Can I keep my iPhoto library synced on 2 or more macs?

I have 3 macs that I want to keep my iPhoto libraries synced on. Two are the latest Mac minis running Maverick and one is a MBP C2D that is about 5 years old running OS 10.6 Snow Leopard. I carry the MBP when I travel. At home they are all on the same home network. My primary iPhoto library is currently around 60GB. So HDD space is not a problem. I am uncertain about the risk of doing this without causing myself problems.
Any help or recommendations would be appreciated.

Posting 2006 and 2008 threads that are very outdated is not a good idea
There is no way to "sync" iPhoto libraries
There is software that Old Toad has tested that will sync the photos which may or may not help you
You can easily manually move photos between libraries using iPhoto Library Manager with is probably the best solution
LN

Similar Messages

Help! How can I restore iTunes/iPhoto library from Time Capsule to new Mac?

Sorry to trouble you, because it looks like this should be an easy thing, but I can't find an answer anywhere...
I've got an 2008 MacBook Pro that suddenly began to suffer start up problems. Sometimes it boots to a black/grey screen and sometimes the screen/mouse freezes after only a few minutes of use.
I've borrowed my brother's Mac until I can find out how to get mine repaired, so I'd like to copy over my iTunes and iPhoto stuff from a Time Capsule (where I'm hoping it hasn't been damaged) to his Mac. I only want to copy the iTunes and iPhoto stuff, without filling up his computer with all my other junk.
Is there an easy way to do this? Thanks!

Hi ...
I've found a solution to my problem.
Time Machine locates extenal HDD backups differently depending if they were done via a network or via a USB/FireWire/Thunderbolt connection.
My initial backup was done via a direct Thunderbolt connection. I ran into the above issue b/c the second time when I tried looking for the backup file the HDD was conencted to my iMac and I was accessing it via a network conenction.
I simply connected the drive directly to my MacBook pro and ... voila. I was able to see the backup, select the iPhoto library and begin the restore.
Hope this helps.
BTW - I found this out by reading the 'blue box' selection on this page: http://pondini.org/TM/E2.html
(Thanks goes to Pondini!)

Keep local iPhoto Library in sync over NAS

Hi every one
Here's my usecase: I want use ONE iPhoto Library with 3 Mac's and 2 Useraccounts. Why ONE library? Because i want work on Albums etc. on my stationary iMac in Room1, and finish it on my MacBook pro while sitting on my sofa :-) It also can be, that my wife will work on the same Album too. Of course not at the same time, but i don't want to tell her if the Library is available at the moment, or if I've already opended iPhoto on another Mac. It has to be automatically "locked" if someone is using it. Easy, just put the whole thing on a NAS and you got this effect automatically. Correct, but the speed isn't really nice. Why buying an i7 iMac with Fusion drive and using a NAS as source while working on photos...? Got it? (sorry for my poor english, i'm swiss but doing my best :-) )
Here's my solution approach I would like to have: (sorry a little confuse...)
My i7 iMac has a local iPhoto library. A "sync software" keeps the iPhoto library in sync with a mirrored version on a NAS, (wich can be a Timecapsule as well as any other NAS). when I open iPhoto on my iMac, it has to lock the whole iPhoto library on my NAS as well, so my wife can't open the library on my NAS while I'm using it local on my iMac. After i close my iPhoto on my iMac, the mirrored Library is available on my NAS where i can use it with my MacBook Pro directly from my NAS. The "sync software" has to lock the file in the other direction, so i can't open my local Library on my iMac at this time. When i close iPhoto on my macBook Pro it will be unlocked and the sync software on my iMac will update my local copy automatically the next time that i start my iMac and (surprise surprise) my local version is up to date!
You see my point? The clou is to lock the library on another place while using it's mirrored version. That helps preventing any corrupt iPhoto Librarys becaus of two user at the same time and you don't have any performance inconvenience.
Advanced version would be to habe many Mac's with local iPhoto librarys. It would still be the same: If it's not possible to use a Library at the same time, you wan't have any problemes with de database... right? There would be one problem: If you work on a local iPhoto library while you're not connected with your nas, you wan't have informations about the "lock" status... but that's another story-
I tried "synk pro" which keeps folders and documents "realtime" in sync. But it works really bad with NAS and my problem with the "lock" is still there.
Folks: Any ideas to share with me? I just wan't to have a SAVE iPhoto library to work on it with my wife an our 3 Mac's ;-)
Many thanks
Roman

iPhoto needs to have the Library sitting on disk formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Users with the Library sitting on disks otherwise formatted regularly report issues including, but not limited to, importing, saving edits and sharing the photos.
This is particularly the case now that iPhoto uses the same library as Aperture:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3252
Note:
it is strongly recommended that the Aperture library be stored on a locally mounted hard drive. Storing the Aperture library on a network share can also lead to poor performance, data corruption, or data loss.
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 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 associated metadata between Libraries. This process cannot be automated.

How can i keep my iphoto imports and onedrive photos in the same place and synced to onedrive?

I currently subscribe to Office365 and use OneDrive to sync all my docs and files from my old Windows PC to my Mac (OSX Mavericks).
I have a tons of photos already on OneDrive and would like to so my PhotoSteam and also when I import photos or use iPhoto that it uses the OneDrive Photo folder/directory.
Is this possible?
As a new OSX users I am not sure how to do this, in Windows I would have just changed the directory of the Picture library but cannot see a way to do this on OSX.
Any help and pointers (in as simple steps as possible!) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Phil

Yes it is possible but no you really, really don't want to do this if you're using iPhoto.
You can't put an iPhoto Library on OneDrive. It's not a Directory, but a rather complex ecosystem of sql database, files, caches and metadata. Basically, you're trying to run a Mac database from a Windows disk and that's always going to cause problems. (as doing the reverse would too.)
You can (in theory) run iPhoto with storing the files on OneDrive but don't. iPhoto has no tools to manage this set up properly, and you're only storing up issues for further down the road.
For more on iPhoto and file management see this User Tip:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6361

Can I import the Iphoto library from iOS to the Mac?

The HDD where I kept my iPhoto library is deth. The library is sync with the Ipad. Can I import the Iphoto library from iOS to the Mac? I want to keep the organization (albums, events). Is it possible?

No, and the images on your iPad are lower quality than the ones in iPhoto on your Mac. Restore from your back up is the best solution.
You can get images from your iPad with an 3rd party app like iExplorer, but there are others. Search on MacUpdate

Can I move the iPhoto library to my iDisk

- Can I move the iPhoto library to my iDisk and by doing so being able to share it between several computers (only one editing at the same time is OK.
Sharing means adding, editing, deleting ... photos.
- if yes can I use it with the local copy mode of iDisk?

I doubt very much that you'd be able to access the library at any speed fast enough to make it viable solution. iDisk access is way too slow to make using a library on it possible.
And if you did, using the local iDisk copy and then have another computer access the actual iDisk version would only mess up the library when they were synced because you can't just file sync libraries. There are database files whose contents must be updated and there are not syncing applications that can do that. It would be the kiss of death for the library.
If you want to share a library between multiple computers on a LAN add an external FW hard drive to one of the Macs and locate the library there as Apple suggests: iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users. Although written for uses on one computer it will work with multiple computers on a LAN that can log onto the host computer.
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 created 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. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries 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.

What should I do if the iphoto keeps on saying that "Plz wait for import to complete" when i click the close button but it is not importing photos? How can I close the iPhoto? I try to switch my mac off but it doesn't work. Thanks.

What should I do if the iphoto keeps on saying that "Plz wait for import to complete" when i click the close button but it is not importing photos? How can I close the iPhoto? I try to switch my mac off but it doesn't work. Thanks.

You should be able to select Force Quit from the menu beneath the Apple icon in Finder
and choose to Quit iPhoto from there, without messing up the Mac OS X in the process.
OS X - Support
Not sure if rebuilding the iPhoto library would help this issue. However if you had to
turn off the computer without the correct method (unplug, etc; instead of menu choice)
the system may have accrued damages and should be checked, maybe repaired by
use of the Disk Utility in the system. Or restart the computer in Safe Boot mode, then
run 'repair disk permissions' while it is running in that reduced mode; then restart after.
•Understanding Safe Mode - tuts+ computer skills tutorial:
http://computers.tutsplus.com/tutorials/understanding-safe-mode--mac-59897
•OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?
Suggestions on how to use Safe Mode in article, to resolve issues, may be helpful.
There likely are other means to rectify troublesome applications, including reinstall.
Be sure to backup your music, image, video, and other work on an external drive
or suitable device as a precaution against loss should there be a hard drive failure.
iPhoto - Mac Apps - Apple Support
There should be some tips and help information using iPhoto via this tiny Support link.
Good luck & happy computing!

Hello. I keep my IPhoto library (about 90GB) on an external HD and am trying to back it up to another external drive. Both are formatted Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled). Recently, backup has failed from the start due to error 36. Howtoresolve?

Hello. I keep my iPhoto library (about 90GB) on an external HD and am trying to back it up to another external drive. Both are formatted Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled) and both check out when scanned with Disk Utility. Recently, backup has failed from the start due to error 36. Any ideas how to resolve? Also, what's the maximum recommended size for an iPhoto library file? Thx!

Since you can't drag the library to the other EHD for the backup see if you can duplicate it (if you have enough room on the drive) by selecting it and typing Command+d (duplicate).
If you do rebuild the library without a backup and it goes awry you won't lose your photos but you may lose your orgnaizational efforts. So try the following:
Fix #1
Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
Select the options identified in the screenshot.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
Click on the Create button.
Note: This creates a new library in the location of your choosing based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
NOTE: Fix 2 above might be the method you might want to try first with iPLM creating the new library on your second EHD. If it works that would get your backup copy on the second EHD at the same time as repairing it. If it does'nt work then go back to Fix 1.
OT

Can I delete my iphoto library?

Folks, I upgraded from Iphoto to Aperture. Ive moved the Iphoto library to Aperture...can I safely delete the iphoto library now so as to save space on my hard disk? thank you.

As Kimmba alluded to it depends on how you imported the masters into Aperture.
When you run File->Import->iPhoto Library you are given a few choices of what to do with the masters. The most import option is Store Files:, this determines where the masters go.
If you chose In the Aperture Library then it should be safe to delete the iPhoto Library.
I always recommend to new users that they keep there iPhoto Library for some period of time after switching just to make sure everything went as expected. This way if you should need to, you could wipe the Aperture library and start from scratch (except of course for any new images imported only into Aperture). It's very rare that you get the desired Aperture structure right on the first attempt and while you could rearrange things in Aperture it sometimes is easier to just start over.
Of course it's always best to make a backup of the iPhoto Library and keep it safe before deleting it no matter what else you do.
regards

Can i delete my iPhoto library (since I have Photos)?

Now that I've upgraded to Photos, can I delete my iPhoto library in User/Pictures? With Photos, it created a parallel (same size) Photos library next to my iPhoto library. Not sure I want two of the same photos on my HD and backups (since the size is considerable). It made my SugarSync go over its limit, for instance. I know that keeping the iPhoto library enables me to click on it specifically and open up the photos in iPhoto (instead of Photos). If I delete my iPhoto library, just keeping my new Photos library with the same photos and movies, will it be detrimental in any way to my seeing the photos in Photos? Does Photos have any dependence on the iPhoto library, or is the iPhoto library just an archive at this point? Thank you!

With Photos, it created a parallel (same size) Photos library next to my iPhoto library.
The size you are seeing in the Finder is misleading. The new Photos Library and the iPhoto Library are sharing the image files and each photo is stored only one, see: Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support
Also: http://sixcolors.com/post/2015/02/the-hard-link-between-photos-and-iphoto/
You could delete the iPhoto Library and the Photos library will continue to work, but deleting the iPhoto Library will not free much disk space, because of the hard links from Photos. I would wait a bit, before taking this step and deleting the iPhoto Library. Check your photos library thoroughly, before you delete if.
If you should discover later, that the migration of your libraries has been faulty and you need to repeat it after repairing your libraries, you will be out of luck.
Remember, it is is just a few days after the first release of Photos as version 1.0. There are very likely some bugs and I would not burn all bridges before the library has been thoroughly tested and you are very confident, that this early Photos release is working well on your Mac.

How can I rebuild my iphoto library from backup

Can I rebuild my iphoto library from the Time Machine backup?
Somehow the iPHoto libary structure(?), if that's the word, has gotten corrupted.
There phtos are still these, in their year/month/day folders, but though iPhoto
opens it does not show Events, Slideshow, etc.
I found a Support page that tell you how to re-build the library, but
it didn't work.
It just occurred to me that the Time Machine back up should contain the 'library'.
Is so, how do I access it and will it open the iPhoto library intact with Events, Slideshows,
etc.?
Thanks,
Hal

You don't rebuild a library from a backup, you replace the library with the backup:
If you'll describe what happend when you tried rebuilding the library with iPhoto maybe we can offer another possible fix like try using iPLM as Larry suggested.
OT

Can i share an iPhoto library between 2 computers ???

Can i share an iPhoto library between 2 computers, it I store my library on a AS drive connected to an AirPort Extrême Base Station ?

on a AS drive
Do you mean NAS drive? No.
iPhoto needs to have the Library sitting on disk formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Users with the Library sitting on disks otherwise formatted regularly report issues including, but not limited to, importing, saving edits and sharing the photos.
Will it be wireless? That's good for viewing but...
A strong warning: If you're trying to edit the Library (that is, make albums, move photos around, keyword, make books or slideshows etc.) or edit individual photos in it via Wireless be very careful. Dropouts are a common fact of wireless networking, and should one occur while the app is writing to the database then your Library will be damaged. Simply, I would not do this with my Libraries.
Regards
TD

How can I access my iPhoto library folder?

My hard drive recently had to be replaced, and when they replaced it, they updated to OSx 10.9. I had not backed up my photos before my hard drive crashed, but they backed up all my files for me. I went to open my iphoto library from the backup files and as a new (to me) version of iphoto 11 opened, I got a message saying that it had to update the photos in my library in order for them to be compatible with this version of iPhoto and that after updating them, I'd no longer be able to read them on an older version of iphoto. I clicked ok. It only imported 9 photos (out of several thousand). I went to finder and tried to open the iphoto library folder (which contains the library file and the cache, etc.), but the folder will not open. Instead, when I click to open the library folder, it brings up iphoto, as though to indicate that my library is there. Did I somehow unknowingly overwrite my library or something?? Any ideas why I can't access my iphoto library? Are my photos gone?
I'm stupid so I don't have copies of the photos anywhere else. I don't have Time Machine or anything. Did I irreversibly screw up??

I didn't think to check what photos were there or what the library size was before trying to import at first. How do I restore my backup of the iphoto library? (sorry if that's a stupid question). I checked in the Masters folder and only saw a few of my photos (the same ones that were imported to iphoto).
I definitely know it was a mistake not to have a backup of the photos. It'll be the first thing I do if I can get them back. The mistake I was referring to in my initial post was clicking "ok" when it asked to update---but from what you're saying it sounds like that wouldn't have deleted anything.
I'm thinking maybe the backup is not complete (even though I asked the tech people 5 times if it was!), because I checked the imovie events folder, and it's also empty (and it definitely shouldn't be)! If this turns out to be the case, I may have to go back to the repair place to see if they can still pull files off.

How can I move my iPhoto Library from one Mac to another without losing the comments on the individual photos in the process?

How can I move my iPhoto Library from one Mac to another without losing the comments on the individual photos in the process? The source Macbook (OS 10.4.11 and iPhoto 6.0.6 (3.2.2.)) is with my husband in Germany, the target MacBook Pro (OS 10.8.5, iPhoto 11) is with me in Japan. Thanks for your help.

I copied the iPhoto Library to a CD and from there to the new MacBook
If you copied the library to the CD via the Finder it would be no different than the methods Terence suggested. If you used the Share ➙ Burn menu option from inside iDVD you'll get a mini library that has to be accessed from the open library and the events/alubums copied into the destination library. Not the same as the other methods.
The Share ➙ Burn method is no longer supported with iPhoto 9 and later.
OT

I own a MacBook Pro and an iMac. How can I copy my iPhoto library from my MacBook to the iMac?

I own a 13" MacBook Pro and a 27" iMac and I have different iPhoto libraries for each one of them.
How can I copy the iPhoto library from the MacBook to the iMac without losing the pictures I have on the iMac library?
Is it possible to merge the libraries?
Can I do this without using an external HDD? (e.g. connecting them through an ethernet cable?)
Thanks for your help!

1. By eirher a: renaming one of the Libraries or b: copying them to another folder
2. If you have Aperture 3.3 or later and iPhoto 9.3 or later you can merge libraries with Aperture.
Otherwise the only way to merge Libraries is with the paid ($20) version of iPhoto Library Manager
3. Yes.

Can I keep my iPhoto library synced on 2 or more macs?

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