How do I use an iPhoto library stored on an external HDD (time capsule) on the new photos app?

I have recently upgraded to a MacBook Air with the latest 10.10.3 updates as such it has photos installed, not iPhoto. The MacBook I'm upgrading from still had 10.9 and as such had iPhoto app.
The MacBook air has a smaller SSD (128GB) than the HDD from my 2008 MacBook, and isn't big enough to store my iPhoto library (over 150GB). I want to just keep my library on the external HDD (which is an Apple Time Capsule).
When I follow the steps on Designate a System Photo Library in Photos - Apple Support it seems to want to import all the photos, it took hours to get to just 3% of importing so I left over night. In the morning it said my MacBooks storage isn't big enough, which of course it isn't - I didn't want to import the library on my new MacBook Air !
I just want to change the location that photos looks for the library every time it opens, I don't actually want it to import the whole library which it appears to have tried to do. thanks!

Thanks for getting back to me!
It is connected over wireless. I don't have an RJ45 connection on the MacBook Air (although will purchase an adapter if needed). Even if I do have an RJ45 connection does this mean I can only ever use wired to view my external photo library?
I suppose having the wired connection will give me the time to organise my photos and delete some of the rubbish (which I would have liked to do on my old MacBook first but it was running too slow, especially with such a big photo library - so I treated myself to a new MacBook Air so I did!).
And I guess I could then put my favourite photos on the MacBook Air and have a separate library of older/lesser used photos on the Time Capsule and just access those as and when over RJ45 network cable. I prefer to use wireless as much as possible as the Time Capsule is normally stored in a room I don't use the MacBook or other wireless devices !

Similar Messages

How to use an iPhoto library, stored on an external HD connected via USB to a Time Capsule ?

Hi,
I have a MacBook Pro Retina 15", connected to a Time Capsule.
My iPhoto library is stored on an external HD, connected to the Time Capsule via USB.
I want to sync my photos with my iPhone (iOS 7.1)
The issue is that iTunes can't display anything in the "photos" tab, within the iPhone section in iTunes.
The search icon is turning, turning, even for hours, and then impossible to activate the sync between iPhoto and the iPhone.
What I do not understand, is that it works very well when the same HD is connected directely to my MacBook via USB.
Why is the sync impossible when the HD is connected to the Time Capsule ?
I have been told that storing an iPhoto library on a network HD is not recommended by Apple, but it seems to work for many users, according to forums.
So I would grant the feedback from users that have a similar configuration to mine.
Thanks
Stéphane

I have been told that storing an iPhoto library on a network HD is not recommended by Apple, but it seems to work for many users, according to forums.
Hmm, well you experience rather contradicts the forums, no? iPhoto is not designed for network access, end of story. If you try use it that way then things fail.
See this article
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5168
for more. Note the comment:
“Additionally, storing the iPhoto library on a network rather than locally on your computer can also lead to poor performance or data loss.”

I have a new MBAir 2013 13", and I had a MBPro 2010 13". I've installed iPhoto 9.4.3 but now iPhoto says my library (stored on an external HDD) cannot be read until I update the software because it's made with an updated iPhoto... but it IS updated!

As the tile says, I've recently bought a MBAir 2013 13". When I installed and updated iPhoto, I wanted to use my library, stored on an external hdd, which I used until the day before on my old MBPro 2010 13", without any problems. Now iPhoto says that this library cannot be opened by my iPhoto but it has to be opened with an updated iPhoto... but I had iPhoto 9.4.3 on my MBPro and I have iPhoto 9.4.3 on my MBAir! What can I do? Thanks a lot (sorry for my english, I'm Italian)

It's mac os format
BTW I solved my issue! I repaired my library with the last option... and I did not lost anything thanks anyway!

How to import iPhoto Library into the new Photo app

Hello so, my Mac just updated to the new Photo app. but how to I get my iPhoto Library over? I didn't get the option to import my iphoto library over there. it is really annoying me, since I dont want to use the new app before I know to import over.

You don't import, you just open the library with the new app.
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch Photos. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'

Will the new photos app and icloud photos library support all formats of pics and videos from my iphoto library?

I will be migrating my whole 200gb iPhoto library 9.5.1 mavericks over to Yosemite iPhoto 9.6.1 and then migrate to the new photos app and hopefully to the icloud.photos online. Does this all support all of my formats such as AVI videos in my iPhoto library. I don't want to lose those through migration.

I have this 31% issue too - when I attempt to update my iPhoto library to the new Photo app.
I have a few libraries - one on my mac, and two on a NAS. I access the NAS via wifi.
The mac based library did update, but the two network albums have yet to be successfully migrated over to Photo.
It's driving me insane!!!

My iPhoto library will not merge to the new photos app

Ever since updating to the new software on april 15, 2015 I have tried to merge my iPhoto library to the new photos app. It starts the merge process and at 31% fails every time.
Someone please help....Where did years of my photos disappear to

I have this 31% issue too - when I attempt to update my iPhoto library to the new Photo app.
I have a few libraries - one on my mac, and two on a NAS. I access the NAS via wifi.
The mac based library did update, but the two network albums have yet to be successfully migrated over to Photo.
It's driving me insane!!!

Using the new Photos app on multiple devices - confusion!

I find the recent way ios/Photos handles photos quite confusing. I am not too concerned about not having a Camera Roll, but seeing how not having this creates strange behavior when editing/deleting photos, I can see how the Camera Roll is definitely necessary or the whole thing needs revamped to handle things better.
Here's my set up:
iMac with iPhoto
iPhone 5s with the new Photos app
iPad Mini with the new Photos app
The one things I DO like is that whenever I take a photo (or upload in the case of my iMac), the photo is duplicated across all devices. That means I could take a photo on my iPhone and then edit it on my iPad Mini which has a bigger screen. (Well, so I thought..but read below.) Yes, you could do this with Photo Stream, but having all photos in one place is a bit easier to remember and find. I also like that when I delete the photo on the device that I took it on, all photos on the other two devices are also deleted. Easy. Thanks.
But that is where the ease of use ends.
If I delete the photo on any other two devices (i.e. the devices that I did NOT take the photo on), it only deletes on the devices which I didn't take the photo on. In other words, it leaves the photo on the device which I originally took the photo on.
To add to the confusion... if I edit the original photo, the edits do not get duplicated to the other devices! I see the original photo on the devices with which I did NOT take the photo but the edited one is on the original device I took it on.
Let's add even MORE confusion....if I want to edit the photo on a device it was not taken on, I then get a notice that it has to be Duplicated before I can edit it. Well, okay, I do that and then edit it. However, I now have the original showing up twice on the device it was originally taken on...the original photo and the now duplicated photo--it's the EXACT same photo since no edits get carried over from the other device.
I believe all of this is because of what happened when ios 9 combined the functions of the Camera Roll and Photo Stream together. It exhibits both behaviors but since you cannot be sure which photo was taken on which device, you have less understanding what will happen when you try to delete a photo or edit it.
Here's the key headache....What happens if I want to make sure a photo is deleted from ALL my devices and I don't remember which device I took the photo on? I will have to check every device just to be sure! I can't even open up iPhoto on my Mac and delete it from the Photo Stream album because it will remain on the original device. So, I have to check all devices and also iPhoto on my Mac for good measure in case I actually uploaded a photo there--which I do since I am scanning in old photos.
Key headache #2...you end up with duplicates of the photo if you edit the photo on any device on which it was not taken on. You also get different versions of the photo. You end up not knowing which photo was the original. To be sure to have all edited photos eventually on you iMac, you'll need to sync all devices physically to iPhoto.
Who has time to track all this?
What should happen is this...all of the photos, including their edits, should sync exactly on all devices. My Recently Added should look exactly the same across all devices and carry over any edits...now that is what I would call Continuity and Handoff! But as it stands, we don't have anything close to this...is more like Pandemonium and MixUp!
This is really a mess and way too confusing to keep track of. I can only hope this get resolved when Photos on the Mac is released.

Go to the App Store and check out the Purchases List. If iPhoto is there then it will be v9.6.1
If it is there, then drag your existing iPhoto app (not the library, just the app) to the trash
Install the App from the App Store.
Sometimes iPhoto is not visible on the Purchases List. it may be hidden. See this article for details on how to unhide it.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4928
One question often asked: Will I lose my Photos if I reinstall?
iPhoto the application and the iPhoto Library are two different parts of the iPhoto programme. So, reinstalling the app should not affect the Library. BUT you should always have a back up before doing this kind of work. Always.

How do i get photos sent via email into the new photos app in yosemite 10.10.3

Using mail on my mac, having upgraded to Yosemite 10.10.3 i now cant import photos sent via email into the new photos app. if i highlight the photo in mail and right click the mouse the option is still to export to iPhoto !!

I was clicking on the photo, so thanks for telling me about the save icon - unfortunately this still tries to open up and save to iPhoto the same as clicking on the image but my photos have been moved from iPhoto to the new photos app as part of the update to 10.10.3 Yosemite. Although it also gives me the option to save other places i cant work out how to save into the photo app

Deleted iPhoto Photos showing in the new Photos app

I didn't see a new spot to ask this so I figured I would post it in the iPhoto section. When my wife and I import to iPhoto we usually delete a bunch of random screenshots,etc. iPhoto doesn't have them but looking back for some reason the new photos app is showing more photos then iPhoto has. Anyone else seeing this behavior?

I have to disagree Terence. It creates a complete copy of the iPhoto database. I verified this by deleting the iPhotos database and photos worked fine. It also added 188GB to my crash plan backup and time capsule backup. I have seen other beta testers say it doesn't but it does in my case. It also did this with no interaction on my part.
It doesn't. It uses Unix Hard Links the actual photos, so while both Libraries report 188 gigs or whatever, they are reporting the same 188 gigs. Or put another way, when you deleted the iPhoto Library, did your disk space go up by 188 gigs? Time Machine and CrashPlan don't deal with these links - BTW, an online service like Crashplan for an iPhoto/Aperture/Photos library has a high risk of data corruption.
I can't figure out why the new photos app is showing more photos then my iPhoto had. It seems to be showing a large chunk of things I previously deleted in iphoto but nothing was in the trash
Your iPhoto Library was corrupted and wasn't cleaning up after deletions properly.
I am not against the new photos app. I want to use it so I hope the Apple Fans don't jump down my throat.
The app either does what you want or doesn't. If it doesn't use another one. For me, it's nowhere near my needs and I have no problem making that decision.

How do you activate a 10.10.3 download. I have downloaded twice (2 gig each) and have restarted as instructed. I have also rebooted. "About this Mac' still reports 10.10.2 installed and I do not have the new photo app.

I have downloaded 1010.3 twice (2+gig each). The update window shows the 10.10.3 update has been installed, however, 'About this Mac' shows 10.10.2 installed and I don't have the new 'photo' app installed. Once more, the quality of Apple software approaches that of Microsoft - letting the user debug instead of delivering the quality that used to be Apple.
How do I activate the downloaded update.

There may well be a problem with the update package. I initially tried downloading the delta update (not the combo) from the Apple Support web site, and when I opened the package file, the installer ran but terminated almost immediately. I restarted and only got the normal reboot process, not the "Installing software" display. After restarting, I saw some evidence that the firmware updater was cleaning up some files, but nothing else appeared to have happened except that the 1.5Gb package file and a couple small subsidiary files had been left under /Library/Updates/_ManualUpdate.
I tried running the command line softwareupdate tool to see if it would recognize the already-downloaded package file (which is something you might also want to try before downloading again just in case it works), but no such luck. I then relented and used App Store, and that downloaded again and then performed the update successfully.
Of course, then I had to horse around with turning off all the "photos in the cloud" nonsense, but that's another story.

The new photos app doesn't show all of the thumbnails for my Photostream photos, how can I make them show?

I recently updated my mid-2010 Macbook Pro 15 inch to 10.10.3 Yosemite and I am now using the new Photos app. My Photostream shows missing thumbnails for more of the recent photos, I let it sit for an hour and they still don't show. Any tips to make the thumbnails show quickly? I have tried disabling photostream and reactivating it which didn't work. The thumbnails do eventually show only if I view each specific photo, but it would take forever to select each one to make the thumbnail show

Hi,
Thanks for that tip and I got as far as that as well with Apple Support but for me the subsequent syncing doesn't work.
I have just returned from another visit at the Apple Store where their top level Genius (if such a thing exists) wanted to see it for himself. Rather worryingly, neither he nor Apple head office has an answer for why this isn't working.
To summarise, I connect my iPhone 6 (all up to date) with my MBA/iTunes via USB cable. The sync tab under the iPhone allows me to sync my photos via USB and I get a dropdown menu to chose from iPhoto or Photos Sync. Both libraries in same location but iPhoto works, but Photos says there are 0 pictures and won't sync...
The Apple genius was going to try it himself tonight at home. He has my number and has promised to phone. In the meantime my question remains. For those of you who do not use the Cloud for storing pictures could you please confirm the sync is working for you as described above. Thanks

How to stop the new Photos.app opening every time I put in a new device?

How to stop the new Photos.app opening every time I put in a new device?
It's annoying as i use bridge to do all my photo organising.

Insert or attach a device then let Photos load. Then uncheck the box indicated:

How to create borders and watermarks in the new photos app?

In iPhoto we could create borders and watermarks amongst other features when going to the Export Option under File.
Does anyone know if/how we can do both in the new Photos App?
If not, what's the next best option for creating borders and watermarks, and does Photos support plug ins?
This is my first question of what Im guessing will be a series in getting to know and utilize Apples forceful technology.

You're not missing anything. You're correct in your finding that adding/modifying location data in the new Photos application has been removed.
With that said, in a proactive manor you can submit feedback (do it at http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html since there is no section for Photos yet) and request that location modification be added. The more people who do it, the more likely it is to be added.

How do you edit photos with photoshop from the new Photos app? The edit in external editor menu item seems to be gone.

How do you edit photos with photoshop from the new Photos app? The edit in external editor menu item seems to be gone.

Tell Apple what additional features you want in Photos via both http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html and http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html since they don't have a feedback page for Photos as yet.

How do I change a bad location in the new photos app for Mac?

I am not sure why but hundreds of my photos have the wrong location stored for them. Is there any easy way to change them in the new Photos app for mac?
Thanks

You can't at the present time. There's no such capability in the current version of Photos.
Tell Apple what additional features you want in Photos via both http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html and http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html since they don't have a feedback page for Photos as yet.

How do I use an iPhoto library stored on an external HDD (time capsule) on the new photos app?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for