file named "iPhoto Library" and when I click it, it launches iPhoto.
So my question is how do I back up my library now, and what ever happened to the "Original" and "Modified" folders? What I would really like to do is save my current library on an external with everything intact. Events, Albums, the order I added them in, etc. I want to clear iPhoto out completely and then re-import my current library.
I should probably mention that on the external hard drive right now is a back up of my old library from before my upgrade to Leopard and it still has the old setup of the iphoto folder and then inside that is the "Original" and "Modified" folders. How should I handle this, just delete it?

Answer 1

With 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.
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.
Look familiar? 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.
What I would really like to do is save my current library on an external with everything intact. Events, Albums, the order I added them in
Simply copy the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder to the External. That's it.
I want to clear iPhoto out completely and then re-import my current library.
I'm afraid that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If you back up a library then trash it, then restore the selfsame library, how does that constitute a “clear out”?
I would delete nothing until I had the Maintenance project finished.
As an Fyi
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!
(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:
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.
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.
Regards
TD