Managing iPhoto Libraries

I am having trouble with my iPhoto libraries. I'm on a MacBook Air, and I keep running out of drive space. To solve this, among other deletions, I end up moving my iphoto libraries to external hard drives. So now I have three iphoto libraries, and am in need, once again, of clearing space off my laptop.
Does anyone have suggestions how to do this more efficiently?
Thanks

Yes - use iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - to merge the libraries on teh external drive and then use iplm to move photos between the MBA and the external libraries
LN

Similar Messages

How to manage iPhoto libraries

How to easily switch from one iphoto library to another, move photos from one library to another etc.

David Neale1 wrote:
iPhoto '11 9.4.2 has the menu item File>Switch to Library…
Can you not manage libraries that way?
No - you can not manage libraries that way - you can switch libraries that way - exactly the same as the more general
You can switch libraries by depressing the option key, launching iPhoto and using the select library command
but you can not manage them that way or move photos between them that way
You can move photos (but not versions) by exporting from one and importing to the other one
But all that being said twice
IPLM. http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ is the best tool for managing multiple libraries
It lets you move photos between libraries keeping all versions and all information
LN

Multiple iPhoto libraries to manage photostreams in different ways

My wife and I both have iPhone's. I have a 5s and she a 5. We share an iCloud account so that all photos she takes and ones I take go into one photostream and then automatically get loaded on my iMac hard drive. This way we are sure to not lose any photos.
This works great for that purpose. However, I would like to create an iPhoto library that will only upload photos taken with my iPhone.
I know I can create multiple iPhoto libraries, but I would like to have the ability to manage preferences for each so that they manage photos in different ways.
Is there a way to do this?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may offer.
Keith

I know I can create multiple iPhoto libraries, but I would like to have the ability to manage preferences for each so that they manage photos in different ways.
Keith, the problem is, that only one iPhoto ibrary can be associated with the photo stream on any device, see e.g. http://documentation.apple.com/en/aperture/usermanual/index.html#chapter=14%26se ction=2%26tasks=true
Photo Stream is designed to work with one Aperture or iPhoto library at a time. However, it’s easy to switch the library Photo Stream uses to upload and download photos.
If you enable the photo stream in a different library, the photo stream will be removed from the earlier library. You would continually have to reanable the photo straem when switching between libraries, and each time the stream would be reset. This way, auto matic import will not work reliably, because the photo stream would only be seeing the current ly stored photos in iCloud.
Have you considered to use the Shared Photo Streams for specific purposes? I am using the Shared Photo Streams as thematic iCloud albums, for wildlife photos, family photos, etc.
iCloud: Using and troubleshooting Shared Photo Streams
-- Léonie

My iPhoto libraries have been made with older vs. and cannot open them with iPhoto application or Library Manager

I have multiple iPhoto libraries made with older vs. of iPhoto. I cannot open any now with either iPhoto or iPhoto Manager, just get a spinning icon.

Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.

Somehow, i have 2 iPhoto libraries which I opened today. The one with the vast majority of my images does not allow me to export photos. What can I do to manage this situation?

With my MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite, iPhoto 9.6, I find I have two iPhoto libraries. I discovered this when opening iPhoto today. One has only a few old images; the other, all current images. I cannot export images from the current image library. Can anyone enlighten me as to why I would have two libraries and how to resolve the issue of exporting?

What happens when you try to export from the library? Where are you trying to export to? Are both libraries located in the same Place? If not where are they located. If on an external HD how is that HD formatted?
How much free space do you have on your HD(s)?

I have successfully merged multiple iphoto libraries using iphoto-manager. Now I have multiple albums noted with the old iphoto names. CAN I DELETE THOSE?

Now that I have merged multiple iphoto libraries into one -- can I delete the albums that show up with the old library names?

You can do what ever you want - in iPhoto albums are simply pointers to photos so deleting an album has no effect except the album is gone - only when you delete from events or photos view is the photo deleted from the library and disk (after you empty the iPhoto trash and the system trash)
LN

HT1229 I have several iPhoto libraries. How can I combine them to make one?e new library?

I have several iPhoto libraries. How can I combine them to make one?

iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ -
or the current version of Aperture can merge libaries from the current version of iPhoto
LN

Multiple iPhoto Libraries

I have over 25,000 photos and use several iPhoto libraries to manage and organize them. One library lives on my Powerbook 17" hard drive and the others are on external FW800 drives.
Because I take so many photos away from home, I usually import photos to my Powerbook library temporarily, then transfer them to one of the libraries I have on the external HDs in my studio and delete them from the PB.
One library consists only of photos I have taken for a client, another contains family photos, a third one is abstract and artistic photos, a fourth is all antique cars, a fifth all nudes, etc...
I would like to be able to include some photo albums from each library on my 60G iPod Color. Is there a way to do this without combining all of my photos into the same library?
I guess what I am asking is: is it possible to get photos from multiple libraries on the same iPod at the same time? if so, how?
If not, is there a way for me to create an iPhoto library that consists of photo aliases (I don't want to import duplicates of the photos to include on the iPod) and then use that library to sync with the iPod?
PB G4 17, G3 Pismo, Yosemite, iMacDV Mac OS X (10.4.1)

you should probably post this question in the iPhoto Forum
http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=143

How do I consolidate multiple iPhoto libraries on multiple machines into a single Aperture libraries?

Hullo all,
I run a smallish studio at a University, and I have inherited multiple Macs (2 Powerbooks, 2 Mac Pros) running multiple OS (2 on Mavericks, 2 on 10.7) and multiple versions of iPhoto. These have been used for photo and video work over the years, and each has its own stash of content, project files, etc. In an effort to organize, I wish to consolidate all the various iPhoto and Aperture libraries into a single library. I have a 16TB Pegasis RAID available via Thunderbolt to hold the material. Can anyone tell me the best way to go about this? My background is 20 years production work in film and video and I am rather new to still photo work and as such, do not know much about maintaining archives etc.
If I read correctly from other questions, I need to update all versions of iPhoto to be the same, establish the library on the Pegasus, then export all the files to that library? Is this correct? I am not sure I can update all computers to the current version (one is a late 2009 MacPro) Is there any easier way to do it? I am happy to purchase software if that makes the process easier.
Cheers! Thanks for any info!

iPhoto does not support to merge libraries into one.
The utility iPhoto Library Manager can merge libraries -
download here: iPhoto Library Manager
If you have access to Aperture, you can also use it to merge your libraries (see: Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries), but if you need to buy a tool, iPhoto Library Manager would be the more economic solution, and it is a must-have with iPhoto anyway.

How can I import multiple iphoto libraries into Photos beta

I have successfully imported a single iPhoto Library into the Photos Beta app. However I have several other iPhoto libraries that I would like to import into the Photos library. Think of is as merging everything into one now that there's iCloud backup.
I started with iPhoto back in 2005 and have created a separate library every three years ever since. Each one is quite large, ~40 gigs.
What is the best means to import additional libraries into my new Photos library. Unfortunately the File import option on Photos does not allow for a selection of iPhoto Library file type.
Thanks,
Brian

Merge all iPhoto Libraries into one before migrating them to the new Photos.app.
You cannot add additional libraries to a Photos library, only additional photos. Or have several Photos libraries, but only one of them can sync with iCloud.
To merge your iPhoto Libraries into one, use either Aperture, if you have it (see: Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries), or the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager: Download it here: iPhoto Library Manager

Can I combine two iPhoto libraries?

Following on from my previous post - "Missing Photos" - (what an idiot I am).
I now have two iphoto libraries with approx 10% differing content, ie they have about 90% the same. The largest is around 36GB.
How do I combine the two libraries?
One way I guess, would be to dump the smaller into the larger, and then run a program to eliminate the duplicates.
(iPhoto only rejects duplicates with the same name, many of mine have been renamed.)
Or is there a better way?

You can use iPhoto Library Manager and it’s Merge feature.
Regards
TD

I have 2 iphoto libraries and duplicates of everything

I set up my macbook pro wrong 2 years ago and am suffering for my stupidity. I have 2 iphoto libraries, both with different photos in them. Last week I imported photos from one library into the other and now I have 56,000 photos, most of which are duplicates. I have deleted about 20,000 - folders were duplicated several times. New folders contain 'face' photos (just heads, from the face identity bit of iphoto but now as an individual photo). What I want to do now is to restore my iphoto to how it was 10 days ago because i can't cope with the number of duplicates i have.
I have selected folders and chosen duplicate from the drop down menu but this just gives me MORE duplicates, it doesn't get rid of them. I have bought photo sweeper app which is meant to show duplicates but this has made no difference to the library.
Can anyone help me either restore my library, get rid of duplicates or anything else?
I am not great with the compuer, so I need simple mac speak please
Thanks

To merge libraries use iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - or Aperature
To find duplicates within an iPhoto library use iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ -
Photos that are not in an iPhoto library can be imported telling iPhoto not to import duplicates (an imperfect procews) and then IPLM can find the duplicates
As to keeping seperate libraries - only you can do that - IPLM can move photos between libraries for you but only you can know which photos should be in which library
LN

Can I have multiple iPhoto Libraries?

My iPhoto library is getting quite large as it becomes the sole management tool for all my family & friends events (and sometimes extended family).
I've recently had twins so I've been taking hundreds of photos (and movies) of them and have created an event for each day (up to 2 weeks) then an event for each week since they were born.
I do like to have events sorted cronologically, but this means that other events - such as the imported photos from a family members visit or a friends wedding - fall in the middle of the baby photos.
I'd like to keep using iPhoto Events as my main tool for photo management as I make good use of the galleries and books etc, but is there a way I could have a second library which, say, just had my children's events in it, and another for friends and family events?
Thanks for any pointers.

I find sending lots of photos is the only way to keep the grandparents at bay..!
Careful there buckaroo. We grandparents stick together. I may have to notify them of this thread. Congrats.
I think you'll find iPhoto Library Manager a very useful tool. It's a breeze to manage multiple libraries and copy Events or Albums between them while keeping keywords, comments and titles intact.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) 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 or later), 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 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger 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.≤br>
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

I HAVE SEVERAL IPHOTO LIBRARIES

Hi,
I am not sure how i accomplished this but I have several iphoto libraries on my computer. On my desktop i have iphoto library and iphoto library 1 then in my pictures folder i have iphoto library 10.10.06. I believe the last is a rebuilt library that I created after losing my pictures. How can I condense/delete some of this without jeopardizing my pictures? Also, how can I safely store my older pictures (ie: 2002,2003, 2004 folders) on to an external harddrive? Or in the alternative how can i burn these folders on to a disk and delete them from my harddrive to free up space? Thanks in advance for your help.

SDFU98
There are three ways to get multiple libraries.
1. Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. It will ask you if you want to create a new library
2. Move the iPhoto Library Folder out of the Pictures folder. iPhoto will create a new one
3. Use a Shareware called iPhoto Library Manager.
So, which ever one of these you've been doing... that accounts for it.
To merge the various libraries into one, download iPhoto Library Manager from http://homepage.mac.com/bwebster/iphotolibrarymanager.html. It's a $20 shareware. It's the only way of moving pics from Library to Library while preserving metadata.
Regards
TD

Merging iPhoto libraries on mac with 2 users

Hi, I have iphoto manager but can't figure out how to merge iphoto libraries
I have my daughters macbook as she passed away in May
I used time capsule to move the contents of my macbook to hers but it made as new user
I want all the photos in one library on my user account but I can't choose her iphoto library as
it says I don't have permission
Weird how everything is on one computer but having 2 users seems like you can only access your own stuff
I just want to have all photos on my iphoto
Any help?

This worked thank u so much
Another quick question, iTunes doesn't seem to be aware that id like to use this computer as my new home base
I think I already had it authorized as we shared songs.
I had checked that I wanted certain faces from iPhoto but it included quite a few I didn't have checked
I'm not sure how to tell it this is my "new computer"

Managing iPhoto Libraries

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