Managing iPhoto Library (What to do with 'clutter' photos?)

Hello,
Like many, I share my iPhoto library with the family. Several digital cameras, but my iMac is the main repository. I'd like to find a way to (hopefully within iPhoto (V4.0)) to select pictures I'd like to store elsehwere and get them out of my library (my daughter will take a picture of a plastic spoon if the spirit moves her).
Anyone have any suggestions? What I want is a library with just the good stuff in the main library and perhaps a 2nd library with ALL images.
Thanks in advance for you assistance!

Thanks for your reply, Brie Fly! I appreciate your suggestion.
That would be a pretty straightforward solution.
If I may impose yet once more, what would you, or others, suggest as the best way to get the desired photos into the second library?
1) Duplicate the current library and delete the unwanteds (probably around 1500 pictures)?
2) Create the new library and select and export the desired pics (probably around 600)?
3) Other?
Then when I sync with the camera in the future, will it be possible/easy to sort the them into one or the other libraries (actually this is my true question - how do I move pictures from one library to another in the easiest manner or rephrased: How do you best transfer picture from one library/file to another in iPhoto?)?
Thanks, again.

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My iphoto library database was corrupted with one file taking over all images i purchased aperture, selected no for importing duplicates and yet it is still importing duplicates what can i do??????

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What exactly do you mean by that? Do you mean one thumbnail only was visible in the iPhoto Window? What? This is the sort of thing that's fixed easily by an iPhoto rebuild. Gives us some more information and we may be able to help with that - iPhoto version and a description of exactly what's happening will help.
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A couple of thoughts here: If the iPhoto Library is corrupted and Aperture is importing from this damaged Library well you can't expect that it will all go easily, can you?
The iPhoto Library contains two versions of edited photos. Are you sure that you're not seeing the second version?
Regards
TD

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It’s part of the basic install of OS X. So unless you deleted it then it’s there in your apps folder. If you have deleted it, it’s on the System Restore disks that came with your Mac. You will be able to extract the installation package using Pacifist.
Alternatively, if you’re using almost any camera +apart from a Canon+ then the camera card is visible on the desktop and you can drag the movie to the desktop using the Finder and import from there.
No matter what camera you use, if you pop the card from it into a USB Card Reader then it will be accessible via the Finder. Card Readers are inexpensive and all round a better idea.
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Because it saves the battery on your camera
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Regards
TD

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If that doesn't help...
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In Library Manager it's the FIle -> Rebuild command)
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i can't tell if my question is the same, or slightly different, but this thread seems closest to my question so i will ask it here so as to not duplicate:
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Regards
TD

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I want to share my iphoto library with multiple user accounts on the same machine. Any suggestions how to do this so when new photos / events are added & created they are accessible to all?
Thank you.

I have another question, do you know anything about using the "referenced library" approach instead? Would this work better?
When you use a Referenced Library you are responsible for file management of your photos, not iPhoto. So when you say "work better", what do you mean?
How to do it:
Simply go to iPhoto Menu -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck 'Copy Files to the iPhoto Library on Import'.
What Happens:
Now iPhoto will not copy the files, but rather simply reference them on your HD. To do this it will create an alias in the Originals Folder that points to your file. It will still create a thumbnail and, if you modify the pics, a Modified version within the iPhoto Library Folder.
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There are 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 on systems prior to 10.5 and iPhoto 08. Even with the later versions issues can still arise if you move the referenced files to new volumes or between volumes.
3. Most importantly, migrating to a new disk or computer can be much more complex.
My own opinion:
I've yet to see a good reason to run iPhoto in referenced mode unless you're using two photo organisers.
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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, There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 and later*
You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
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*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
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This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, 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.
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You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
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Regards
TD

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How do I successfully transfer both of my iPhoto libraries over to my new iMac?
drag them over (of course they can not have the same name) - Connect the two Macs together (network, firewire target mode, etc) or use an external hard drive formed Mac OS extended (journaled) and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity from the old Mac to the pictures folder of the new Mac - launch iPhoto on the new mac and it will open the library and convert it as needed and you will be ready move forward.
I would prefer that they be in one library, but I'm not strongly opposed if they need to be in separate library.
There is no way to do this with iPhoto - if you have iPhoto '11 version 9.3 or newer you can purchase Aperture and use it to merge libraries. Or you can purchase iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - and use it to merge iPhoto libraries.
My second question: if they are in separate libraries, when do I save them?
Where ever you want - if you have seperate libraries you switch between them by depressing the option key and launching iPhoto and using the switch library window
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That is correct - old versions of iPhoto can not access newer versions libraries
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LN

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What you want to do is merge the two Libraries? The only way to do this is to use the paid ($20) version of iPhoto Library Manager
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Never import one Library to another. Every version and thumbnail is imported like a distinct photo, you lose all your Albums, Keywords etc., the link between Original and Previews is destroyed, the non-destructive editing feature is ruined and so on. In summary: it's mess.
Regards
TD

I am using iphoto 6.06 for my intel imac. I have been trying to print pictures from iphoto and i keep getting a message that states " the picture you are trying to print is in the iphoto library" what can i do to be able to print a photo from iphoto

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Since the new library gives you the same message log into another user account on your Mac and see if you can run iPhoto without getting that message. If you get that message there also a reinstall of iPhoto seems indicated. To do so you'll have to delete the current application and all files with "iPhoto" in the file name with either a .PKG or .BOM extension that reside in the HD/Library/Receipts folder and from the /var/db/receipts/ folder,
Click to view full size
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- What version of iPhoto.
- What version of the Operating System.
- Details. What were you doing when the problem arose?
- Did it ever work properly?
- Are there error messages?
- What steps have you tried already to solve the issue.
Anything else you can think of that might allow someone else to understand your issue.
With this kind of information somebody can develop a starting point for troubleshooting the issue.

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I recently bought an Apple TV and when I went to sync my iPhoto pictures (via the Photos tab in iTunes) no albums appeared in the box beneath. When I tried to sync anyway, the following message apeared: "iTunes cannot sync photos to Apple TV because your iPhoto library could not be found. Open iPhoto to create or update your iPhoto library." Further research showed the same problem with syncing iPhoto to my iPod. Again, iTunes was not "seeing" my iPhoto library for this device either.
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It still sounds like a problem in the albumdata.xml file. Dave E described what that file should look like and how to read it to identify a bad iPhoto keyword. Read his instructions in this thread: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3870956&#3870956
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Trying to use the plug in to switch from iPhoto to lightroom but all I get is a window that says "checking iPhoto library" Whats happening?

rying to use the plug in to switch from iPhoto to lightroom

1. Back up your Library now. You don't use iPhoto to back it up, you can do it simply by dragging the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder to the External Disk
2.
Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.
If that fails:
Option 2
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. .
Regards
TD

Corrupt iPhoto library - what next?

I've spent the last few days trying to fix my corrupt iPhoto library. Pictures I've imported in the last month are no longer visible within iPhoto (I get the exclamation point and the triangle). The imported pictures are stored in the iPhoto library, where they should be, i.e. using the year/month/day file system, so I haven't lost them, but iPhoto can't see them. I've done the following;
Used the rebuild function when launching iPhoto
Repaired permissions, both when launching iPhoto and using Disk Utility
Ran iPhoto Library Manager to create a new library
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Backups using Time Machine
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Try these in order - from best option on down...
1. Do you have an up-to-date back up? If so, try copy the library6.iphoto file from the back up to the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) allowing it to overwrite the damaged file.
2. Download <a href="http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/"><b><u>iPhoto Library Manager</b></u></a> 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.
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3. If neither of these work then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
To create and populate a new iPhoto 11 library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same Events and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc. This really is starting over from scratch.
Move the damaged iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the desktop
Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'
Go into the damaged iPhoto Library on the desktop (Right Click -> Show Package Contents)and find the Masters folder. From the Masters folder drag the individual Event Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.
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While you do this, your penance is to remember that with a back up none of this would have been necessary.
Regards
TD

Managing iPhoto Library (What to do with 'clutter' photos?)

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