Referenced or Managed?

I'm sure this topic has been discussed much before but I'm asking in relation to Aperture 3 and my older Intel laptop specifically.
I've got a rather large library and I'm trying to decide whether to keep it as a managed library or create a new referenced library. The kicker is it's running on a Drobo system and right now as a managed library and it's starting to show signs of being pretty sluggish and I've got a LOT of stuff to add still. For the time being I'll still be on an older Intel laptop with just 2gb of RAM until I can get my dream desktop rig this summer.
With all that being said should I keep it as a managed library or would a referenced library give me any performance boost?
Another reason a referenced library sounds good is being Spotlight searchable unlike a managed library that isn't, unless this has changed.....has it?

Aperture does not use XMP to store adjustments - in fact it only produces XMP for other apps if you want it to. If you question is will Aperture keep all the adjustments and metadata exactly like before if you reference you masters the answer is yes. Just use relocate masters on any selection of images to put the masters wherever you want to.
There is a bunch of file management stuff here;
[http://photo.rwboyer.com]
RB

Similar Messages

Referenced vs Managed, Fragmentation etc

There are two hugely helpful (and huge!) posts in this forum on the subject of fragmentation and whether to use referenced or managed images. Many thanks to Kevin Doyle in particular for his erudite discussion of the topics. However, much of what he says applies to heavy pro users and I am left a tad confused over what might be the best strategy for a light user such as myself.
Most (80%) of my photography is done on film (usually rangefinders and usually medium format 6x7) and then scanned in on an Epson flatbed, each image tends to be 50-75 MB but I do have some that are 150MB+. Currently, I have around 2,000 files in Aperture, which gives me a Library of around 24GB. Very small beer compared to most of you guys.
I built my Aperture 3 library from scratch (GPS off, Faces off) and so far it has performed reasonably well - not screamingly fast but no sudden hangs or crashes either. However, having read the two recent mega-posts on this issue, I am wondering how best to proceed and I'm keen to adopt best practice now rather than to unlearn bad habits a few months down the line. My workflow is still evolving but for now I scan onto my laptop hard disk, use PS Elements to remove any dust or scratches (but no other changes) and then import into Aperture as a managed image (ie a "Master" image that is OK at the pixel-level). I then use Aperture to make any further changes (levels, curves, convert to B&W etc).
So far so average. My Aperture Library is still in my laptop Pictures folder - the default Apple location (I know, I know..) with a backup on my Time Capsule and a Vault on a LaCie portable hard disk (not quite enough backups, I realise that).
So my question is, am I such a small user that I should go back to not worrying about all this, or should I change the way I work? I am tempted to move to a system in which I have an external hard drive, partitioned so that a portion (50-100GB?)is set aside for the Aperture Library using referenced Masters and the remainder set aside for the Masters themselves, and then clone that hard disk as a backup. Or is that overkill and would it be OK to keep the Library on my internal hard drive?
Thanks in advance
Ian

I recently converted our ~50,000 image 400Gb Aperture library to referenced from managed. Using the relocate masters function it was very easy to do and not horrendously time consuming. In your situation I wouldn't worry about converting to referenced in the future if needed, it is pretty easy to convert the library either way.
One thing you could do with you only having a small managed library is duplicate it onto a new partition of your internal drive, and then relocate the masters to an external, thereby converting it to referenced, and see if you notice any speed improvement. It won't take long to do, and for you the results would be real world. The small referenced library you'll end up with would be quick to defrag by moving it off the partition and then back on again. If it works you can keep it that way, if not delete it.
Message was edited by: Shuttleworth125
Message was edited by: Shuttleworth125

Referenced Vs. Managed work with Photoshop editing

How Referenced Vs. Managed work with Photoshop editing
1) My photos are saved on a local hard drive
2) IF, When editing with Photoshop i like to save over the original since i never like the original to begin with.
3) Any I make other light changes like filters I do not save over the original.
Where do the Photoshop edit versions go. i tried playing with just one Folder. Imported one folder as managed and one as referenced..... and can't find the edited version? Am I saving it wrong? I tried TIFF I tried Jpeg…..
Also when i imported the folder as a managed file i still saw the original folder under "pictures" does that mean it's on my hard drive twice, once in Pictures and once in the Aperture Library? That would take up too much space.
Thanks in advance, Orly

DocOrly wrote:
Got it. Thanks!
I just wish i could figure out the Photoshop part.....
I want to continue using it while i am learning Aperture..... But the copies desapear POOF. It only reflects if I work in Managed and Save it as "Replace".
The option to 'Replace' sounds like you are using Photoshop Elements?
I run the full version of Photoshop (which doesn't have a 'Replace' command), so I don't know the full extent of the saving options of PS Elements. I do know there are a few preference options for importing and saving which can change the behavior so you might check with the PS Elements help system if that is what you are running.
Also, you might check the thread linked below for some tips:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/20310393#20310393
Note - with the full version of Photoshop (I use CS6); the process is as William specified where one needs to use the 'Save' command to save the file directly back to Aperture to reflect the edits. There is also an Apple provided tip here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5128
Hope this helps.

Referenced and managed files

I know this is a topic with a wealth of discussions but my search doesn't seem to bring up what I'm looking for. Can anyone direct me to previous discussions or other web sites that deal with the whole topic of referenced vs. managed files? Is there a good book to pick up for that? I want to have Aperture access my photos from an external drive (for freeing up hard drive space) and I need to better understand how to do that. Yet it sounds like I should be keeping it in Aperture as well via some sort of compressed file (managed?) Basically assume I know nothing and want to understand the ins and outs of referenced/managed masters.
Thanks,
Steve Hadeen

Hi Steve.
It's hard to understand -- but not _that_ hard . A book is not required. See if this short description helps.
Be careful (and specific) with your nomenclature -- it will keep you from getting mired in the bogs of confusion that rim our sun-lit plateau. Your camera creates files. You import files into Aperture. On import, Aperture puts that file somewhere, and thereafter refers to it as a Master. The Master is never altered. You control where Aperture puts it (and you can have Aperture move it at any time). What you see in Aperture is an Image. Every Image has a Version and a Master. The Version is a text file containing instructions on how to vary the Master to produce the Image. The Version of the first Image created by Aperture when it imports a file is essentially null (it contains no information). When you create a new Version, Aperture names it "Version 2". (The confusion here is that Aperture encourages the user to call Images "Versions". This is a bit of a devil's bargain: it helps the casual user, but confuses the careful user.) You can see the Master of any Image displayed in the Viewer at any time by typing "m" (it triggers the Image/Master toggle).
All you need to do is have Aperture move some or all of your Masters to your external drive. Note that you can easily, at any time, convert Masters from Managed to Referenced and vice versa. Note too that backing up your Library does not back up any Referenced Masters. You must back up Referenced Masters in addition to backing up your Library.
Message was edited by: Kirby Krieger -- minor clarification.

Backup method, referenced vs managed

Hi guys,
I am going to backup my whole photo archive on an external drive and there are a couple of things I want to ask.
First of all, I use referenced masters which are on my second drive of my MacPro (2 quad core, 16 Gb of ram).
The Vault is not going to backup referenced masters, so I thought I would switch to managed files and consolidate masters in order to have them included in the Vault.
In this way I would have just one file (the Valut) which will include everything and I will only need one backup instead of two separate(vault + masters).
What are the advantage/disvantage of backing up a library with managed vs referenced masters?
Will I double the space on my drives by backing up managed?
Thank you in advance for your answers

IMO Referenced Masters are far preferable, stay there. Back up folders of masters independent of Aperture and use the Vault for backing up the Referenced-Masters Library.
-Allen Wicks

IPhoto vs Picasa - Referenced vs Managed

I want to use one of these 2 sw tools for managing our iPhone photos.
My jpg folder container has 6 GB of photos.
When I import these photos in iPhoto as a managed library - resulting library weighs in at around 13.31 - so twice as much as original raw Jpeg folder.
When Picasa scan this folder - it doesnt change it's size.
When I create new library as a referenced Library - what happens is the new lib file weighs in at 6+GB - so again it copied full raw jpg files, and added thumbnails on top of it.
So the question I have - will iPhoto be unusable after the DB is corrupted and referenced links are broken - even though the referenced files are already in the iPhoto Library per se ?
Someone will ask me what I tried to achieve - I wanted to keep using iPhoto for syncing albums to our iDevices. I thought I could do this while not doubling source of jpgs.
I also like the way slide show are presented and ease of use while ordering stuff from iPhoto.
OTOH I like how picasa handles management - it has albums as virtual management tool, while not touching your folder structure - in this case the structure is simple:
iPhonePhotos/YearRecorded
I also found out i can import photos through image capture into 2014 folder and then reimport same folder into iPhoto (in referenced mode). Only new photos are recognized and added, and then this event can be manually merged with old 2014 folder.
It's a bit longer process but it's fairly easy.

Use the one you like. It really doesn't matter which is "better" it will bring you no joy if you don't like using it.
Don't use iPhoto in referenced mode - you're only storing up issues for further down the road.
For more on iPhoto and file management see this User Tip:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6361
As to the size of the Library: my guess is that your jpegs have exif display tags. iPhoto reads the tags and produces a Preview of the image for sharing purposes. One of the big differences between the two apps is the OS integration.

Referenced vs managed VS. file locations

I've always used referenced files; now keeping the AP library on the local disk and the referenced image files on an external FW800, 7200rpm 16MB cache drive. (I think there was a time when even the library was on an external drive - using a previous version of AP.)
I recently read in one post that you should really keep the library on the local drive, not an external (something about it being safer to do so). And if referencing files, you can put them on an external HD.
If this is true and one were to use a managed file system, does that mean the library (which includes the images) should always reside on a local drive? The user guide indicates how to move the library to another drive, but must it always be "in" the mac and not on an external drive?

pvonk wrote:
Yes to OWC - I've purchased a four of these in the past year (FW, not eSATA) and like them so far.
With inspiration from another post, I've decide to abandon the referenced library in favor of the following strategy:
Copy files from the photo card (using ImageIngesterPro) to an external FW800/7200 OWC drive. Then import into AP managed library on the internal 7200 drive, keeping the OWC as a backup of the originals. The OWC is backed up using Chronosync to another OWC FW800 external. The vaults are also made to that OWC. So I have originals on one drive, library on local drive, and vault on another external. In addition, I use Time machine on yet another home drive and a second at work. Plus I use CrashPlan for another backup of the internal. (I'm a safety kind of guy.)
You might say I'm over protective on the backups, but, ignoring these, my workflow is
card -> external --(import)-->local managed library.
I will eventually try using the local drive next for a project.

Referenced vs Managed?

Hi, I have 2 related questions that I'm curious about and since I'm new to this "community", I thought I'd ask. If they are covered in detail in prior discussions, please just give me a "forum page reference" to same me the time to scan them all.
_*Question #1:*_ Have most of the pro, semi-pro, serious ameteur photographers set-up the Aperture Image Library as "Referenced" images or as "Aperture Managed" and why?
I have heard that if you use Aperture in "Managed" image mode, and your storage drive maxes out, that you will go through a very messy process to then relocate the "managed" images to a larger drive. Is this true?
_*Question #2:*_ If I plan to keep multiple back-up copies (One bootable), some copies, on different external hard drives, is that harder to do under a "Referenced" or a "Managed" scenario?

you are not being a pest Bruce ... luckily i live up in the "valley" so we have not had the real crap that middleton/madison has gotten ... but enough crap nonetheless ... and i think i'd take it over the -11 degrees that it was this morning ...
I'm so anal when it comes maintaining data flexibility and back-ups
me too ...
So you are using: I want to thoroughly understand your "lay of the land" Library, vault, and back-up wise. Just when I think I'm going to go to managed, I read something out on some forum (eg. bagelturf) that implies "that will be too limiting" and complex when I need to use some other type of editing application.
library is on external 1TB FW800 (i have several projects with high quality previews) - chose 1TB as it will allow for much growth ... library is only 350GB right now ...
vault 1 - 750GB external FW800
vault 2 - 400GB internal
vault 3 - 750GB external FW800
i rotate between vaults 1 and 3 at home - weekly swap in a safe deposit box ... plus my other backups too (but for now i will focus solely on aperture and images)
as far as limiting - i'd say the only limit is the physical size of the HDD ... if you are on a laptop only, yes, you will be severely limited ... unless you start plugging in externals, which defeats the mobility of a laptop ... also make sure you read Steve's (Bagelturf) articles on the hazards of referenced images too ...
with previews you can access any image thru the media browser under leopard ... very cool ... if i need to photoshop an image, the open with external editor is awesome ... it creates a 16-bit tiff (my pref) and stacks it with my original ... i really never see a need to access my images in any way that these two options don't provide me ...
Anyhow, could you enlighten me point by numbered point to the following when you get a chance?
sure ...
1. Managed Files via Aperture located on your internal HD? (What is the capacity of your internal HD?)
moved my library to an external 1TB drive ... at one point is was on one of my 400GB internals ...
2. Can your primary Aperture Library Managed files be located on your external 1TB ExtHD or must it be on your internal Drive?
any drive that is local (internal or external, FW400, FW800, USB (slowwwwww), eSATA - or whatever) ... haven't tried network drive, heard not so good info on networked and aperture right now ... i would consider a network drive that is wired (NAS) if i was sure they played nice together, but not wireless ...
2. If I recall you are you making use of one or more vaults located on your internal HD *or are they on your 1TB ExtHD... the vaults that is*?
3 vaults ... backup, backup, backup ... for config see above ...
3. I believe you are keeping copies of secondary vaults offline in a safe?
correct, along with weekly clones of every mac i have ...
4. Is it true you have moved your entire Aperture Library from one location to another without incident?
yes ... several times ... it is not as daunting as it would seem ... actually very easy ... but, always copy and verify before trashing "old" one ...
5. Lastly, just curious, do you keep complete copies of your entire MAC and is it bootable? (Where are they located?) In other words, are you using any type of RAID configuration for your entire MAC and where do you keep each one?
i do not currently have any RAIDs ... when i get my new Mac Pro i might go RAID 5 on 3 of the internal bays ... prob 3 x 1 TB RAID 5 ...
i use SuperDuper! to clone every mac's startup drive - now if you wanna talk about angry customers, you should have seen the uproar on a leopard version of SD! - it just came out a week ago ... it was really bad and nasty ...
those clones are fully bootable for any mac, even my leopard server ... i also keep a bootable portable FW400 drive in my travel bag - just in case it poops while away ...
i also create an image that gets put onto my drive that goes to the safe deposit box ...
i used to use tapes, but my SCSI tape drive died and i didn't want to replace it ... so i went with multiple external FW800 drives ...
i am considering adding a time capsule to my network to do my document backups to ... mostly for my web stuff - not images ... i have that well under control ...
i also have dvd backups of masters and versions ... tiff and jpeg ...
i hope all of this makes sense Bruce ...
you are also more than welcome to drop me a line @ sbs(at)tidyphotography(dot)com if you want to ...

Importing from iPhoto Library - referenced or managed?

I'm moving my entire iPhoto library into Aperture. Is it better to reference them in place (i.e. keep the iPhoto library where it is) or import them as managed files? What are the pros and cons of each? Thanks for your help.

The images in iPhoto are already saved to your internal drive. If you have a reason to continue to maintain an iPhoto library then there is no problem to keep them where they are. If you choose to import the images into Aperture you can if you choose move them off to an external drive and have them referenced. You could also have them managed by Aperture and if you do so, then the Vault will provide you backup for your masters (on an external drive). I continued to use iPhoto because my macbook wouldn't support Aperture and when returned home, I moved the images to Aperture. This problem has been solved by purchasing a Macbook Pro.
Good luck,
Jeff

Aperture Library-referenced and managed-how to add to...

I'm trying to put all my images in one library.
Right now, I have a library that contains some referenced images, and some managed images.
I want to make the entire library referenced. That is, I want all of th original images stored seperatley from the Aperture Library.
Should I reconnect (consolidate) the images that are currently referenced and then proceed to make all of them referenced, or can I select the images that aren't referenced and add them to the same folder where my other originals currently stored?
Thanks

For the ones currently managed: File -> Relocate Masters. or Relocate Original
Regards
TD

Aperture Thinks Files Are Neither Referenced Nor Managed

I've got a handful of files (fortunately, just a handful) that I can't relocate because Aperture says the masters cannot be located: "The selected master image is either offline or not found. Please reconnect it and try again." Well, that's wrong, because the files should be managed. But if I go to Manage Referenced Files . . ., Aperture tells me the selection contains no referenced files. So what gives? How can I rectify this?

Thanks, RB. I took one of these orphaned files and deleted the master and versions (I could have lived without the image). Aperture told me it couldn't delete it, because the master could not be found. I clicked continue, and the master ended up in the trash. I just re-imported it and moved on. I think I lost some of the metadata, but I'm not certain and it wasn't a huge problem. I did this with the other files that Aperture thought were neither managed nor referenced, with the same result.
I can't recommend that anyone else try this, because I'm not sure why it worked, but it did work.
PS -- Nice piece on saving a project.

Referenced vs. managed Library

My goal for iPhoto 6 was to organize my 12k + digital photos already in folders on my hard drive. I'm currently using Adobe Bridge and have never been pleased with it. I did NOT want duplicate photo files in the iPhoto 6 Library. After reading the "iPhoto 6 Missing Manual" by Pogue & Story I proceeded as follows:
First I went into Preferences - Advanced - and UN-checked "Copy Files to iPhoto Library folder when adding to library".
Then I dragged and dropped my picture folders from "Finder" into the "Source" column in iPhoto to create "albums"
Despite following what I thought was the proper procedure, ALL my pictures are now duplicated in the "Library" - just what I DIDN'T want.
So, what did I do wrong?
And how do I fix the iPhoto Library and Albums to merely reference the actual photo files on my hard drive. Should I delete the duplicate photo folders from my hard drive in Finder or iPhoto Library? What is the safest way to proceed?
Thanks in advance,
Steve in AZ

Steve
When you work with a referenced library iPhoto creates an alias in the Originals Folder that points to the file in your own folder system. Are you sure they're not aliases in there? iPhoto will also make a tiny thumbnail (in the Data folder) and if you modify pics, a version in the Modified folder.
You need to be aware of 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
3. Most importantly, migrating to a new disk or computer can be much more complex.
Always allowing for personal preference, I've yet to see a good reason to run iPhoto in referenced mode unless you're using two photo organisers.
If disk space is an issue, you can run an entire iPhoto Library from an external disk:
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library as an entity from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
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 finding the files, that can be easily done from the iPhoto Window.
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're using Gmail you can use THIS
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. 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
Also, for 10.5 users: If you use the extended Open or Attach dialogue (with Column View) you can scroll to the bottom of the Shortcuts and find the Media browser there. Select any pic you want from there.
Your choice, obviously, but best to be aware of all the ramifications. By all means post back if you require more info.
Regards
TD

Changing from "referenced" to "managed" library

I usually shoot RAW, so I didn't want an 80Gb iPhoto library, especially since I use Adobe Lightroom (far superior). I have however, started using iPhoto to keep track of a small library of JPGs exported from Lightroom (and stored on an external HDD) for use in iWeb. I am preparing to reorganize my hard drive and would like to move the files on the external to my internal. Of course, iPhoto only has shortcuts to the files, which is the behavior I want to undo. Ideas?
One question: Can I manually replace the aliases with the original files by copying them into the package?
If there's an easier way, I'd prefer it, but this solution would suffice in a pinch.

Which folder are you dragging onto the app's icon? You have to open the iPhoto Library, open the Originals folder and drag the individual sub folders onto AliasHerder.
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.

IPhoto library - managed or referenced

Hi,
I am new to OS X and I am still looking for the best way to use build-in applications before I start looking elsewhere. Next up: photos.
I do have substantial library of images from different sources. Generally, I like sorting and managing them myself. In the past (Windows era) I used picasa to quickly view, sort, and delete photos and Photoshop to edit them. So I ran a quick test:
1. copy smaller directory of images to my Mac (/Users/user/Pictures/folder_1)
2. import folder to iPhoto
3. View
It looked OK so I tried the second. Soon I realized, that all images are duplicated in the iPhoto folder. That brought me here where I learnt about "managed" and "referenced" libraries. It seems, that folks here argue against using "referenced" approached. I think by now I sort see the differences, but I am not sure if I really understand the consequences. So, what would experts here recommend if I'd like to be able to do following:
1. picture organization (in iPhoto and on the hard drive)
2. the hard drive organization comes from my current back-up practices (I use rsync):
     a. copy/update folders to home file server
     b. burn one or more folders to DVD
     c. file server makes additional copy to different HD (sort of like mirroring but not quite in real time)
3. make sure I keep originals (jpeg, tiffs, and most often raw files)
4. in future I might want to switch to Lightroom or Aperture to catalog/organize images
What bugs me about "managed" approach that I have no control over HD organization, which might be ok, if everything else works.
So to my outstanding questions:
=======================
I. I am not sure how to properly back-up my images. Is there a way in iPhoto to back up everything? Or in another words, what would be a proper way to back up images from iPhoto?
II. What can I do when I run out of disk space while using managed library?
III. What will happen when I move image folder while using referenced library? Will all the links/pointers be updated?
IV. Can I simply delete iPhoto's "library folder" and start from scratch? I could also try (which I did not) to make a new library ...
V. Can one convert managed iPhoto library to Lightroom/Aperture while maintain corrections, keywords, tags, etc?
I do realize that this has tons of information and questions, but I feel this is quite convoluted problem. I'd rather spend some time in the beginning to set it up correctly rather than pulling my hair later on.
Thanks for your advice.
Cheers, R>

First off, you need to make a clear distinction in your head between your photos and the files that contain them. Best way to explain this: The Beatles wrote a song called 'Let It Be'. They didn't write an mp3 called that. Tht mp3 is just a container for the song. So too that Jpeg, Tiff or whatever is just a container for the Photograph.
iPhoto is designe for folks who want to organise their photos and don't really want to bother with the files. Import the photos and then forget about the files. They're stored somewhere - and where matters very little.
So, if you're concerned about organising Files forget about iPhoto. You'll never be happy with it. It just won't do what you want.
I make this digeression to begin with because pretty much all your specific queries treat the Photos and Files as interchangebale concepts.
Specifically: to Managed v Referenced:
1. There is no difference in functionality. You get no extra abilities either way. None whatever. There is no functional advantage to running a Referenced or Managed Library, it's just file storage. Why? Because you never access the files anyway.
2. There are big differences in the reliabilty if the Library. If you run a Referenced Library then you run a greater risk of damaging the Library yourself - especially as a new user.
So, run a Managed Library. It's safer.
So, this question actually makes no sense - if you take my meaning:
1. picture organization (in iPhoto and on the hard drive)
You can't organise pictures on the Hard Drive. You can organise the files, not the pictures.
the hard drive organization comes from my current back-up practices
Change your back up practises. You're not just backing up files now, you're backing up a database - that's your files and whole lot more.
3. make sure I keep originals (jpeg, tiffs, and most often raw files)
Iphoto does this automatically. It treats the original like a film shooter treats the negative. It will never alter it in any way. You can export the original at any time, or revert to it from an edited version.
4. in future I might want to switch to Lightroom or Aperture to catalog/organize images
There is an upgrade path to Aperture. There ins't one to Lightroom.
What bugs me about "managed" approach that I have no control over HD organization, which might be ok, if everything else works.
Organise your photos in the iPhoto Window in any way you want. Events, Albums etc. If you want to migrate at some point in the future to an app that does'nt have an upgrade path, then you export from iPhoto to the Finder.
Apps like iPhoto2Disk or PhotoShare will help you export to a Folder tree matching your Events.
I. I am not sure how to properly back-up my images. Is there a way in iPhoto to back up everything? Or in another words, what would be a proper way to back up images from iPhoto?
With a Managed Library you back up the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder. This gets everything.
II. What can I do when I run out of disk space while using managed library?
Move the Library to a bigger disk. You can run a Library from any disk formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
Or make a second Library. Or third.. etc
IV. Can I simply delete iPhoto's "library folder" and start from scratch? I could also try (which I did not) to make a new library ...
Yes, from the Pictures Folder. Or hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'
V. Can one convert managed iPhoto library to Lightroom/Aperture while maintain corrections, keywords, tags, etc?
To Aperture, yes. You can simply import an iPhoto Library. To Lightroom, sort of. As I descibed above you can export from iPhoto to the Finder. However, what to export? The Original will be just that - the original and that will contain no metadat added in iPhoto. Or, the Editied version which will have all the metadata but won't be the original...
Note: these issues exist no matter what Manager you migrate from or to - you have pretty much the same issues if you go from, say, Lightroom to Aperture or vice versa.
As I said at the beginning, the key thing to decide is whether you want to manage files or photos. Once you settle on the answer to that it will be easy to decide which way to go.
This thread:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3062728?tstart=0
Discusses some of the issues specific to running a Referenced Library in iPhoto is some detail.
By ll means post again if you want more.

Aperture 3 : Pics managed or referenced : how can I find out ?

Hello,
can someone please explain how I can find out if my prictures in the Aperture libary are referenced or managed ?
Regards
Andreas

Andreas, if you did not change any settings in the Import panel, your original image files will we imported as managed and stored in the Aperture library. The setting is in the "Aperture" brick of the "Import" panel - check the option "Store Files". This should show "In the Aperure Library".
If you want have changed this setting and want to find out for individual images, how the originals are stored, select an image in the Browser and use the command "File > Show in Finder". This command will only be available for referenced originals.
To check the location of all originals at once, use a smart album (File > New > Smart album) or a search with the added rule: "File status is" and the setiing "Managed" or "Referenced". For a referenced library the the search with "Managed" should turn up no images and searching with "Referenced" should turn up all.
If you have a referenced library, but did not want to have one, it is dangerous, for you may have accidentally deleted origininal image files. You can use "File > Consolidate" to move any referenced files back into your library, see Aperture 3 User Manual: Working with Referenced Images
In that case, I'd recommend to check also with the search rules "File Status is offline" and "File status is missing".
Regards
Léonie

Referenced or Managed?

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