Import Confusion-New Mac Convert

Question

I have both iPhoto and Aperture (trial) loaded on my system. All of my photos (from my PC days) are on an external HD now connected to my Mac. I'm very confused about the import and storage process. Technically, all my photos are already stored, yet when I 'import' them into iPhoto as 'events' it appears they are being restored somewhere else- maybe just my own paranoia, but it's taking longer than I'd expect to just be storing thumbnails. Next issue, when I connect my camera, photos start to load into both iPhoto AND Aperture.
I'd like to keep my photos 'stored' on my external hard drive, not my internal mac drive. How do I control this in a way that isn't discouraging? In the PC world I considered myself an expert and things were very controllable and logical. Help! Thanks.

Answer 1

psurgery
I considered myself an expert and things were very controllable and logical.
As they are on the Mac. And if you want to replicate the system you used on the PC then do that. A simple, logical system of folders in the File System (the Finder) will be something that any expert can understand
If, however, you want to use iPhoto (or Aperture) then you need to realise that these are not FILE organisers but PHOTO organisers. It's a key difference and the first one you need to grasp to make sense of the Applications.
The advantage of either application is simple: it offers vastly more organising, categorising and searching power than folders in the Finder. They integrate throughout the Operating System. They do other stuff too. I'll talk about iPhoto here, though anything iPhoto does Aperture does - and then a whole lot more.
By default, iPhoto copies the files to the iPhoto Library on import. It wants to manage the FILES so you can manage the PHOTOS. The idea is that you focus on the iPhoto Window and do all your work there - create Albums, Smart Albums, keywords and so forth.
Simply go to iPhoto Menu -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck 'Copy Files to the iPhoto Library on Import'.
Now iPhoto will not copy the files, but rather simply reference them on your HD. It will create an alias to the Original file, a thumbnail and, if you modify the pics, a Modified version.
However, you need to be aware of a number of potential pitfalls using this system.
1. Import and deleting pics are more complex procedures
2. You cannot move or rename the files on your system or iPhoto will lose track of them
3. Most importantly, migrating to a new disk or computer can be much more complex.
Always allowing for personal preference, 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, that can be easily done from the iPhoto Window.
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
For 10.5 users: You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Apple-Click for selecting multiple pics.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
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. If you're using Gmail you can use THIS
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.
Or, if you want to access the files with iPhoto not running, then create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use THIS
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.
Aperture has more robust tools for working with managed files than iPhoto.
Remember, you've changed OS, there's a learning curve and it takes a little time.
btw: The photos are not imported into either application unless you expressly tell the apps to import.
Regards
TD
Message was edited by: Terence Devlin