Burn iPhoto Library to CD-RW?

Is it possible to burn an iPhoto Library to CD-RW? If I attempt to do so, iPhoto states that the disc is full. Toast says the disc has 702.8 MB available. If I attempt to burn again, the disc is rejected and the iPhoto message states: Please insert a blank disc.
The CD-RW disc in question is new, out of the shrink wrap. The library size is 570 MB.

The problem, or apparent problem, is solved. Even though iPhoto states the disc is full, it still allows the disc to be burned. Apparently the iPhoto library was large enough to fill the disc. Not a very user friendly interface. The stated size prior to the burn was 689 MB, although the iPhoto Library Album pane stated a value of 570 MB for the photos within the Library.

Similar Messages

Burning iPhoto Library to DVD

I had a lot of new photos and wanted to back up my iPhoto Library. I burned the library it to a DVD in iPhoto. Over 2600 photos. All seems to have gone fine, but it took over 1/2 hour. Is that about right? I didn't expect it would take nearly so long (although I really don't know why I think that).
In the future, am I okay not burning the whole library---just the newly added photos not on the DVD I burned today? I did lose the whole library a few months ago and gratefully had backed it up.
Thanks.

It mostly depends on the speed of your DVD burner and the media it is using, but does not sound unreasonable to me!
I agree with the first response that an external HD is a good idea. I have and older "mobile disk" external hd case which has firewire 400. It works great with a 120 gb WD HD, and runs cool.
Periodically, I use "Super Duper" to clone the HD every month, and every week copy the iPhoto library over to it as an additional file. If my iMac hd fails, the HD could be used as a external boot drive and I would only be a week out in updates. If the iMac needs a new HD I could either install the one from the external case or duplicate it to a new HD in the iMac.
I have just started using RAW images and keep them in a separate folder from iPhoto. Once, I have gone through these RAW images and exported the "keepers" to iphoto as JPEG's the original RAW files are periodically transferred to a DVD for archiving. I always have the original image to work with, like keeping the "negatives" from a film camera.
Well...that's my strategy anwyay...and I am sticking with it!!!
Ed

Problems with burning iPhoto library to DVD

When I try to burn my iPhoto library to a DVD, iPhoto eventually always crashes.
iPhoto will prepare to burn and the window to select output drive, spee, etc. will com up. After clicking on "burn", iPhoto is always end.
What could be wrong?
Is my iPhoto library maybe corrupted?
If yes, can I do something about it?
Infos:
iBook G4, 640 RAM, HD 30GB (3.72 available), OSX Tiger, external LACIE d2 DUAL DVD+-RW DRIVE, iPhoto library: 3.53 GB
Thanks for any help!

Hi iRose,
Thanks for giving all your info. Your free space on your hard drive is not enough to do a successful burn of the entire iPhoto Library. Do you have an external drive? Is your drive supported for iPhoto burning? usually on the internal that comes with the computer is supported.
Try instead to burn the entire iPhoto Library folder in the Finder using your external burner.
Close iPhoto
I can't burn a Cd or DVD
The next info is from iPhoto FAQ on the Apple site
Question 5: Can I burn a CD or DVD to back up my iPhoto library?
Answer: Yes, you can easily back up your iPhoto library by using the CD burning capabilities of Mac OS X. Simply insert a blank CD into your internal or external CD-RW drive and copy the iPhoto library to the CD icon on your desktop. When you drag the CD icon to the Trash/Eject button in the Dock, you are given the option to burn the CD. Click Burn and the CD is created. To burn a DVD backup of your digital images, use iDVD and a SuperDrive-equipped Mac.
Lori

Burned iPhoto Library to CD, said 'Successful' but CD empty??

Just burned my iPhoto Library to a CD-RW (finally)...burn showed as successful, however, the new Library does not show in the list as a disk? moved the disk icon from the desktop to the library list & shows as 'empty'...did I miss a step? wanted to move the library to a disk to just keep 'active' photos (things I'm working with) in iPhoto instead of 'everything'...maybe there's a better way to do this? didn't want to waste space storing on the HD...;) thanks!

Hi,
Did you do this from within iPhoto? And with the internal disk?

Macbook pro iphoto 6.0.2 won't recognize iphoto library (backup from DVD)

Just purchased a Macbook Pro with iphoto 6.0.2. Had a G4 powerbook with iphoto 4.0.2 and backed up that iphoto library to 2 DVD's. I loaded the photos and albums from the 2 DVDs to the iphoto library on the macbook. when I launch the iphoto 6.0.2 it does not load any photos and states there are no photos.
Is this an issue of the DVD back up being made under iphoto 4.0.2? Is there another way to back them up if it is....any help would be appreciated....thanks in advance...-D

Hi kaiman,
I have all the advise in one post here (including Old toad's)so as not to confuse you.
Backing up your iPhoto Library
1. Burn the iPhoto Library folder in the Finder to a CD or DVD
This method will give you a burned iPhoto Library folder that can be copied back to your computer to replace a damaged library. You can also use this method to backup an old library when you want to create a new Library to use as your current library.
insert a blank CD into your internal or external CD-RW drive and copy the iPhoto library to the CD icon on your desktop. When you drag the CD icon to the Trash/Eject button in the Dock, you are given the option to burn the CD. Click Burn and the CD is created. To burn a DVD backup of your digital images, use a DVD and a SuperDrive-equipped Mac
The easiest way to burn an iPhoto Library folder in the Finder that is larger than 4.7 gig to fit on one DVD is to burn sections of the folder.
For an iPhoto 5 Library:
Drag the iPhoto Library folder to the desktop
Double click the folder to open it.
Drag each Year folder to the desktop.
You should be left with the iPhoto Library folder containing all the data files, and the Year folders.
Combine whatever year folders that amount closest to a DVD burn size on one DVD. Make sure that you have burned all the Year folders, then the iPhoto Library folder with all the data files.
If you ever need to use this backup, insert the DVDs into your computer and copy the folders to the desktop. Put all the Year folders back into the iPhoto Library folder. Then put the iPhoto Library folder back into the Pictures folder.
For an iPhoto 6 Library:
Do almost the same thing except there are three main folders to backup now. the Data, Originals, and Modified. Then the iPhoto Library folder and all the data files within it. It might get too confusing so it might be better to get disc spanning software.
You can also check out applications for disc spanning:
Disc-spanning software
DropDMG
Toast
Dragon Burn 4
Retrospect Express-comes with some external drives
Retrospect for Macintosh Desktop Edition
2. Copy the ENTIRE iPhoto Library to an external drive formated for a Mac. Do not use this as your only back up as the external can also go bad.
3. Copy the ENTIRE iPhoto Library to your iPod in disk mode
4.Creating your own CDs and DVDs for viewing in iPhoto
This method is a great way to back up Albums of older photos or even your entire library if it is small enough to fit on a DVD. This method will give you a library that will mount within iPhoto in the source column to be viewed. To import any images from this library they need to be dragged into your library in the source column.
If you just want to backup the images in your library:
1) Within iPhoto select the images, albums or rolls you want to backup. Go to Share>Export and export them to a newly created folder on the desktop. Follow the directions in the next link.
Creating a CD or DVD to be viewed in Windows or by a photo processing company
1.. If you backed up the entire iPhoto Library by burning within iPhoto or burning the folder in the Finder, make sure the burned copy is a good working copy before you delete the iPhoto Library folder in the Finder. You delete the iPhoto Library in the finder by dragging it to the trash when iPhoto is closed. When you next launch iPhoto it will create a new empty library for you to start anew.
2. If you burned just the images, be aware that that is all you are archiving. No metadata will travel with the images such as comments, keywords, etc.
You can then delete those images within iPhoto by highlighting them and hitting the delete key, then empty iPhoto's trash. Do this often and in groups so iPhoto will not choke on too many images.
And here is the info for transferring a library from one Mac to another:
Copy iPhoto Library folder from one Mac to another
-If the library is small enough, burn the ENTIRE iPhoto Library folder to CD/DVD.
Drag the iPhoto Library folder from the CD/DVD to your Pictures folder of the iMac.
-If the computers are networked, copy the ENTIRE iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder of the other Mac.
-If you have an iPod, copy the ENTIRE iPhoto Library folder to the iPod. Connect the iPod to the other computer and copy the iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder of the other Mac.
-If you have a firewire cable, copy the ENTIRE iPhoto LIbrary folder to the Pictures folder of the other Mac
Things to keep in mind:
-If the usersnames are different you might have to set the permissions on the iPhoto Library folder to Read/Write for the new user. Check the "apply to enclosed items" at the bottom of the "get info" window.
-If there is another iPhoto Library folder on the other Mac, change it's name so it doesn't get replaced by the iPhoto Library folder you are copying into the Pictures folder...or....drag it to another place on your hard drive.
Now that the library is in the Pictures folder, launch iPhoto and it will open the library. If the library you moved to the new Mac was created on an older version of iPhoto, iPhoto will tell you the library needs to be upgraded. Let iPhoto do the upgrade.

Backup IPhoto Library

I appologize for the basic nature of this question......but....
How do you backup the IPhoto library to an external HD or CDs? Do you need a backup utility or is there some piece of software in the basic OS somwhere?
Can IPhoto use these backup files without importing the file back into the original library?
I need the confidence of backup, and more HD space on the computer.
Thanks

Hi JGGiant38,
Backing up your iPhoto Library
1. Burn the iPhoto Library folder in the Finder to a CD or DVD
This method will give you a burned iPhoto Library folder that can be copied back to your computer to replace a damaged library. You can also use this method to backup an old library when you want to create a new Library to use as your current library.
insert a blank CD into your internal or external CD-RW drive and copy the iPhoto library to the CD icon on your desktop. When you drag the CD icon to the Trash/Eject button in the Dock, you are given the option to burn the CD. Click Burn and the CD is created. To burn a DVD backup of your digital images, use a DVD and a SuperDrive-equipped Mac
The easiest way to burn an iPhoto Library folder in the Finder that is larger than 4.7 gig to fit on one DVD is to burn sections of the folder.
Drag the iPhoto Library folder to the desktop
Double click the folder to open it.
Drag each Year folder to the desktop.
You should be left with the iPhoto Library folder containing all the data files, and the Year folders.
Combine whatever year folders that amount closest to a DVD burn size on one DVD. Make sure that you have burned all the Year folders, then the iPhoto Library folder with all the data files.
If you ever need to use this backup, insert the DVDs into your computer and copy the folders to the desktop. Put all the Year folders back into the iPhoto Library folder. Then put the iPhoto Library folder back into the Pictures folder.
2. Copy the ENTIRE iPhoto Library to an external drive formated for a Mac. Do not use this as your only back up as the external can also go bad.
3. Copy the ENTIRE iPhoto Library to your iPod in disk mode
4.Creating your own CDs and DVDs for viewing in iPhoto
This method is a great way to back up Albums of older photos or even your entire library if it is small enough to fit on a DVD. This method will give you a library that will mount within iPhoto in the source column to be viewed. To import any images from this library they need to be dragged into your library in the source column.
If you just want to backup the images in your library:
1) Within iPhoto select the images, albums or rolls you want to backup. Go to Share>Export and export them to a newly created folder on the desktop. Follow the directions in the next link.
Creating a CD or DVD to be viewed in Windows or by a photo processing company
1.. If you backed up the entire iPhoto Library by burning within iPhoto or burning the folder in the Finder, make sure the burned copy is a good working copy before you delete the iPhoto Library folder in the Finder. You delete the iPhoto Library in the finder by dragging it to the trash when iPhoto is closed. When you next launch iPhoto it will create a new empty library for you to start anew.
2. If you burned just the images, be aware that that is all you are archiving. No metadata will travel with the images such as comments, keywords, etc.
You can then delete those images within iPhoto by highlighting them and hitting the delete key, then empty iPhoto's trash. Do this often and in groups so iPhoto will not choke on too many images.
Moving your iPhoto Library to an external to use as your working library:
Copy the ENTIRE iPhoto Library folder to a Mac formatted external drive.
Launch iPhoto while holding down the Option key.
At the prompt, choose to open another library.
Navigate to the library on the external and highlight it.
Hit the "open" button
iPhoto will open the library on the external and from now on will use this library to import images too. This will now be your working library. Make sure everything is working correctly and everything is fine in the library.
You can then delete the library on the internal if you wish.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93037

Burning back-up of iPhoto library

I've been filling up the iphoto-library on my new mac with old and new pictures, and now I want to burn a DVD (it's about 4500 pics) to ensure I've got the pics in case hardware failure. The only problem is I keep on getting an error-message with something about a fault "when burning with the dvd-drive" that couldn't be repared :S Does anyone know a way of backuping my entire library to dvd? Even if it means burning it from outside iphoto - as long as i don't just get the original files, but the improved photos from iphoto as well.. Anyone with a solution?

TM:
Try this: download and run BatChmod on the iPhoto Library folder with the settings shown here, putting your administartive name in the owner and group sections. You can either type in the path to the folder or just drag the folder into that field. A long shot but might help.
Otherwise...
Your original files are contained in subfolders within the iPhoto Library/Originals folder. The edited versions are in subfolders in the Modified folder. Each subfolder is titled for the roll it's in. You can burn those individually to a DVD via the Finder. They would then be identified by the roll they were in in the library. You'll have to burn the modified ones separately from the Originals due to the same folder name. Unless you copied the modified subfolders to the desktop first, added "-mod" to the folder name and then burned with the original folder.
Just don't move or rename any of the files/folders with the Finder that are in the iPhoto Library folder during this process.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto 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 written an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), 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. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Can't burn my iPhoto Library in iPhoto 6

The last time I burned my library, was in iPhoto 5. Now, immediately after upgrading to iPhoto 6, I wanted to make a copy of the complete library from within iPhoto, but I get an error message. It prepares to burn, then immediately says finishing burn, then an error sheet pops out and says:
Burn Failed
The burn to the Matshita DVD-R UJ-835F drive failed. The device failed to respond properly, unable to recover or retry.
I am using the proper DVD-R discs and am able to burn using Dragon Burn just fine. Only when using iPhoto 6 do I get this error..
Can anyone help?
iMac g5 20 1.8 superdrive Mac OS X (10.4.4) 250GB HD, 1 GB ram

The size of the library shown in iPhoto can be considerable less than what the Finder reports. That's because iPhoto only reports the size of the image files in the library (and not including the edited versions) whereas the Finder includes the modified files, thumbnails, data files, etc. When burning the whole library once can easily check the size in the Finder to see if it will fit. But if you're burning some rolls or albums there's no easy way to determine the ultimate size required to burn. It's worth some feedback at iPhoto's feedback page: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html

Iphoto library won't burn to DVD

I'm having problems burning my library to DVD. I'm using a iomega external DVD+/- burner. When I select the pictures i want to burn from the iphoto window, i get this error..."NO DEVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR BURNING". I tried burning a DVD with another application and it worked fine so I'm assuming it's between iphoto and the burner. I have the latest patch burn installed as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated as this is the only way I can get my library on DVD with all the photo information and film rolls intact.
Thanks.

Share ==> burn creates a mini iPhoto library only usable by iPhoto and includes multiple versions of each Photo so the disk requirements several times the sie of just the selected photos
the answer is to select all the photos in the album, export them (fil menu ==> export - see the user tip on exporting for details of the export options) to a desktop folder and use the finder to burn that folder to disk
LN

Burn part of iPhoto library

I want to burn to DVD only a part of my 11GB iPhoto 8.1.2 library.
Do I do this by going to iPhoto Library, opening the package, then selecting from
" Originals " the year folders I want ?

I want to burn to DVD only a part of my 11GB iPhoto 8.1.2 library.
Do I do this by going to iPhoto Library, opening the package, then selecting from
" Originals " the year folders I want ?

How do I burn photos from an iPhoto library album to a CD disk as jpegs?

How do I burn photos from an iPhoto library album to a CD disk as jpeg files? I'm wanting to burn the iPhoto library exactly as it appears in the "album", so they appear as jpegs, so you can't tell that the files have been edited in iPhoto. (I have edited some of the photos in iPhoto.)
I tried this using the "share/burn" menu option, however, it included the original files, which defeats the purpose of editing them.
Any suggestions?

Select the pics in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pics to a folder on the desktop. Burn that to CD with the Finder.
Regards
TD

Burning cd's from iPhoto library on external drive

ok, here is my problem... I've got an old powerbook g3 which I gave my mother for storing and sorting her photos. As the disk space on this powerbook is quite limited I though of buying a firewire card and an external firewire drive and load the whole iPhoto library onto it. My question is; is there some way to burn cd's or DVD's out of iPhoto from this external drive on my powermac G5?

Blanche:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. You won't be able to burn the disks directly from within iPhoto but if you're just wanting to burn a disk containing image files you can do that.
In iPhoto create an album of those you want to burn. Then select the album and use the Share->Export->File Export menu route to export the full sized files to a folder on the desktop. Name the folder appropriately and insert a blank disk. When the disk mounts on the desktop drag the folder to the disk. Once copied to the disk, make sure the files are full sized (a couple of times I got aliases only so make it a point to double check before burning). Then drag the disk icon to the Trash which will turn into a Burn button.
But iPhoto will only recognize internal drives for burning iPhoto formatted disks right from inside.

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

Maximum number of photos that can be imported into an iPhoto library?

1. Does iPhoto have a maximum number of files or photos that it can handle in a single library?
I have a lot of photos (20GB) that have not yet been imported into an iPhoto Library. I am going to set up a new library with the iPhoto Library Manager (iPLM), but am wondering if there is a maximum number of files that can be handled in a single library?
2. Also, I don't think I want to import these, since that would create an iPhoto library as large as the source files. Are there any problems if I set up the preferences so that this library will not have the graphics imported into it?
3. With iPLM, can you have different sets of preferences for each library?
Thank you for any advice or suggestions.

1. Does iPhoto have a maximum number of files or photos that it can handle in a single library?
Apple advertises that iPhoto will handle 250,000 photos - I doubt that anyone has come close to that (or will)
I have 19,278 in 237 events - 22 GB - on a G5 iMac and it is snappy with no issues
I have a lot of photos (20GB) that have not yet been imported into an iPhoto Library. I am going to set up a new library with the iPhoto Library Manager (iPLM), but am wondering if there is a maximum number of files that can be handled in a single library?
If you want those should be fine in one library
2. Also, I don't think I want to import these, since that would create an iPhoto library as large as the source files. Are there any problems if I set up the preferences so that this library will not have the graphics imported into it?
It is a choice - if you do NOT import them then you will be responsible for all future management - deleting, etc. Moving to a different location or computer is much more difficult if you reference your photos instead of importing them.
Many people import them, burn the original source photos to CD or DVD and delete them from their disk letting iPhoto manage them
3. With iPLM, can you have different sets of preferences for each library?
I'm not sure but I do not think so
Larry Nebel
Message was edited by: LarryHN

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!

Burn iPhoto Library to CD-RW?

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