REINSTALLING MAC OS X - NEED YOUR HELP!
Hi everyone!
First, thank god for this forum...you people are the best in the world!
I have decided to reinstall my MAC OS X due to all the crap I have succeeded to accumulate on my computer and I want to start all over again.
But I want to do it right this time and take all the right security measures and other installments I should have but never got. Unfortunately I dont think the iBook Guide was comprehensive enough in these matters.
So after reinstalling OS X and Office, what do I need in:
1. Safety and security measures? (firewall, virusprotection etc) (lately I keep getting that safari can´t show a valid certificate for presumably safe sites - which should be a problem)
2. Basic and regular maintenance?
3. Expander and/or compressors?
4. Anything else I should have that I don´t know of?
Furthermore, I need assistance when it comes to installing software. It confuses me sometimes when I install something - the popup window asks me to move the software to applications - i do so, the window is still there and there is as well a extension of the software on my desktop. Which means that I have the software at several positions. Which should I keep and is the software installed with that simple drag and drop?
I know there are many questions here but I am - despite have had my iBook for 2 1/2 years - still a novice at computers and now I want to get everything right from the start in order to protect it.
Thank you so much for your help!
Anna
Hi anna,
What he says but if I may add the following...
Macs, at this moment in time, do not need virus protection for themselves. ClamXAV and others will however protect you from inadvertently passing on infected files to Windows users via email/network.
With regard to your 'installation' query, it generally goes like this:
1) You download an app which appears as a .DMG on your desktop.
2) It either self-opens or you double-click on it and it mounts just like any drive.
3) The window opens with the graphic to drag the app to your Applications folder.
4) You do so.
What happens then is that the application is copied from the .DMG (which stands for Disk Image) to your Applications folder. It is 'installed'. The original is still there as the .DMG. Once the app is copied to Applications you can close the popup window and eject the .DMG by clicking on the Eject symbol or by dragging it to the Trash. The Trash symbol magically changes to an Eject symbol in instances like this.
Once the .DMG has been ejected you can either move it to a safe location, (I have a folder for this purpose called, inspirationally, My Downloads ) or, if it is an app freely available on the web, you can delete it. That's up to you, it's your computer.
Sometimes an app may be in a .zip, this is just a compressed file.(See below) When you double-click on the .zip it decompresses to a .DMG. Both or one can be trashed after you have copied the app to your Applications folder and unmounted the disk image, again - it's up to you.
Re expanders/compressors, generally the common types of compressed files are decompressed by the OS when you double click on them. Occasionally one crops up that it can't. Having Stuffit Expander in your Applications folder will deal with these. Select the 'Download' button rather than the 'Buy Now'. The free version is all you need. Re compressors, I have never had the need but Stuffit will do this too.
Re the 'Safety Certificate' issue, I have occasionally come across this but it has never worried me. I usually by-pass it and move on. I haven't had any problems yet...
Re maintenance, Macs are good at looking after themselves without user intervention. Some say that 'Permissions Repair' should be done on a regular basis, some say before and after any software installation/Apple Software update. It doesn't do any harm to run it as often as you like but, mostly, it won't actually repair anything. I tend to run it before/after major Apple Security or System Updates and leave it at that.
You might like to browse the following:
http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/
and
http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/
Much of it is probably old hat to you if you've had your iBook for 2½ yrs but there's sure to be something of interest. Besides, it may reassure you of what you have learned!
Lastly, are you sure that an Erase and Install is the right thing for you? There are ways of getting rid of the 'crap' without an E&I. The Trash can is a good place to start (and don't forget to empty it!)
All the best,
Adrian
Similar Messages
-
Hard drive removed from old, dead mac. I need your help!
So the logic board failed on my 2006 15" MacBook pro. Apple were charging £500 to replace the board, so I've decided to get myself a new MacBook. At the Genius Bar, while we were discussing how I could go out fixing the laptop, the genius was kind enough to remove my hard drive for me. He explained that there are simple USB cables you can buy that literally connect to the loose hard drive one end, and pop into the USB of the new mac the other. My first request is can anyone link me to a cable to buy (preferably uk). Every time I search I get external USB hard drives. The second piece of help I need is how I go about restoring some old files. I want everything as clean as possible; no migration type processes, just drag and drop. Once this is done, I have some worries about connecting my iPhone and getting things to carry on as normal (without losing apps and photos).
I appreciate any feedback.The driive enclosure required will be the SATA enclosure. (The IDE would be for a much older machine.) The best policy would be to take the extracted drive with you if you are shopping in person; that way the tech help on site can identify exactly the model needed. Just one word before opting for a FireWire enclosure: the newer Macs have FireWire 800 only, no longer FireWire 400 ; your old 15" had both ports but the new Mac will have only 800. That means you might need an adaptor cable 400 to 800 if the enclosure is 400. There will be no similar complication if it is USB only. The advantage of FireWire is speed and Mac compatibility.
Once you have this bit of kit, then you are ready to tackle the main task of Migration or simply copying to the new Mac. -
They stole my macbook, this it is the serial number C2*******TY3, to return to my I need your help.
They stole my macbook, this it is the serial number C2********TY3, to return to my mac.
I need your help.
<Edited by Host>Report it to the police and your homeowner/rental insurance.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2526 How to report lost or stolen Apple product -
Hi. I am reinstalling Macbook Pro OS X from the "question mark icon". During process, there is a question "select the disk where to install Mac OS X" but there is no option/selection in the box. I really need your help guys. I need it badly. :'(
If you got the question mark and you do not see any partition to install OS X to, it is not good.
Close the OS X installer by pressing the red button at the top left corner of the Install OS X window, and open Disk Utility. Then, look at the left sidebar and tell me if you see your hard drive. You should see something like this:
Do not worry if you do not see Macintosh HD or if the option with an arrow shows a different name. This is normal.
If you see it, choose it, go to the Erase tab and erase the drive. Finally, close Disk Utility and reinstall OS X. You will lose everything if you do not have a backup.
If you do not see the drive, it is damaged and it has to be replaced. You can replace the hard drive of a MacBook Pro without voiding the warranty, and any 2'5" SATA hard drive is valid. If you are not an experienced user or you do not want to go inside the MacBook, take it to an Apple Store or reseller. -
i cannot able able to start my macbook and then i started my mac in a recovery mode now mac os X utility window opens with 4 options 1. Restore From Time Machine Backup 2. Reinstall Mac OSX 3. Get Help Online 4. Disk Utility if i try to restore my mac with time machine no option appears if i reinstall from Mac OSX error comes and cannot able to recover from disk utility please help how can i reinstall mac OSX
Guitar21,
your MacBook Pro has booted into its Recovery mode. From the OS X Utilities menu, select Disk Utility. On the left-hand side of the Disk Utility window, select your internal disk’s boot partition (typically called “Macintosh HD”). On the right-hand side, press the Verify Disk button if it’s not greyed out; if it is greyed out, or if it reports that errors were found, press the Repair Disk button. Once the verification/repair is completed, exit Disk Utility and select Restart from the Apple menu to restart in normal mode. Does it get to the login screen now? -
Hi! I'm new to mac so I need for help . Why when I open safari also open some pages that I don't click? What should I do ,get any cleaner ?
Please review the options below to determine which method is best to remove the Adware installed on your computer.
The Easy, safe, effective method:
http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php
If you are comfortable doing manual file removals use the somewhat more difficult method:
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987
Also read the articles below to be more prepared for the next time there is an issue on your computer.
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7471
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-8071
http://www.thesafemac.com/tech-support-scam-pop-ups/ -
I need your help, PLEASE. How can to fix "NO MOUNTABLE FILE SYSTEM" error of my back up hard drive on Mountain Lion OS?
Did you format the drive for Mac use before you tried to use it as a backup drive?
Are you using Time Machine on the drive? You can't view the contents of its backup database and the only way to access the info is directly from the Time Machine app. -
I tried to update to IPad 5.1, but when it finished and tried to restore the backup, it shows me that Itunes could not back up because a session could not be started with iPad. need your help please
This has happened to me a couple of times and what I do is quit iTunes and restart my Mac and then try again and then it will work.
If iTunes has already created the backup, you should still be able to restore from the backup when you are connected to iTunes. Right click on the iPad name on the left side of iTunes and select restore from backup. After the process completes, sync with iTunes to transfer all of your apps, music, photos and other media back onto the iPad. -
I need your help...I made a very big mistake!
I really need your help. A friend of mine has an iPod Nano and when I was helping him out on his PC, I accidentally spelled his last name wrong. As in, instead of Smith, I typed Smyth. Anyway, how do I remove that mistake in his iTunes and iPod? It's showing up as the wrong last name! I deleted the wrong name from every registry entry and also uninstalled iTunes and the reset the iPod. He said he resynched the other day and the wrong name came back. How can that be? How do I get rid of this BIG mistake on his Dell PC and iPod while not having it happen again? I'm never hearing the end of it now and so, I come to you for help. Thanks so much! Debbie
Thank you Jeff for the link! Between your link and Niel's response, I think I've got it. I'm going there today to fix the problem so this friend will leave me alone! (GRIN)
I really appreciate the help from both of you! Thank you so much! Apple people are such nice people! I think I just might buy myself a Mac and my own iPod!
Thanks again!
Namaste'
Debbie -
My iphone5 was stolen.. pls help how to deactivate it? badly need your help..
My iphone5 was stolen.. i was slept on the bus, pls help how to deactivate it? badly need your help.. its only two months on me
What To Do If Your iDevice Is Lost Or Stolen
If you activated Find My Phone before it was lost or stolen, you can track it only if Wi-Fi is enabled on the device. What you cannot do is track your device using a serial number or other identifying number. You cannot expect Apple or anyone else to find your device for you. You cannot recover your loss unless you insure your device for such loss. It is not covered by your warranty.
If your iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch, or iPad is lost or stolen what do you do? There are things you should have done in advance - before you lost it or it was stolen - and some things to do after the fact. Here are some suggestions:
This link, Re: Help! I misplaced / lost my iPhone 5 today morning in delta Chelsea hotel downtown an I am not able to track it. Please help!, has some good advice regarding your options when your iDevice is lost or stolen.
1. Reporting a lost or stolen Apple product
2. Find my lost iPod Touch
3. AT&T. Sprint, and Verizon can block stolen phones/tablets
4. What-To-Do-When-Iphone-Is-Stolen
5. What to do if your iOS device is lost or stolen
6. 6 Ways to Track and Recover Your Lost/Stolen iPhone
7. Find My iPhone
8. Report Stolen iPad | Stolen Lost Found Online
It pays to be proactive by following the advice on using Find My Phone before you lose your device:
1. Find My iPhone
2. Setup your iDevice on iCloud
3. OS X Lion/Mountain Lion- About Find My Mac
4. How To Set Up Free Find Your iPhone (Even on Unsupported Devices) -
Need your help in Remodeling concept
Hi Gurus need your help in time estimations
I have a cube with data and now I need to add 10 new info objects to the cube which are including Date fields (BUDAT, BLDAT) these 10 fields will be populated to the cube from a Z table in ECC as we donu2019t have these fields in the cube we have to go for remodeling of the cube
My client requires how much time it will take to complete this
Now I want to know how much time it would take to do this (if any customer exits and user exits are required) and addition if new fields will have any effect on the current queries
Please advice in this
Thank youThe time taken will depends on a lots of factor like server speed, available memory, background jobs etc. Apart from this, the time will also depends on how much the cube is filled i.e. the no. of records in the cube. Its very abstract to tell you the exact time taken for this. But, please make sure that you have the backup of the cube which you are going to re-model. T0 say, I think 3-4 hours should be ok for the remodelling.
Thanks.
Shambhu -
Need your help on performance issue please
Hello everyone!
I need your help to understand an effect I notice with a Thread class I built. I currently work on enhancement of my application Playlist Editor (see http://www.lightdev.com/page74.htm) and a new release will be available soon.
Among other extensions the new release will have a title filter function which is based on audio data that is recursively read from ID3 tags of files found in a given root directory. The data collection is done by a CollectionThread class which reads into a data model class AudioDataModel and the entire process works fine, no problem with that.
However, when my application is started for the first time the CollectionThread runs approximately 3 minutes to collect data from approximately 4300 audio files on an Intel Pentium M 1,4 GHz, 512 MB RAM, Windows XP SP2. When the application is shut down and started again, it takes only a few seconds to do the same task for all subsequent launches.
I already tried to start the application with java option -Xms40m to increase initial heap size. This increases performance in general but the effect is still the same, i.e. first run lasts significantly longer than subsequent runs.
I also tried to build a pool mechanism which creates many empty objects in the data model and then releases them to contain the actual data at is being read in but this did not lead to better performance.
It must have to do with how Java (or Windows?) allocates and caches memory. I wonder whether there is a way to pre-allocate memory or if there are any other ideas to improve performance so that the process always only takes seconds instead of minutes?
I attach the key classes to this message. Any help or ideas is much appreciated!
Thanks a lot a best regards
Ulrich
PS: You can use the news subscription service at
http://www.lightdev.com/dynTemplate.php4?id=80&dynPage=subscribe.php4 to be informed when the new release of Playlist Editor is available.
All classes posted here do not need debugging, they already have proven to run error free. The classes are only posted for information for the interested reader - no need to go through all the stuff in detail - only if it interests you.
My application calls class CollectionThread wich is a subclass of InfoThread. CollectionThread recursively goes through a directory and file structure and stores found ID3 tag information in instances of class ID3v11Tag which in turn gets stored in one instance of class AudioDataModel. All classes are shown below.
This is the mentioned CollectionThread
* Light Development Playlist Editor
* Copyright (C) 2004 Ulrich Hilger
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
* of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
package com.lightdev.app.playlisteditor.data;
import com.lightdev.lib.util.InfoThread;
import java.io.File;
* A class to collect audio data from a given storage location.
* <p>
* <code>CollectionThread</code> uses ID3 tag information to gain data.
* </p>
* <p>See <a href="http://www.id3.org">http://www.id3.org</a> for details about
* ID3 tags.</p>
* @author Ulrich Hilger
* @author Light Development
* @author <a href="http://www.lightdev.com">http://www.lightdev.com</a>
* @author <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
* @author published under the terms and conditions of the
* GNU General Public License,
* for details see file gpl.txt in the distribution
* package of this software as well as any licensing notes
* inside this documentation
* @version 1, October 13, 2004
public class CollectionThread extends InfoThread {
* constructor
* @param model AudioDataModel the data model to collect data to
public CollectionThread(AudioDataModel model) {
this.model = model;
* constructor, creates a new empty AudioDataModel
public CollectionThread() {
this(new AudioDataModel());
* set the data model to collect data to
* @param model AudioDataModel the model to collect data to
public void setModel(AudioDataModel model) {
this.model = model;
* get the data model associated to this thread
* @return AudioDataModel the data model
public AudioDataModel getModel() {
return model;
* set the directory to collect data from
* @param rootDir File the directory to collect data from
public void setRootDirectory(File rootDir) {
this.rootDir = rootDir;
* do te actual work of this thread, i.e. iterate through a given directory
* structure and collect audio data
* @return boolean true, if work is left
protected boolean work() {
boolean workIsLeft = true;
maxValue = -1;
filesProcessed = 0;
if(getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
countElements(rootDir.listFiles());
if(getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
workIsLeft = collect(rootDir.listFiles());
return workIsLeft;
* count the elements in a given file array including its subdirectories
* @param files File[]
private void countElements(File[] files) {
int i = 0;
while (i < files.length && getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
File file = files;
if (file.isDirectory()) {
countElements(file.listFiles());
i++;
maxValue++;
* recursively read data into model
* @param files File[] the file array representing the content of a given directory
private boolean collect(File[] files) {
int i = 0;
while(i < files.length && getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
File file = files[i];
if(file.isDirectory()) {
collect(file.listFiles());
else if(file.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith("mp3")) {
try {
model.addTrack(file);
catch(Exception e) {
fireThreadException(e);
i++;
filesProcessed++;
fireThreadProgress(filesProcessed);
return (i<files.length);
/** the directory to collect data from */
private File rootDir;
/** the data model to collect data to */
private AudioDataModel model;
/** the number of files this thread processed so far while it is running */
private long filesProcessed = 0;
This is class InfoThread
* Light Development Java Library
* Copyright (C) 2003, 2004 Ulrich Hilger
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
* of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
package com.lightdev.lib.util;
import java.util.Vector;
import java.util.Enumeration;
* Abstract class <code>InfoThread</class> implements a status and listener concept.
* An <code>InfoThread</code> object actively informs all objects registered as listeners about
* status changes, progress and possible exceptions. This way the status of a running
* thread does not require a polling mechanism to be monitored.
* <p>
* <code>InfoThread</code> implements the following working scheme
* </p>
* @author Ulrich Hilger
* @author Light Development
* @author <a href="http://www.lightdev.com">http://www.lightdev.com</a>
* @author <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
* @author published under the terms and conditions of the
* GNU General Public License,
* for details see file gpl.txt in the distribution
* package of this software
* @version Version 1, October 13, 2004
public abstract class InfoThread extends Thread {
* construct an <code>InfoThread</code> object
* <p>This class is meant to be used when a <code>Thread</code> object is needed that actively
* informs other objects about its status</code>. It is a good idea therefore to register
* one or more listeners with instances of this class before doing anything
* else.</p>
* @see addInfoThreadListener
public InfoThread() {
* set the amount of time this thread shall idle after it is through with one
* work cycle and before a next work cycle is started. This influences the time
* other threads have for their work.
* @param millis long the number of milliseconds to idle after one work cycle
public void setIdleMillis(long millis) {
idleMillis = millis;
* Causes this thread to begin execution; the Java Virtual Machine calls the <code>run</code>
* method of this thread. Calls method <code>prepareThread</code> before calling
* <code>run</code>.
* @see run
* @see prepareThread
public synchronized void start() {
setStatus(STATUS_INITIALIZING);
prepareThread();
setStatus(STATUS_READY);
super.start();
* call method <code>start</code> instead of this method.
* calling this method directly will lead to an exception
* @see start
public void run() {
//System.out.println("InfoThread.run");
if (status == STATUS_READY) {
boolean workIsLeft = true;
setStatus(STATUS_RUNNING);
while (status < STATUS_STOP_PENDING && workIsLeft) {
if (status < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
workIsLeft = work();
if(!workIsLeft) {
setStatus(STATUS_WORK_COMPLETE);
if (status == STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
setStatus(STATUS_HALTED);
else if (status == STATUS_STOP_PENDING) {
setStatus(STATUS_STOPPED);
else {
try {
sleep(idleMillis);
catch (InterruptedException e) {
fireThreadException(e);
else {
// error: Thread is not ready to run
setStatus(STATUS_THREAD_FINISHED);
* stop this thread. This will terminate the thread irrevokably. Use method
* <code>haltThread</code> to pause a thread with the possiblity to resume work later.
* @see haltThread
public void stopThread() {
switch (status) {
case STATUS_RUNNING:
setStatus(STATUS_STOP_PENDING);
break;
case STATUS_HALT_PENDING:
// exception: the thread already is about to halt
break;
case STATUS_STOP_PENDING:
// exception: the thread already is about to stop
break;
default:
// exception: a thread can not be stopped, when it is not running
break;
* halt this thread, i.e. pause working allowing to resume later
* @see resumeThread
public void haltThread() {
switch (status) {
case STATUS_RUNNING:
setStatus(STATUS_STOP_PENDING);
break;
case STATUS_HALT_PENDING:
// exception: the thread already is about to halt
break;
case STATUS_STOP_PENDING:
// exception: the thread already is about to stop
break;
default:
// exception: a thread can not be halted, when it is not running
break;
* resume this thread, i.e. resume previously halted work
* @see haltThread
public void resumeThread() {
if(status == STATUS_HALTED || status == STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
setStatus(STATUS_RUNNING);
else {
// exception: only halted threads or threads that are about to halt can be resumed
* this is the method to prepare a thread to run. It is not implemented in this abstract
* class. Subclasses of <code>InfoThread</code> can implement this method to do anything
* that might be required to put their thread into STATUS_READY. This method is called
* automatically by method <code>start</code>. When implementing this method, it should
* call method <code>fireThreadException</code> accordingly.
* @see start
* @see fireThreadException
protected void prepareThread() {
// does nothing in this abstract class but might be needed in subclasses
* this is the main activity method of this object. It is not implemented in this abstract
* class. Subclasses of <code>InfoThread</code> must implement this method to do something
* meaningful. When implementing this method, it should call methods
* <code>fireThreadProgress</code> and <code>fireThreadException</code> accordingly.
* @return boolean true, if work is left, false if not
* @see fireThreadProgress
* @see fireTreadException
protected abstract boolean work();
* add an <code>InfoTreadListener</code> to this instance of <code>InfoThread</code>
* @param l InfoThreadListener the listener to add
* @see removeInfoThreadListener
public void addInfoThreadListener(InfoThreadListener l) {
listeners.add(l);
* remove an <code>InfoTreadListener</code> from this instance of <code>InfoThread</code>
* @param l InfoThreadListener the listener to remove
public void removeInfoThreadListener(InfoThreadListener l) {
listeners.remove(l);
* notify all <code>InfoThreadListener</code>s of a status change
* @param fromStatus int the status tis thread had before the change
* @param toStatus int the status this thread has now
protected void fireThreadStatusChanged(int fromStatus, int toStatus) {
Enumeration e = listeners.elements();
while(e.hasMoreElements()) {
Object l = e.nextElement();
if(l instanceof InfoThreadListener) {
((InfoThreadListener) l).threadStatusChanged(this, fromStatus, toStatus);
* notify all <code>InfoThreadListener</code>s of an exception in this thread
* @param ex Exception the exception that occurred
protected void fireThreadException(Exception ex) {
Enumeration e = listeners.elements();
while(e.hasMoreElements()) {
Object l = e.nextElement();
if(l instanceof InfoThreadListener) {
((InfoThreadListener) l).threadException(this, ex);
* notify all <code>InfoThreadListener</code>s of the progress of this thread
* @param progressValue long a value indicating the current thread progress
protected void fireThreadProgress(long progressValue) {
Enumeration e = listeners.elements();
while(e.hasMoreElements()) {
Object l = e.nextElement();
if(l instanceof InfoThreadListener) {
((InfoThreadListener) l).threadProgress(this, progressValue, maxValue);
* set the status of this thread and notify all listeners
* @param newStatus int the status this thread is to be changed to
private void setStatus(int newStatus) {
//System.out.println("InfoThread.setStatus oldStatus=" + status + ", newStatus=" + newStatus);
int fromStatus = status;
status = newStatus;
fireThreadStatusChanged(fromStatus, newStatus);
* get the current status of this thread
* @return int the status
public int getStatus() {
return status;
* cleanup before actual destruction.
public void destroy() {
//System.out.println("InfoThread.destroy");
cleanup();
super.destroy();
* cleanup all references this thread maintains
private void cleanup() {
//System.out.println("InfoThread.cleanup");
listeners.removeAllElements();
listeners = null;
/* ----------------------- class fields start ------------------------ */
/** storage for the objects this thread notifies about status changes and progress */
private Vector listeners = new Vector();
/** indicator for the status of this thread */
private int status = STATUS_NONE;
/** maximum value for threadProgress */
protected long maxValue = -1;
/** the idle time inside one work cycle in milliseconds */
protected long idleMillis = 1;
/* ----------------------- class fields end -------------------------- */
/* ----------------------- constants start --------------------------- */
/** constant value indicating that no status has been set so far */
public static final int STATUS_NONE = 0;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is currently initializing */
public static final int STATUS_INITIALIZING = 1;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is ready to run */
public static final int STATUS_READY = 2;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is running */
public static final int STATUS_RUNNING = 3;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is about to halt */
public static final int STATUS_HALT_PENDING = 4;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is halted */
public static final int STATUS_HALTED = 5;
/** constant value indicating that the work of this thread is complete */
public static final int STATUS_WORK_COMPLETE = 6;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is about to stop */
public static final int STATUS_STOP_PENDING = 7;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is stopped */
public static final int STATUS_STOPPED = 8;
/** constant value indicating that the thread is finished */
public static final int STATUS_THREAD_FINISHED = 9;
/* ----------------------- constants end --------------------------- */
}this is the InfoThreadListener interface
* Light Development Java Library
* Copyright (C) 2003, 2004 Ulrich Hilger
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
* of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
package com.lightdev.lib.util;
* An interface classes interested to receive events from objects
* of class <code>InfoThread</code> need to implement.
* @author Ulrich Hilger
* @author Light Development
* @author <a href="http://www.lightdev.com">http://www.lightdev.com</a>
* @author <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
* @author published under the terms and conditions of the
* GNU General Public License,
* for details see file gpl.txt in the distribution
* package of this software
* @version Version 1, October 13, 2004
public interface InfoThreadListener {
* method to receive a status change notification from a thread
* @param thread InfoThread the thread which status changed
* @param fromStatus int the status which the thread had before the change
* @param toStatus int the status which the thread has now
public void threadStatusChanged(InfoThread thread, int fromStatus, int toStatus);
* method to receive a notification about the progress of a thread
* @param thread InfoThread the thread which notified about its progress
* @param progressValue long the value (e.g. 10 if 100 percent completed, 20 of 1 million files processed, etc.)
public void threadProgress(InfoThread thread, long progressValue, long maxValue);
* method to receive a notifiaction about the fact that an exception occurred in a thread
* @param thread InfoThread the thread for which an exception occurred
* @param e Exception the exception that occurred
public void threadException(InfoThread thread, Exception e);
}This is class AudioFileDescriptor
* Light Development Java Library
* Copyright (C) 2004 Ulrich Hilger
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
* of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
package com.lightdev.lib.audio;
import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.RandomAccessFile;
import java.io.Serializable;
import java.text.DecimalFormat;
* This class models characteristics of an audio file such as the absolute path
* of the file, its tag contents (if any) and the play duration, etc.
* <p>See <a href="http://www.id3.org">http://www.id3.org</a> for details about
* ID3 tags.</p>
* @author Ulrich Hilger
* @author Light Development
* @author <a href="http://www.lightdev.com">http://www.lightdev.com</a>
* @author <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
* @author published under the terms and conditions of the
* GNU General Public License,
* for details see file gpl.txt in the distribution
* package of this software
* @version Version 1, October 13, 2004
public class AudioFileDescriptor implements Serializable, Comparable {
public AudioFileDescriptor(String absolutePath) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException {
load(absolutePath);
public boolean equals(Object o) {
if(o != null && o instanceof AudioFileDescriptor) {
return ((AudioFileDescriptor) o).getAbsolutePath().equalsIgnoreCase(this.getAbsolutePath());
else {
return false;
public void load(String absolutePath) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException {
this.absolutePath = absolutePath;
RandomAccessFile rf = new RandomAccessFile(absolutePath, "r");
if(id3v11Tag == null) {
id3v11Tag = new ID3v11Tag(rf, false);
else {
id3v11Tag.readTag(rf, rf.length() - 128);
rf.close();
public String getAbsolutePath() {
return absolutePath;
public ID3v11Tag getID3v11Tag() {
return id3v11Tag;
public void setID3v11Tag(ID3v11Tag tag) {
this.id3v11Tag = tag;
public String toString() {
DecimalFormat df = new DecimalFormat("00");
return id3v11Tag.getArtist() + ", " + id3v11Tag.getAlbum() + " - " +
df.format(id3v11Tag.getTrackNumber()) + " " + id3v11Tag.getTitle();
* Compares this object with the specified object for order.
* @param o the Object to be compared.
* @return a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this object is less than, equal to,
* or greater than the specified object.
* @todo Implement this java.lang.Comparable method
public int compareTo(Object o) {
return toString().compareTo(o.toString());
private String absolutePath;
private ID3v11Tag id3v11Tag;
private transient long duration = -1;
private transient int type = TYPE_UNKNOWN;
public static final transient int TYPE_UNKNOWN = 0;
public static final transient int TYPE_MP3 = 1;
}This is class ID3V11Tag into which the data is actually stored
* Light Development Java Library
* Copyright (C) 2004 Ulrich Hilger
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
* of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
package com.lightdev.lib.audio;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.RandomAccessFile;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.Serializable;
import java.text.DecimalFormat;
* This class is a very simple implementation of an ID3v11Tag. It models an ID3 tag
* pretty much the same way as it is physically stored inside an audio file.
* <p>See <a href="http://www.id3.org">http://www.id3.org</a> for details about
* ID3 tags.</p>
* @author Ulrich Hilger
* @author Light Development
* @author <a href="http://www.lightdev.com">http://www.lightdev.com</a>
* @author <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
* @author published under the terms and conditions of the
* GNU General Public License,
* for details see file gpl.txt in the distribution
* package of this software
* @version Version 1, October 13, 2004
public class ID3v11Tag implements Serializable, Comparable {
* construct an ID3v11Tag and read tag content from a given file
* <p>This constructor can be used for cases where a RandomAccessFile has already
* been opened and will be closed elsewhere</p>
* @param rf RandomAccessFile the open file to read from
* @param isAtTagStartPos boolean true, if the file pointer is at the
* position where the ID3 tag starts; when false, the pointer is positioned accordingly here
* @throws IOException
public ID3v11Tag(RandomAccessFile rf, boolean isAtTagStartPos) throws IOException {
if(isAtTagStartPos) {
readTag(rf);
else {
readTag(rf, rf.length() - 128);
* construct an ID3v11Tag and read tag content from a file at a given location
* <p>This constructor opens and closes the audio file for reading</p>
* @param absolutePath String the absolute path to the audio file to open
* @throws IOException
public ID3v11Tag(String absolutePath) throws IOException {
RandomAccessFile rf = new RandomAccessFile(absolutePath, "r");
readTag(rf, rf.length() - 128);
rf.close();
* construct an ID3v11Tag and read tag content from a given file
* <p>This constructor opens and closes the audio file for reading</p>
* @param audioFile File the audio file to read from
* @throws IOException
public ID3v11Tag(File audioFile) throws IOException {
this(audioFile.getAbsolutePath());
* get a string representation of this object
* @return String
public String toString() {
DecimalFormat df = new DecimalFormat("00");
return getArtist() + ", " + getAlbum() + " - " + df.format(getTrackNumber()) + " " + getTitle();
* position to file pointer and read the tag
* @param rf RandomAccessFile the file to read from
* @param jumpPos long the position to jump to (the tag start position)
* @throws IOException
public void readTag(RandomAccessFile rf, long jumpPos) throws IOException {
rf.seek(jumpPos);
readTag(rf);
* read the tag from a given file, assuming the file pointer to be at the tag start position
* @param rf RandomAccessFile the file to read from
* @throws IOException
public void readTag(RandomAccessFile rf) throws IOException {
rf.read(tagBuf);
if(tag.equalsIgnoreCase(new String(tagBuf))) {
rf.read(title);
rf.read(artist);
rf.read(album);
rf.read(year);
rf.read(comment);
rf.read(trackNo);
rf.read(genre);
public String getTitle() {
return new String(title).trim();
public String getArtist() {
return new String(artist).trim();
public String getAlbum() {
return new String(album).trim();
public String getYear() {
return new String(year).trim();
public String getComment() {
return new String(comment).trim();
public int getGenreId() {
try {
int id = new Byte(genre[0]).intValue();
if(id < GENRE_ID_MIN || id > GENRE_ID_MAX) {
return GENRE_ID_OTHER;
else {
return id;
catch(Exception ex) {
return GENRE_ID_OTHER;
public String getGenreName() {
return genreNames[getGenreId()];
public int getTrackNumber() {
try {
return (int) trackNo[0];
catch(Exception e) {
return 0;
* Compares this object with the specified object for order.
* @param o the Object to be compared.
* @return a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this object is less than, equal to,
*Hi Franck,
thank you, mate. I did what you suggested (changed class attached) but that did not change the mentioned behaviour.
The first run is approximately 75 seconds with Java option -Xms40m and approx. double without, the second run and all subsequent runs are only 2-3 seconds each (!!!) even when terminating and re-starting the application between thread runs.
I'm pretty clueless about that, any more help on this anyone?
Thanks a lot and best regards
Ulrich
PS: BTW, I forgot to post the class that is filled with data by class CollectionThread, so here it is
* Light Development Playlist Editor
* Copyright (C) 2004 Ulrich Hilger
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
* of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
package com.lightdev.app.playlisteditor.data;
import java.io.File;
import com.lightdev.lib.audio.ID3v11Tag;
import javax.sound.sampled.UnsupportedAudioFileException;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.Serializable;
import com.lightdev.lib.audio.AudioFileDescriptor;
import com.lightdev.lib.ui.SortListModel;
import java.util.Iterator;
* Storage model for audio data.
* <p>
* <code>AudioDataModel</code> can be used to store ID3 tag data collected from
* a directory with audio files to perform queries and reports on the found data.
* </p>
* <p>See <a href="http://www.id3.org">http://www.id3.org</a> for details about
* ID3 tags.</p>
* @author Ulrich Hilger
* @author Light Development
* @author <a href="http://www.lightdev.com">http://www.lightdev.com</a>
* @author <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
* @author published under the terms and conditions of the
* GNU General Public License,
* for details see file gpl.txt in the distribution
* package of this software as well as any licensing notes
* inside this documentation
* @version 1, October 15, 2004
public class AudioDataModel extends SortListModel implements Serializable {
* constructor
public AudioDataModel() {
* add an audio track from a given audio file
* <p>This will attempt to read ID3 tag data from the file.</p>
* @param audioFile File the file to add audio data for
* @throws IOException
public void addTrack(File audioFile) throws IOException {
AudioFileDescriptor afd = new AudioFileDescriptor(audioFile.getAbsolutePath());
if (!data.contains(afd)) {
data.add(afd);
* get all tracks for agiven combination of genre name, artist name and album name. Any of
* the parameters may be null or AudioDataModel.FILTER_ALL
* <p>Ugly code, I know, but it simply hard codes all combinations of the the mentioned
* parameters. Any more elegant implementations welcome.</p>
* @param genreName String a genre name to get tracks for
* @param artistName String an artist name to get tracks for
* @param albumName String an album name to get tracks for
* @return SortListModel the found tracks in a list model
public SortListModel getTracks(String genreName, String artistName, String albumName) {
SortListModel foundTracks = new SortListModel();
Iterator e = data.iterator();
while(e.hasNext()) {
AudioFileDescriptor afd = (AudioFileDescriptor) e.next();
ID3v11Tag tag = afd.getID3v11Tag();
if(genreName == null || genreName.equalsIgnoreCase(FILTER_ALL)) {
if(artistName == null || artistName.equalsIgnoreCase(FILTER_ALL)) {
if (tag.getAlbum().equalsIgnoreCase(albumName))
foundTracks.add(afd);
else {
if(albumName == null || albumName.equalsIgnoreCase(FILTER_ALL)) {
if (tag.getArtist().equalsIgnoreCase(artistName))
foundTracks.add(afd);
else {
if (tag.getArtist().equalsIgnoreCase(artistName) &&
tag.getAlbum().equalsIgnoreCase(albumName))
foundTracks.add(afd);
else {
if(artistName == null || artistName.equalsIgnoreCase(FILTER_ALL)) {
if(albumName == null || albumName.equalsIgnoreCase(FILTER_ALL)) {
if (tag.getGenreName().equalsIgnoreCase(genreName))
foundTracks.add(afd);
else {
if (tag.getGenreName().equalsIgnoreCase(genreName) &&
tag.getAlbum().equalsIgnoreCase(albumName))
foundTracks.add(afd);
else {
if(albumName == null || albumName.equalsIgnoreCase(FILTER_ALL)) {
if (tag.getGenreName().equalsIgnoreCase(genreName) &&
tag.getArtist().equalsIgnoreCase(artistName))
foundTracks.add(afd);
else {
if (tag.getGenreName().equalsIgnoreCase(genreName) &&
tag.getArtist().equalsIgnoreCase(artistName) &&
tag.getAlbum().equalsIgnoreCase(albumName))
foundTracks.add(afd);
foundTracks.sort();
return foundTracks;
* list all artists in this model
* @return SortListModel
public SortListModel listArtists() {
SortListModel artists = new SortListModel();
artists.add(FILTER_ALL);
Iterator e = data.iterator();
while (e.hasNext()) {
ID3v11Tag tag = ((AudioFileDescriptor) e.next()).getID3v11Tag();
String artistName = tag.getArtist();
if (artists.indexOf(artistName) < 0) {
artists.add(artistName);
artists.sort();
return artists;
* list all artists in this model having titles belonging to a given genre
* @param genreName String name of the genre artists are searched for
* @return SortListModel
public SortListModel listArtists(String genreName) {
SortListModel artists = new SortListModel();
artists.add(FILTER_ALL);
Iterator e = data.iterator();
while (e.hasNext()) {
ID3v11Tag tag = ((AudioFileDescriptor) e.next()).getID3v11Tag();
String artistName = tag.getArtist();
String genre = tag.getGenreName();
if (artists.indexOf(artistName) < 0 && genre.equalsIgnoreCase(genreName)) {
artists.add(artistName);
artists.sort();
return artists;
* list all genres in this model
* @return SortListModel
public SortListModel listGenres() {
SortListModel genres = new SortListModel();
genres.add(FILTER_ALL);
Iterator e = data.iterator();
while (e.hasNext()) {
ID3v11Tag tag = ((AudioFileDescriptor) e.next()).getID3v11Tag();
String genreName = tag.getGenreName();
if (genres.indexOf(genreName) < 0) {
genres.add(genreName);
genres.sort();
return genres;
* list all albums in this model
* @return SortListModel
public SortListModel listAlbums() {
SortListModel albums = new SortListModel();
albums.add(FILTER_ALL);
Iterator e = data.iterator();
while (e.hasNext()) {
ID3v11Tag tag = ((AudioFileDescriptor) e.next()).getID3v11Tag();
String albumName = tag.getAlbum();
if (albums.indexOf(albumName) < 0) {
albums.add(albumName);
albums.sort();
return albums;
* list all albums in this model having titles belonging to a given genre
* @param genreName String name of the genre albums are searched for
* @return SortListModel
public SortListModel listAlbums(String genreName) {
SortListModel albums = new SortListModel();
albums.add(FILTER_ALL);
Iterator e = data.iterator();
while (e.hasNext()) {
ID3v11Tag tag = ((AudioFileDescriptor) e.next()).getID3v11Tag();
String albumName = tag.getAlbum();
String genre = tag.getGenreName();
if (albums.indexOf(albumName) < 0 && genre.equalsIgnoreCase(genreName)) {
albums.add(albumName);
albums.sort();
return albums;
* list all albums in this model having titles belonging to a given genre and artist
* @param genreName String name of the genre albums are searched for
* @param artistName String name of the artist albums are searched for
* @return SortListModel
public SortListModel listAlbums(String genreName, String artistName) {
SortListModel albums = new SortListModel();
albums.add(FILTER_ALL);
Iterator e = data.iterator();
while (e.hasNext()) {
ID3v11Tag tag = ((AudioFileDescriptor) e.next()).getID3v11Tag();
String albumName = tag.getAlbum();
String genre = tag.getGenreName();
String artist = tag.getArtist();
if(genreName == null || genreName.equalsIgnoreCase(FILTER_ALL)) {
if (albums.indexOf(albumName) < 0 &&
artist.equalsIgnoreCase(artistName))
albums.add(albumName);
else {
if (albums.indexOf(albumName) < 0 &&
genre.equalsIgnoreCase(genreName) &&
artist.equalsIgnoreCase(artistName))
albums.add(albumName);
albums.sort();
return albums;
* get the number of audio tracks stored in this data model
* @return int the number of tracks
public int getTrackCount() {
return data.size();
/** constant to select all items of a given part */
public static final String FILTER_ALL = " all";
}...and here the changed CollectionThread now caching found File objects in a vector
* Light Development Playlist Editor
* Copyright (C) 2004 Ulrich Hilger
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
* of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
package com.lightdev.app.playlisteditor.data;
import com.lightdev.lib.util.InfoThread;
import java.io.File;
import java.util.Vector;
import java.util.Enumeration;
* A class to collect audio data from a given storage location.
* <p>
* <code>CollectionThread</code> uses ID3 tag information to gain data.
* </p>
* <p>See <a href="http://www.id3.org">http://www.id3.org</a> for details about
* ID3 tags.</p>
* @author Ulrich Hilger
* @author Light Development
* @author <a href="http://www.lightdev.com">http://www.lightdev.com</a>
* @author <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
* @author published under the terms and conditions of the
* GNU General Public License,
* for details see file gpl.txt in the distribution
* package of this software as well as any licensing notes
* inside this documentation
* @version 1, October 13, 2004
public class CollectionThread extends InfoThread {
* constructor
* @param model AudioDataModel the data model to collect data to
public CollectionThread(AudioDataModel model) {
this.model = model;
* constructor, creates a new empty AudioDataModel
public CollectionThread() {
this(new AudioDataModel());
* set the data model to collect data to
* @param model AudioDataModel the model to collect data to
public void setModel(AudioDataModel model) {
this.model = model;
* get the data model associated to this thread
* @return AudioDataModel the data model
public AudioDataModel getModel() {
return model;
* set the directory to collect data from
* @param rootDir File the directory to collect data from
public void setRootDirectory(File rootDir) {
this.rootDir = rootDir;
* this is the method to prepare a thread to run.
protected void prepareThread() {
maxValue = -1;
filesProcessed = 0;
innerCount = 0;
fileList = new Vector();
* do the actual work of this thread, i.e. iterate through a given directory
* structure and collect audio data
* @return boolean true, if work is left
protected boolean work() {
boolean workIsLeft = true;
if(getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
countElements(rootDir.listFiles());
if(getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
workIsLeft = collect(); //collect(rootDir.listFiles());
fileList.clear();
fileList = null;
return workIsLeft;
* count the elements in a given file array including its subdirectories
* @param files File[]
private void countElements(File[] files) {
int i = 0;
while (i < files.length && getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
File file = files;
if (file.isDirectory()) {
countElements(file.listFiles());
else {
fileList.add(file);
i++;
maxValue++;
* read data into model
* @param files File[] the file array representing the content of a given directory
* @return boolean true, if work is left
private boolean collect(/*File[] files*/) {
Enumeration files = fileList.elements();
while(files.hasMoreElements() && getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
File file = (File) files.nextElement();
try {
model.addTrack(file);
catch(Exception e) {
fireThreadException(e);
filesProcessed++;
if(++innerCount > 99) {
innerCount = 0;
fireThreadProgress(filesProcessed);
return false;
int i = 0;
while(i < files.length && getStatus() < STATUS_HALT_PENDING) {
File file = files[i];
if(file.isDirectory()) {
collect(file.listFiles());
else if(file.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith("mp3")) {
try {
model.addTrack(file);
catch(Exception e) {
fireThreadException(e);
i++;
filesProcessed++;
fireThreadProgress(filesProcessed);
return (i<files.length);
/** the directory to collect data from */
private File rootDir;
/** the data model to collect data to */
private AudioDataModel model;
/** the number of files this thread processed so far while it is running */
private long filesProcessed = 0;
/** a list to temporary store found files */
private Vector fileList;
/** counter to determine when to fire progress messages */
private int innerCount = 0; -
I need your help with a decision to use iPhoto. I have been a PC user since the mid 1980’s and more recently have used ACDSee to manage my photo images and Photoshop to edit them. I have used ProShow Gold to create slideshows. I am comfortable with my own folder and file naming conventions. I currently have over 23,000 images of which around 60% are scans going back 75 years. Since I keep a copy of the originals, the storage requirements for over 46,000 images is huge. 180GB plus.
I now have a Macbook Pro and will add an iMac when the new models arrive. For my photos, I want to stay with Photoshop which also gives me the Bridge. The only obvious reason to use iPhoto is to take advantage of Faces and the link to iMovie to make slideshows. What am I missing and is using iPhoto worth the effort?
If I choose to use iPhoto, I am not certain whether I need to load the originals and the edited versions. I suspect that just the latter is sufficient. If I set PhotoShop as my external editor, I presume that iPhoto will keep track of all changes moving forward. However, over 23,000 images in iPhoto makes me twitchy and they are appear hidden within iPhoto. In the past, I have experienced syncing problems with, and database errors in, large databases. If I break up the images into a number of projects, I loose the value of Faces reaching back over time.
Some guidance and insight would be appreciated. I have a number of Faces questions which I will save for later.Bridge and Photoshop is a common file-based management system. (Not sure why you'd have used ACDSEE as well as Bridge.) In any event, it's on the way out. You won't be using it in 5 years time.
Up to this the lack of processing power on your computer left no choice but to organise this way. But file based organisation is as sensible as organising a Shoe Warehouse based on the colour of the boxes. It's also ultimately data-destructive.
Modern systems are Database driven. Files are managed, Images imported, virtual versions, lossless processing and unlimited editing are the way forward.
For a Photographer Photoshop is overkill. It's an enormously powerful app, a staple of the Graphic Designers' trade. A Photographer uses maybe 15% to 20% of its capability.
Apps like iPhoto, Lightroom, Aperture are the way forward - for photographers. There's the 20% of Photoshop that shooters actually use, coupled with management and lossless processing. Pop over to the Aperture or Lightroom forums (on the Adobe site) and one comment shows up over and over again... "Since I started using Aperture/ Lightroom I hardly ever use Photoshop any more..." and if there is a job that these apps can do, then the (much) cheaper Elements will do it.
The change is not easy though, especially if you have a long-standing and well thought out filing system of your own. The first thing I would strongly advise is that you experiment before making any decisions. So I would create a Library, import 300 or 400 shots and play. You might as well do this in iPhoto to begin with - though if you’re a serious hobbyist or a Pro then you'll find yourself looking further afield pretty soon. iPhoto is good for the family snapper, taking shots at birthdays and sharing them with friends and family.
Next: If you're going to successfully use these apps you need to make a leap: Your files are not your Photos.
The illustration I use is as follows: In my iTunes Library I have a file called 'Let_it_Be_The_Beatles.mp3'. So what is that, exactly? It's not the song. The Beatles never wrote an mp3. They wrote a tune and lyrics. They recorded it and a copy of that recording is stored in the mp3 file. So the file is just a container for the recording. That container is designed in a specific way attuned to the characteristics and requirements of the data. Hence, mp3.
Similarly, that Jpeg is not your photo, it's a container designed to hold that kind of data. iPhoto is all about the data and not about the container. So, regardless of where you choose to store the file, iPhoto will manage the photo, edit the photo, add metadata to the Photo but never touch the file. If you choose to export - unless you specifically choose to export the original - iPhoto will export the Photo into a new container - a new file containing the photo.
When you process an image in iPhoto the file is never touched, instead your decisions are recorded in the database. When you view the image then the Master is presented with these decisions applied to it. That's why it's lossless. You can also have multiple versions and waste no disk space because they are all just listings in the database.
These apps replace the Finder (File Browser) for managing your Photos. They become the Go-To app for anything to do with your photos. They replace Bridge too as they become a front-end for Photoshop.
So, want to use a photo for something - Export it. Choose the format, size and quality you want and there it is. If you're emailing, uploading to websites then these apps have a "good enough for most things" version called the Preview - this will be missing some metadata.
So it's a big change from a file-based to Photo-based management, from editing files to processing Photos and it's worth thinking it through before you decide. -
Letter/report generation...morgalr, i need your help!!
may i know the details or some sample source code of how to generate the html and import it to MS Word...i need your help urgently...may i have your email to contact u?.....please help, it is urgent!!!
You need not use an applet to write an HTML file, any application file will do fine, actually applications may be prefered due to system security and file creation. Basically the html files are just text files using HTML. Look at any book on HTML and you will be able to get the style and form down along with the syntax.
As for calling MS word, do a search on the web for a product called JPrint. It is done by a company called Neva and they also have a product called "coroutine". It is coroutine that you want. Coroutine is a native level interface for Java to Comm. The docs that come with coroutine should be saficient to get you going on the project. -
I want to get iBook, Facebook and Skype to my iphone 4.2.1 through my iTune, but I coudn't because it is said that it requires a newer version of iOS. Please I need your help. Thanks
If your iPhone can't be updated to a higher iOS version then the only way to get them is if you downloaded versions of them which were compatible with iOS 4.2.1 and you still have copies of those versions somewhere e.g. on your computer or on a backup - only the current version of each app is available in the store, and as apps (and other content) are tied to the account that downloads them, you will need to have older copies that are linked to your id
Maybe you are looking for
-
Query Performance Tuning - Help
Hello Experts, Good Day to all... TEST@ora10g>select * from v$version; Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.4.0 - 64bi PL/SQL Release 10.2.0.4.0 - Production "CORE 10.2.0.4.0 Production" TNS for IBM/AIX RISC System/6000: Vers
-
JPA mixed inheritance strategy issue
Table : A, b Class : A, B, C @Entity @Table(name="A") @Inheritance(strategy=InheritanceType.JOINED) @DiscriminatorColumn(name="type") abstract Class A @Entity @Table(name="B") @DiscriminatorValue("B") @PrimaryKeyJoinColumn() Class B extends A @Entity
-
Hi. I am relatively new to Oracle Spatial and I am trying to install Mapviewer to view data I have loaded into an Oracle9i Database. When I try to access mapviewer from the command line I am getting the following messages. I am getting as far as http
-
Hi to all, I am using 5 radio buttons. i did some fire partial action for radio buttons.(means call some procedures). My problem is i select the first radio button,suppose it throws some exception then radio button selection is goes to last radio but
-
Hi, My Client have created a Delivery Order along with the Transfer order, the Goods Issue has been posted. When he tried to reverse the Goods Issue using VL09, it promoted the error: GI for Delivery XXX cannot be canceled for the following reason, D