IPhoto keywords no longer appearing in Spotlight

Question

Ever since the update last week, Spotlight is not indexing any new keywords that I've assigned to photos in iPhoto. I'm using iPhoto 7.1.4. I tried clearing the index using the Terminal command, "sudo mdutil -E /", and while it did rebuild the index, I can't use Spotlight to search any iPhoto keywords at all. Is there any way to fix this?

Answer 1

I've always hated Leopard's approach to storing photos.
This is not a Leopard approach, it's a iPhoto 08 approach.
They make two copies of every file and then they tuck it away in a 'packaged directory' so you can only use iPhoto to access them.
When you import a pic to iPhoto it copies the file, then it makes a tiny thumbnail. If you edit it performs the edits on a copy. Again, this is not a "Leopard Approach" or even an iPhoto 08 approach. Preserving the original is a feature of iPhoto since the beginning.
though it's easy to get around that).
But why would you want to "get around that". 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. Anytime you access the Library via the Finder or any other app you risk damaging your Library.
You know, iPhoto is your Photo Manager, just like your Address Book is your manager for addresses and iTunes for your Music. If you're using a Manager for anything then it makes sense to actually use it.
I have to open iPhoto anytime I want to search for an image.
No you don't.
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto, and iPhoto doesn't even have to be running:
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 iPhoto2GMail
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto. With 10.5 you can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
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.
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.
All of the above are a: faster and b: safer than rooting around in the folders of the iPhoto Library.
Regards
TD