Organizing iPhoto Library in Finder

I was wondering if someone could tell me how to better organize my iPhoto library in Finder. Right now, the automatic setting, it is organzing them by year, month, day. I dont know if there is a way to have them organized in Finder by the albums you create in iPhoto itself. The way it is in Finder makes it really difficult to reach them outside of iPhoto ( to send them thru attachments in alternative emails or AIM it is necessary to access the photos thru finder- if this is wrong maybe someone knows, but if its not, than the way the photos are currently set up makes it difficult to pull them out quickly). Thanks for the help,
Courtney.
Oh I am using iPhoto 5
ibook g4 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO 'ORGANIZE' iPHOTO VIA THE FINDER!! You will corrupt your library and then have a big mess to get your pictures back. Do some more browsing in these discussions and you will find many tales of woe from people who messed with iPhoto via the Finder.
When you want to send attachments etc it is much simpler to export a copy of the picture to the desktop (which also allows you to make it a more email-friendly file size) and then navigate there to attach it. You can also make a selection in iPhoto and then hit the email button which opens your email program with attachments ready made.

Similar Messages

"Check that you have permission to write to the library directory." I had this error pop up when trying to access a iPhoto Library from Finder.

The error, "Check that you have permission to write to the library directory." Displayed after trying to access a iPhoto Library from finder. The file is located on the local hard drive and was accessed not 5 minutes before the error displayed. Upon searching the forums I found a similar problem and the instructions said to check a permission box in the "Get Info" tab. There was no box visible and after clicking the arrow to open the "Open With" tab, the rainbow wheel started to spin and I could no longer access Finder or the desktop. I was deleting files trying to make space on my hard drive and noticed as I was deleting files more data was being added to the iPhoto Library. My question is how can I fix this and how can I prevent this in the future, thank you very much for any help, I would really like to keep these pictures.

I found a similar problem and the instructions said to check a permission box in the "Get Info" tab.
This applies only when the Library is on an external drive. You cannot ignore permissions on the system drive.
I was deleting files trying to make space on my hard drive
What were you deleting?
and noticed as I was deleting files more data was being added to the iPhoto Library.
Hard to see how deleting files can add data to the iPhoto Library. Can you explain why you thought this?
I would really like to keep these pictures.
Make a back up now.
Most Simple Back Up:
Drag the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to another Disk. This will make a copy on that disk.
Slightly more complex: Use an app that will do incremental back ups. This is a very good way to work. The first time you run the back up the app will make a complete copy of the Library. Thereafter it will update the back up with the changes you have made. That makes subsequent back ups much faster. Many of these apps also have scheduling capabilities: So set it up and it will do the back up automatically.
Example of such apps: Chronosync - but there are many others. Search on MacUpdate or the App Store

Opening iPhoto Library in Finder

Hi
how to Opening iPhoto Library in Finder ? i tried through the Go common but it gave me a message that i don't have permission so how to browse the photos in iPhoto through finder folders something similar to iTunes library ?

Surfing the iPhoto Library is not supported in any version, and since iPhoto 08 the old iPhoto Library Folder is now 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.
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.
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!
*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
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. 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.
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 later:
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*: File -> Reveal in FInder will produce a Finder window 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.
Note that iPhoto sends a copy+ of the file to Photoshop, so when you save be sure to use the Save command, not Save As... If you use Save As then you're creating a new file and iPhoto has no way of knowing about this new file. iPhoto is preserving your original anyway.
All of the above are a: safer and b: faster than surfing the old Library folders.
Regards
TD

Condensing and organizing iPhoto library

I'm trying to figure out the best way to condense and organize my pictures that are stored both an internal and external hard drive. I've been reading some different posts and articles to figure out what to do but am still not sure.
I recently just started to keep closer track of the photos on my internal hd by changing their titles, assigning keywords, etc. and want to do that with my photos that are on my external as well. I don't have the hard drive space to import all of these pics back in to iPhoto but thought I could do this is in batches. Once I've imported and organized these as I'd like what's the best way to move these batches back to the hard drive?
I get confused with whether I should just drag the images straight out of iPhoto, drag from the data/original/modified folders (in the iPhoto library) or do I just copy the entire iPhoto library on to the hard drive each time? Would I simply copy over the older version each time I do this? Also if I've read correctly I should be able to choose which library I want to operate from upon start up of iPhoto.....so I could switch back an forth between my older and newer images? Hope this makes sense and thanks for any responses.

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
As you are using iPhoto 6 it’s very easy to simply have 2 Libraries, one on your internal, one on your external drive:
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library' to make a second Library on your external.
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' will allow you to choose which Library to open too.
As you are still using iPhoto 6 keywords added to Photos are not maintained outside of an iPhoto Library. (If you upgrade to a later version you can do this)
drag from the data/original/modified folders (in the iPhoto library)
Never, ever. 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.
Managing Multiple Libraries - including moving pics/albums/rolls and metadata between them - is greatly facilitated by using iPhoto Library Manager
Regards
TD

How get iPhoto Library in "Finder" to mirror "Source" folders in iPhoto?

My data was transferred from a PC to my Mac. When the photos from my PC photo software migrated, the Apple Genius (or operating system, iPhoto program, etc.) organized them totally differently from how they were organized on my PC. I was able to create new folders with the apporpriate subfolders and photos in the iPhoto application. In "Finder", though, it's all still organized the wrong way. It creates problems when, for example, I want to attach a photo to an e-mail. I cannot find a particular photo unless I actually look at in iPhoto, the way I reorganized it. So... does anyone know if/how I can get the Pictures part of my Finder to mirror (or as close as possible) the organization I have in the iPhoto application itself. Many thanks!

Hi TexanMac,
Any albums and folders you make within iPhoto to organize your photos will not be reflected in the iPhoto Library folder in the finder. all the album, folders, books, slideshows etc. are all just info stored in data files.
What is reflected in the finder is your roll structure. The rolls you have within iPhoto are the same in the iPhoto Library folder in the Finder. If you name your rolls, then they will be easy to find in the Finder.
Take a look at the screenshot and you will see what I mean.
iPhoto 6 Library folder in the Finder
As you can see the structure is now related to rolls. Rolls are created for each folder you import and each import session from a camera.
It is very easy to change the names of film rolls within iPhoto to make them easier to find images within. Open the info panel in iPhoto by clicking on the "i" icon. Once it is opened, click on the roll title in the viewing window.
Click on the word "title" in the info pane and type in your new title. I like to use a date and text format such as 12/25/05 Christmas at Mom's, 1/05/06 my birthday, etc. Once the roll names are changed within iPhoto, they are also changed within the Finder, making it easy to locate an image.
When importing from a camera, make sure you name the roll with a date and text before the import.
By the way, you can select photos in iPhoto and hit the Mail icon to have them attached to your email. What email client do you use?
You can also control click on a photo within iPhoto and scroll to "show file". this will open a Finder window with your photo selected.

Organizing iPhoto library

I have iPhoto 2.0.1, and would like to rearrange my library to reflect my albums. ie: instead of pulling up rolls or dates in library, I'd like to access my photos based on my album names. Hopefully this would help me eliminate duplicates I've made over time while reworking photos.
can you tell me how to do this?
thanks,
gene

Paul,
Same problem? Seems like a different application you're after and you're using a different operating system. From the standpoint of organizing those folders, any tinkering you do with the organization that iPhoto has established in the iPhoto Library folder will surely lead to eventual disappointment.
Don't use the folders in the iPhoto Library folder -- they are there for the exclusive use of iPhoto. Instead, create a separate folder in the "Pictures" folder, then from iPhoto export the images you want in your desktop slideshow to that folder. Now you can identify that folder to be used by the Desktop control panel in System Preferences.
In versions of OS X after Jaguar, the "Desktop & Screen Saver" control panel has direct access to iPhoto albums for the purpose you describe.

How to view iPhoto library in finder so photos can be transferred to PC?

I'm going to store my iPhoto library on an external hard drive by default because I want to be able to view the photos on a PC. However when I import photos from my iPhone, they appear in the iPhoto application but how do I view them in the finder so that I can easily view them as individual picture files on a PC?

You can not do that -- the iPhoto library must be on a volume formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) and the PC can not read that - and iPhoto has no cross platform capability and the library is not designed for direct access - it is not supported
You neet to use a different program tha does have cross platform capability
Or you can export photos from iphoto and have them on the PC or a drive the PC can access
LN

Problems organizing iPhoto Library

I am fairly new to iPhoto and have learned the hard way not to manipulate the photos in the "Originals" folder in the iPhoto Library. Basically, I was taking pictures on vacation and each day I was naming the roll month/day/year appropriately. One day I accidentally named the folder innapropriately and then went back later to change the folder name. Now, iPhoto does not show my pictures from that folder in "Edit" mode or in a slide show. In edit mode, all I get is a gray box with a dotted outline and an exclamation point inside. I also rotated some of the pictures in a few of the folders in the "originals" folder with the previewer (not with iPhoto) and these photos appear in iPhoto with the same exclamation point. I have tried to rebuild the library with iPhoto's built-in Option+Command function but with no success. Also, iPhoto has been updated to the newest version. How can I fix this? Please help!
MacBook Pro 15" 2.16 duo Mac OS X (10.4.8)

jamison84
Here's the bad news: unless you can recall exacty what you changed in the iPhoto Library Folder and can undo those changes, you can't fix it. The ! or ? symbols show up because iPhoto has lost the link between the thumbnail and the photo it represents.
The good news is that your photos are safe, and it won't take too long to create and populate a new Library.
Some background: iPhoto is a database, and like any database it is necessary that you manipulate the data via the application itself rather than through another element such as the Finder. Therefore we tend to warn people: It is strongly advised that you do not move, change or in anyway alter things in the iPhoto Library Folder as this can cause the application to fail and even lead to data loss
To create a new library,
1. move your iPhoto Library Folder from Home/Pictures to the Desktop
2. Launch iPhoto. It will ask you if you want to create a Library, say yes.
3. From the iPhoto Library Folder on the desktop, go to the Originals folder. and drag each of the rolls to the iPhoto Window in turn. This will recreate your rolls in the new Library.
4. When you're sure that all is well, you can trash the iPhoto Library Folder on the Desktop.
Anything you need to do with in iPhoto can be achieved through the iPhoto window. I'm guessing that you named those rolls in the Originals Folder to make files easier to find. Well there's no need for that: There are three ways (at least) to get files from the iPhoto Window.
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.
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.
I hope this helps. If you need any more info check out the Help menu or post back.
Regards
TD

Organizing iPhoto library and Thumbnails

I am in the process of removing old photos in my iPhoto library. I've cleaned up the Modified and Original folders and I understand the Data folder contains the thumbnails. Is there a quick and painless way to delete the thumbnails from the Data folder of the original photos I deleted without going through every single thumbnail?
Thanks in advance.

Mike1961
Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
Huh?
Te correct way to remove photos from iPhoto is to do it in the iPhoto Window. Drag the pics to the iPhoto trash and empty the iPhoto trash.
That's the quick and painless way to remove pics.
Have you being doing this in the Finder? IF so, then you'll need to create a new library and start from scratch.
To create and populate a new library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same film rolls and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, books, calendars etc.
Move the iPhoto Library Folder to the desktop
Launch iPhoto. It will ask if you wish to create a new Library. Say Yes.
Go into the iPhoto Library Folder on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual rolls to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.
When you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library Folder on your desktop.
In the future, in addition to your usual back up routine, you might like to make a copy of the library6.iPhoto file whenever you have made changes to the library as protection against database corruption.
And remember It is strongly advised that you do not move, change or in anyway alter things in the iPhoto Library Folder as this can cause the application to fail and even lead to data loss
Regards
TD

Deleted iphoto library via finder with no gain in drive space

My iphoto library was getting too large so I backed it up and deleted it (in finder). I then noted that I did not get the 112GB of space back on my hard drive that I was expecting. I read a few threads and discovered that I was supposed to have deleted the photos within iphoto itself... so, I restored the library into its original location and deleted the photos within iphoto itself and emptied the trash. Going into iphoto, it states that no photos are present in both the 'events' folder as well as the trash, but I have not gained any space on my drive...
Please help me reclaim my drive...

Empty the trash.
Regards
TD

Can't find iPhoto library in Finder

I want to move my iPhoto library to an external hard drive and have read posts about how to do this but I have one problem - my iPhoto library is no where to be found in Finder. It's not in the Pictures folder, Media is not even listed on the right hand side, so I can't look there, like some postings have suggested. Any ideas where it's hiding or how to find it? I'm using iPhoto '11 version 9.4.3 with OS X 10.8.3

Select any of the photos in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Reveal in Finder -> Original. A Finder Window should open with the file selected.
In the Finder's Column View you can track back to the Library's location.

IPhoto Library in Finder changed after iPhoto 6.0.6 update - HELP!!!

I recently installed iLife 06 on my Powerbook and soon afterwards got a message that my iPhoto would be updated. Not having any problems in the past with software updates, I clicked the 'ok' button. Then when I went into Finder, I found that the whole organisation of my photos in the iPhoto Library had changed from being sorted by year, month and day, to year and roll. I HATE this and cannot find any photos or films the way I used to find them. Can anybody explain WHY on earth Apple have decided to sort files this way and if there is anything I can do to revert to the old way? Also in the iPhoto Library now, the same photos seem to be in at least 3 different places. WHAT is that all about??? I would be so grateful if someone could help! Thanks in advance, a very frustrated Mac lover!
Powerbook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.9)

NiniP
Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
Can anybody explain WHY on earth Apple have decided to sort files this way and if there is anything I can do to revert to the old way?
I think they changed the entire database engine with iPhoto6 to take account of ever growing libraries.
But NO there is NO way to revert to the older way, nor is there any need to.
To find pics - and this was also the way in earlier versions - you never need to look in the iPhoto Library Folder. There are three ways (at least) to get files from the iPhoto Window.
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.
Also in the iPhoto Library now, the same photos seem to be in at least 3 different places. WHAT is that all about???
iPhoto - as it has always done - keeps your Original file, untouched, a Modified version (if you've edited it) and a thumbnail. This has been the way since iPhoto 1.
A Note about the iPhoto Library Folder:
In this folder there are various files, which are the Library itself and some ancillary files. Then you have three folders
Originals are the photos as they were downloaded from your camera or scanner.
(ii) Modified contains edited pics, shots that you have cropped, rotated or changed in any way.
This allows the Photos -> Revert to Original command - very useful if you don't like the changes you've made.
(iii) Data holds the thumbnails the the app needs to show you the photos in the iPhoto Window.
IF you do your work in the iPhoto Window - as is intended with the app - then you'll have no problems whatever.
Regards
TD

Cant access my iphoto library with finder

Hi everyone,
i installed ilife 08 and since that, i cant find my photos with finder/pictures. I only have the iphoto logo
Someone can help me ?
Thkx

lagomery
Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
There are three ways (at least) to get files from the iPhoto Window.
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.
To upload to MySpace or any 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 use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
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. If you're willing to risk database corruption, you can restore the older functionality simply by right clicking on the iPhoto Library and choosing 'Show Package Contents'. Then simply make an alias to the folders you require and put that alias on the desktop or where ever you want it. Be aware though, that this is a hack and not supported by Apple.
Regards
TD

Iphoto Library in Finder

For one reazon when I installed Iphoto 2008 with Ilife I deleted the iphoto library from the finder. so when I am trying to download a picture to an Email of course I can't find any picture to transfer. Can somebody help me with this? Also i tried to Back up to my external Hard drive and is giving me an error to make a folder. Please Please I need some help here.
Thanks in Advanced

There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
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 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*: 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.
Regards
TD

Viewing iPhoto Library in Finder

I have just upgraded to a new iMac and have transferred all my files, settings & applications from my old iMac. The old machine had MAC OS X 10.4.11 and the new machine has 10.5.5
When using my old machine in Finder I could go to Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals and browse all of my pictures. When I look in Pictures on my new machine I can see my iPhoto Library but I can't see the content. This causes a problem in Adobe Photoshop Bridge because I can't see the content of my iPhoto Library and therefore I can't open any pictures.
What am I doing wrong? Any advice anyone?

RedPam
This is an iPhoto 08 question, not really a 10.5 one.
With iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is now a Unix Style Package File. 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.
One of the most common ways of doing this was browsing the iPhoto Library Folder with Bridge. Bluntly, you need to choose between the two.
You don't need Bridge to work with iPhoto. 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.
Finally, There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
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.
Regards
TD

Organizing iPhoto Library in Finder

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