Library Syncing Question

Question

OK I have two Macs and an iPad and an iPhone.
Here's what I currently do, using non-Aperture products:
1) I transfer RAW+JPEG from my camera to my iPad.
2) I use Image Capture to transfer the images from iPad into an "Unsorted" folder.
3) I sort the pictures using Adobe Bridge, then organize them into folders, which are also organized into other folders, and so-on. They are done by main category such as "Events/Shows", "Work", "Trips", "Cats", "Friends", "House", "Landscape", "Macro", etc. ((The categories aren't perfect though and I started to realize I have a lot of pictures that fit multiple categories, hence why I want to start using an image management software like Aperture.))
4) When I edit a file, I open the RAW into Photoshop CS5 or Olympus Studio and use that software to make a new .PSD or .TIF file, appending the file name with single letter codes that indicate what I have done to the file (+o for olympus studio, +a for adobe CS5, +s for sharpened, +h for hdr, +p for pano, +w for web resolution version,+f for flattened version of a multi-layer file, etc.). I also add a 1.1 or 1.2 to the filename if I make successive versions. Then I save it to the same folder that the original was saved in so that I don't have to go looking for it should I want to burn it to CD to take into the lab to get printed.
5) I sync all my JPEGs only to the MacBook Pro, and keep the RAW+JPEG on the Mac Pro since it has 7 TB of storage and redundant backed up arrays. But I do most of my photo editing on the MacBook Pro, then sync the new edited versions back to the Mac Pro. I use ChronoSync to do the syncing.
Problem with my current method: I cannot sync to the iPad in an organized way nor add location information to my photos.
Here's what I'd like to do:
1) On the MacBook Pro and Mac Pro, maintain a *referenced* Aperture library by adding referenced links into Aperture to all my existing files, which would stay where they currently are. ((I don't feel like giving up my folder organization scheme that I've been building up for 15 years, and which contains over 50,000 images.)) Then I would sync Aperture between the MacBook Pro and Mac Pro whenever I also sync the folders (any changes to one would become reflected in the other).
2) When I would add JPEGs to the MacBook Pro's Aperture library via referenced links, then on the Mac Pro the referenced links would point at the copies of the files that are on *its* local hard drive. So in other words, the referenced links in the Aperture library *must* be something like: ~/Pictures/MyFolder/myimage001.jpg INSTEAD of something like: /MyHardDriveName/Users/MyUserName/Pictures/MyFolder/myimage001.jpg. If Aperture is able to use links that reference to the User directory, then syncing between the computers will go smoothly. Otherwise it won't work at all. So this step is critical. I'd like to know before I attempt this whether or not this will work.
3) I will also want Aperture to automatically use a Spotlight search scope that I define to find files that have been moved. I organize my files by moving them around in folders; if something gets moved then I need Aperture to go look for it. It should keep a checksum for the key metadata of each file and the filename in its database so that it can intelligently search and automatically repair broken links using Spotlight. Or, failing that, it needs to allow me to manually tell it where I have moved files in the (somewhat rare) cases when I move them after adding them to Aperture.
4) I want Aperture to let me use Adobe Photoshop CS5 or Olympus Studio to convert RAW to JPG, whenever I want, and automatically add any edited versions of the files that I manipulate back into its database. So in other words it would watch the folders that I have added images from, and if any new files appear there, then it would automatically add links to them to the Aperture database (like how Picasa does with its watch folders).
5) I want to be able to download images from my camera's memory card to my iPad, then organize them into new Projects/Albums and rate them, etc., then sync those Projects/Albums into Aperture but have the files be placed in a folder I specify (not into the Aperture library!! arghh!!!).
6) I also want to sync my Aperture library to my iPad using iTunes from my MacBook Pro. (I already started doing this on an experimental basis, but I noticed there is still no way to rate pictures on the iPad and I haven't tried making new albums from the iPad yet and syncing them back.)
I'm sure I'll think of some other requirements but those are the must-haves. Does anyone know if Aperture is capable of doing this, or is it not a professional application quite yet?
On point 3), perhaps it's possible to use AppleScripts to add files that are added to certain folders into Aperture instead of having Aperture do it upon launch? Anyone know? If so does anyone know of such scripts?
Are there any pros out there who actually let Aperture store your photos in its library? If so then how did you transition your existing large image library into Aperture? I don't think I have enough spare hard drive space to import my 1.5TB photo library into a new copy of it, plus all the frakking previews and everything else that Aperture generates. I guess I just fail to see why Aperture insists on using a Library instead of doing things in a Mac-like way (folders). It seems very strange and odd to me that Apple would have written a program that does not even obey the Macintosh user interface principles like having a standard open/save dialog box, file/folder interface, using the trash can to delete things, etc. Am I the only one who feels like they are starting to smoke something weird in Cupertino?
- Mac Daddie

Answer 1

1. There is no need to use Aperture in Managed Mode - where it stores the files in its own Library. Aperture is perfectly happy running in Referenced Mode - the files are stored where you prefer - and its an option in the import dialogue.
2. It's not a photo editor or file browser. You seem to be confusing it with Bridge or somesuch. It's a Photo Manager -   database forcussed on processing the output of a shoot in a losslessly. That's why it doesn't use Open and Save dialogues and so on. The point of Aperture is that you import your Photos and store the files whereever, and get on with working on the Photos.
If you're very attached to your current workflow I would skip Aperture. An alternative workflow using Aperture would be much simpler. Import to Aperture (storing the files where you will) sort them in Aperture, process them in Aperture etc. No need to save as tiffs or psds - in fact, the only time you need to decide what to do with the product of your effort is when you export for some reason. You can create multiple versions (and append whatever codes you prefer to these versions and so on.) Photos you want to further edit, send to Photoshop or whatever you prefer. Though the very common  experience is that you will use these editors a lot less than you do now.
You can have multiple Libraries, export projects as Libraries to keep Libraries on two machines in sync and so on.
So, working with Aperture in your current workflow would only be adding unnecessary complexity to an already complex workflow. If you're prepared to negotiate on the workflow, you may find an easier way to get the same results with Aperture.
Regards
TD