New to iPhoto '11 - please explain disk usage

Question

Hi there!
I'm new to Mac (Macbook Pro 15" with 8G RAM), new to iPhoto. Been playing with digital photos for over ten years. I used Picasa, and really just plain folders on my PC.
Now I'm hitting a learning curve trying to understand how iPhoto works. I have copied all my photos, saved by year folder -> month folder -> day.jpg, into my homedir/Pictures directory, then used iPhoto's Import to pull all the photos into iPhoto.
The part I don't understand is how the photos are now stored. Is it still using the photos in those folders, or have they all been "sucked" somewhere else? When I add new photos to those folders (for example, I have an Eye-Fi card), will they show up in iPhoto automatically (like how Picasa will monitor folders), or do I have to pull them in manually?
Thanks in advance for your patience...
Susan

Answer 1

By default iPhoto has copied the files into its own library.
Since iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is a Package File. This is simply a folder that looks like a file in the Finder. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves.
Want to look inside?
Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.
Standard Warning : 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.
Ok, you've had a look, now close it up and forget about it
Your current folder structure is a waste of space - literally. It's doing nothing. It's not a back up or safety measure (for that it would have to be on another disk) so ultimately you will trash it. Just don't do it today. Leave it there until you feel comfortable with iPhoto.
And you may never feel comfortable with iPhoto. It's not for everyone. There are alternatives.
When you connect a camera to your Mac you import the files directly to iPhoto. Iphoto does not monitor folders. You can set this up with scripts and folder actions, but that's not stuff for someone new to Mac. My best advice is to work it for a few weeks until you're happy you understand what's going on.
As an FYI:
*If you want to edit a photo in some other app*
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.
*How do I access a file to email, use in another app etc?*
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
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.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*_(Note the above illustration is not a Finder Window. It's the dialogue you get when you go File -> Open)_*
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
There's a similar option in Outlook and many, many other apps.
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.
*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:
For users of 10.6 and later:
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.
For Users of 10.4 and 10.5
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
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*:
a. On iPhoto 09 and earlier: 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.
3.b. On iPhoto 11 and later: Select one of the affected photos in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Reveal in Finder -> Original. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
Regards
TD