Sharing iPhoto Library on 2 macs

I have a G5 with my main iPhoto library on it. I also have a Mac Book. Both computers are on my wireless home network. Is there a way I can sync the library on my G5 with my Mac Book?

What do you mean by ‘Sync’?
Syncing can mean two-way copying. That is, changes on the Macbook get copied to the G5 while changes on the G5 get copied to the Macbook. If you attempt this you will corrupt both libraries,
If, however, you’re talking about one way copying: Changes on the G5 are copied to the Macbook (or vice versa), this is perfectly possible. This is simply a back up and can be done with any back up utility such as DejaVu. There are many other options, search on MacUpdate.
Other possibilities: move photos/albums/events between Libraries using iPhoto Library Manager.
Enable iPhoto Sharing in the Preferences for both iPhotos. The two libraries will appear in each other’s Source pane and pics can be dragged between them in the iPhoto Window.
Regards
TD

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Sharing iphoto library on two macs?

Hi Folks,
I have two macs in the house. One a mini linked to a tv and an iMac. The iMac holds my primary iPhoto Library. What I would like to do is share the same library with the mini mac, without having to use the sharing option. Can I place it on an external drive and link both macs to that library? I am running 10.5 if that makes any difference. Thanks, Andrew.

Andrew
If you want the other user to have the same access to the library as you: to be able to add, edit, organise, keyword etc. then:
Quit iPhoto in both accounts
Move the iPhoto Library Folder to an external HD set to ignore permissions. You could also use a dmg.
(Some people have had success putting the library in the Users/ Shared folder. If you do this make sure the file permissions are set to allow read/write access to everyone.)
In each account in turn: Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting dialogue, select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new library location. From that point on, this will be the default library location. Both accounts will have full access to the library, in fact, both accounts will 'own' it.
However, there is a catch with this system and it is a significant one. iPhoto is not a multi-user app., it does not have the code to negotiate two users simultaneously writing to the database, and trying will cause db corruption. So only one user at a time, and back up, back up back up.
Regards
TD

Sharing iPhoto library between a Mac and a PC

Anyone have any tips on this one?
My wife and I would like to share the iPhoto library between her PC laptop and my Mac Pro. What's the best way to go about this?
Would it be best to put the library up on the wireless drive attached to the Airport Extreme wireless and share that way. I would format the drive for PC so it would be readable from both computers.
Option 2 is to put the iPhoto library on an external PC formatted drive and and then physically attach it to whatever computer is using the library.
I know there are probably problems that come with these methods and possibly that it wouldn't work at all. Not sure exactly. Thought I'd check in before I opened a huge can-o-worms.
Thanks!

1. iPhoto has no cross-platform capabilities whatsoever.
2. Putting the iPhoto Library on a disk formatted for PC is a frequent cause of problems. Folks report issue with updating the Library, keywords, accessing the pics in other apps and so on.
3. Using iPhoto on a wireless connection is also not recommended. Connection dropouts are a fact of life on wireless (even very brief ones.) If one occurs while iPhoto is writing to the Library then the Library will be corrupted.
4. If you look inside the iPhoto Library Folder you can see how that Library is organised: there are various files, which are the Library itself and some ancillary files. Then you have three core folders
Originals are the photos as they were downloaded from your camera or scanner.
(ii) Modified contains edited pics, shots that you have cropped, rotated or changed in any way.
(iii) Data holds the thumbnails the the app needs to show you the photos in the iPhoto Window.
Remember: iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
Browsing through the Library folder with another app - for instance, whatever you use to view the pics on the Windows machine - can alter the structure of the Library. Another recipe for disaster.
What you can do:
1. Use an app that has a cross platform capability such as Microsoft’s Expression
2. Run a *Referenced Library*:
Simply go to iPhoto Menu -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck 'Copy Files to the iPhoto Library on Import'.
Now iPhoto will not copy the files, but rather simply reference them on your HD. To do this it will create an alias in the Originals Folder that points to your file. It will still create a thumbnail and, if you modify the pics, a Modified version within the iPhoto Library Folder.
However, 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 on systems prior to 10.5 and iPhoto 08. Even with the later versions issues can still arise if you move the referenced files to new volumes or between volumes.
3. Most importantly, migrating to a new disk or computer can be much more complex.
I don’t recommend it but this will allow you to share the Original files (though not the edited versions.)
Regards
TD

Sharing iPhoto library over network between two Macs

I would like to edit/create albums via sharing.
I can easily share photos between my two Macs via sharing, but I can't move photos between albums, can't create new albums, etc. (I would like to be able to use my laptop in our home network to modify the albums on the PowerMac in the basement.)
I don't want to move files from one computer to another; via sharing, I essentially want to be able to modify the host library's albums. I don't want to edit the photos as much as I want to move them. Is this possible?

Hi there,
There are two ways that I have tried to share a Library. The first method was to delete the empty library on my laptop and start iPhoto. The application could not find the library and asked me where it was. I linked it to the library on the other computer over the network. This method works but can be very slow when editing or scrolling (especially when using AirPort). It is also safer to only have one iPhoto accessing one library at a time.
The other way that I have been able to relibaly access and edit an iPhoto library on another mac was by using Virtual Network Computing (VNC). Essentially it provides the user the ability to see and controll another computer on the network from their machine. It does work and is alot faster than the first method but the downsides are that the host computer cannot be used at the same time and VNC software does not resize the desktop when, for example, accessing a 20" screen from a 12" laptop. This means that you have to resize the iPhoto window to fit on the smaller screen.
For the host computer (server) I used Real VNC and for the network client I used Chicken of the VNC.
The software works well and is usefull to access emails on the computer in the office from the living room. I have to say that I have stopped using these methods as they both tend to hogg the network and other users in the family are stuck for long periods of time trying to load a web page.
Hope this helps,
Dan
iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Best practices for sharing iPhoto libraries across multiple Macs

I have a pair of iMacs running 10.6.x. and iPhoto 11 connected via Ethernet to an Airport Extreme. I am looking for a way to share my iPhoto library between the two Macs.
I found an Apple Support note on the topic (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1198) which states that a disk image is a supported location for a shared iPhoto library (with limitations acceptable to me) and it strikes me that this would be a way of hosting a shared iPhoto library onto a NAS device.
Am I missing a simpler solution or, more importantly, am I missing any blindingly obvious caveats? I'd love to hear from anybody who has tried this (successfully or otherwise) or anybody who has a better idea. I haven't bought a NAS device yet, so I'm open to alternative suggestions.
Specific requirements:
Members of my family use either one of a pair of iMacs.
The only user who edits the iPhoto library is me and I only need read/write access from one machine.
iPhoto library access limited to one user at a time is acceptable and practical in my case.

Easiest:
If the other users only get to see the Library then just use iPhoto Sharing.
Enable sharing in the iPhoto Preferences on the Host machine, then go to the other macgine and in the same location enable 'Look for Shared Libraries'
Other forms of sharing will give the users read/write access to the Library.
A strong warning: If you're trying to edit the Library (that is, make albums, move photos around, keyword, make books or slideshows etc.) or edit individual photos in it via Wireless be very careful. Dropouts are a common fact of wireless networking, and should one occur while the app is writing to the database then your Library will be damaged. Simply, I would not do this with my Libraries.
Regards
TD

Sharing iphoto library in Shared folder - so frustrated!

I am so frustrated trying to put the iPhoto Library in the Shared folder, in order to give all users Read & Write access. It worked for about a month, and now my wife suddenly is getting lots of permission problems. I tried making her the "owner" of the library, but that caused iPhoto to not read it at all and say the Library was 0 k in size. Once I changed ownership back to me, it was 20GB.
Certain folders inside the library give her Custom permission, so I went in and changed permission to Read/Write. Doesn't help - photos in iPhoto disappear or black out. Sometimes a folder (like a certain date) won't even show on her side at all.
This seems like such a simple thing, and something most people would want to do. Why won't this work correctly???
Any other ideas?! Thanks!!

have you read this article?
Sharing via the Shared Folder -- Another major annoyance with versions of iPhoto prior to iPhoto '09 was that you couldn't just put your iPhoto Library in the /Users/Shared folder to share it among multiple accounts on the same Mac, since iPhoto always set the permissions on thumbnails to the account that imported the photos, preventing other accounts from editing those photos and having the edits reflected in the thumbnails.
That limitation has now been fixed in iPhoto '09, so you can share an iPhoto library merely by moving it to /Users/Shared and then double-clicking it to open in iPhoto from each account. You may be prompted to repair permissions on the first access - click the Repair button to do that. Note that this also works for storing an iPhoto library on an external hard disk that's shared among users or on a network volume for access across a fast network.
Only one person may access a shared iPhoto library at a time.
LN
Message was edited by: LarryHN

Sharing iphoto library on network drive

Hello,
I'd like to use the same iPhoto library on two Macs.
Therefore, I intend to use my time capsule as a network drive. I learned from other posts that I can easily move my iPhoto library to the network share. Using two laptop on the same photo library, however, is not that easy. It seems that if both are accessing the library at the same time , unpredictable behavior might result.
Is it possible to avoid that issue or is there another software for photo management that can work with a shared library?
Thanks
Armin

I learned from other posts that I can easily move my iPhoto library to the network share.
True. Drag and drop is easy.
But it will damage your Library and risks data loss. See this article
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5168
for more. Note the comment:
“Additionally, storing the iPhoto library on a network rather than locally on your computer can also lead to poor performance or data loss.”
Next:
It seems that if both are accessing the library at the same time , unpredictable behavior might result.
Nothing unpredictable at all. It either won't work or it will corrupt the Library. iPhoto is not a server application. It's a single-user database.
There are server apps, they start at around the $200 mark.
If you want to share the Library between two machines put it onto a portable hard drive, formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled), and plug it into either machine as necessary.

How to use photos from a *shared iphoto library* in iWeb's Photos page

I have a large library of pictures in iPhoto. I am sharing it with my wife's Mac on our LAN. She would like to use many of these photos on my Mac in an iWeb page. We're both using 10.4.10 with G5s.
When we try to drag them over from my shared iPhoto library, we get the following error:
"Some items can't be used because you don't have enough access privileges or because they contain no content or they are corrupted.
unable to add object
unable to add object"
Sometimes it imports only the name of the picture to the iWeb page.
Is there a way around this? I tried messing with the Get Info "Permissions" section of my iPhoto folder. But nothing seemed to change.

iPhoto can not merge libraries
And you must NEVER Import an iPhoto library - it does not work and creates a massive mess
To merge libraries you must either use Aperture (being phased out this year) or the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ -
Or continue to have two libraries and switch between them
LN

Using new Air Disk to host iPhoto library to multiple Macs?

Just some early thoughts and questions...
One of my biggest wishes for iPhoto has been to keep all my photos in synch. My wife imports family photos to her iBook, I keep some on my Powerbook and then others make there way to the family iMac. Wouldn't it be great for us all to share the same library? Any edits would not have to be done multiple times to the same photo on other machines, etc...
With the new ability to have an external HD connected to the new Airport Extreme, it seems that it should be possible to locate your main iPhoto libarary on this shared HD connected to the AE? Would this allow iPhoto running on multiple macs to reference a single iPhoto library on the AE connected external HD? And if so, could each mac call up the photos, edit and import to the library? As opposed to simply sharing the library as iPhoto currently does (which does not allow editing or saving to the other shared library)? I wonder how access speed would be over a wireless network (g or n speed)? Going a step further, what about Aperture?
Thanks for any thoughts...

However, if my memory is correct, having a fully editable shared iPhoto library is not possible between users of a single Mac nor using a network drive.
This article explains how to set up a shared iPhoto library in Mac OS X 10.4 which multiple accounts can see and edit. If the numeric UIDs of the accounts which will be sharing the library are the same, or if the Ignore ownership on this volume box is checked in the disk's Get Info window, you don't need to do anything other than dragging the library over and updating iPhoto's preferences.
(19520)

Best backup method? / copying iphoto library to alternate Mac iphoto

Since Iphoto '09 no longer keeps the .IMG photo files in the Pictures directory, do you export all photos to folders to get the .IMG files back online? Then you back them up?
I was going to back the .IMG files up to a cd.
I have some DVDs, so I don't know if that is more sufficient with more disk space capacity. I could write them to a DVD.
Since Iphoto is not saving/storing .IMG files automatically anymore, then I suppose I should also back the Iphoto library file to cd or DVD.
Additionally, we are a Mac family with 3 other Macs. I was thinking that I could back the photos up by putting the Iphoto library onto one of them. When I shared my Iphoto library on our home network I did it in read only format. I went onto the other Mac and moved its Iphoto library out of the way. Then I tried to copy the main shared Iphoto library over to this Mac's hard drive. It would not let me.
I told the second Mac's Iphoto to use the library on the original Mac. It said that it was a different version of Iphoto and would have to update the library. Again I had my Iphoto library shared in Read-only mode. I allowed the update to occur. The photos sync'd to the second Mac Iphoto.
Then I couldn't use my iphoto library on the original machine. It actually changed the shared file system. I ordered and installed ILife/Iphoto '09 on both machines. I can now access all of my photos within Iphoto on the original system. But since I cannot copy the shared Iphoto library over to the hard drive of the second Mac, I am unsure how to proceed in using the second Mac as a backup for the Iphoto library.
I suppose I would want all undeleted photos backed up with whatever the latest version of the pictures is. It just takes a while to back up to cd, and I have to break it up to fit on multiple cd's since I have a 5GB library. That's why I thought I could back them up to the other system.
Also my computer, since I upgraded to Iphoto '09 is very slow if Iphoto is open. So I suspect I must be reaching some limit on the size of the library. I am concerned I may loose all my photos so I want to back up before that happens.
Thanks

beccah
Since Iphoto '09 no longer keeps the .IMG photo files in the Pictures directory, do you export all photos to folders to get the .IMG files back online? Then you back them up?
I'm sorry but this makes no sense. What do you mean by a .IMG file? That's a suffix you can find on a disk image and iPhoto has simply never imported or managed such files.
By ".IMG file", do you mean your Photos?
Regards
TD

Can I sync iphoto library between two Mac's?

I have two Macs (an iMac and a Macbook Pro) and want to sync the iPhoto (6.0.6) library between the two so whenever I change one the other is updated. I thought about using iDisk but my library is apx 5gb. I am new to Macs- is there a utility built into OSX 10.4.9 or hopefully some freeware or very-cheap ware... preferably automated. Thank you very much.

brettjbyers
No you cannot sync an iPhoto library between two macs. If you do you will corrupt the iPhoto Library file. iPhoto is a consumer level app, and this feature is not supported.
What you can do is share the photos but not the library. Each machine will need to have it's own library file.
The easiest way to do it this is to enable sharing (in the iPhoto Preferences) on both machines (one sharing the library, the other looking for the share). When you do this the shared library will appear in the Source (or left-hand) pane and pics can be dragged from that to the library in the other machine.
Regards
TD

How can I transfer my iphoto library from a Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled) harddrive to a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) hard drive?

Community,
Every time I try to transfer my iphoto library from a Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled) harddrive to a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) hard drive, I receive the attached message: "You can't copy 'iPhoto Library' because it has the same name as another ideon on the destination volume, and that volume doesn't destinguish between upper- and lowercase letters in filenames."
My theory is, if I am able to unpackage my iphoto library, I can transfer each folder one at a time so that I can trouble shoot any "duplicates." Will this work?
Let's say that works. How can I repackage the library so iphoto recognizes it?
Is there a better way?
Thank you,
Jonathan

Can we assume that I don't have any naming conflicts? Clearly there are or else I wouldn't get the error I'm getting.
The error doesn't mean you have name conflicts. It means that the Finder won't take the chance that you might have them.
You're suggesting that all I would need to do would be to use Carbon Copy Cloner to transfer the files from the case-sensative harddrive to my Extended Journaled harddrive?
Yes. But I would just use the built-in rsync shell command. First, back up all data if you haven't already done so. Launch the Terminal application by entering the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Copy or drag -- do not type -- the line below into the Terminal window, then press the space bar:
rsync -aE --delete
Now drag the iPhoto library you want to copy into the window. You should have something like this:
rsync -aE --delete /Users/you/Pictures/iPhoto\ Library
Drag the Pictures folder on the destination volume into the window. Now you have this (line will wrap on the page):
rsync -aE --delete /Users/you/Pictures/iPhoto\ Library /Volumes/something/Users/you/Pictures
Press return. The copying operation will start. When it finishes, you'll see a new dollar-sign ("$") prompt below what you entered. If there were no errors, you're done.

How to use a single iPhoto Library from multiple macs

I'm trying to help my brother out with his iPhoto Library and his Mac network. He has a Library on a MacBook Pro that is about 65GB. I am moving it to his Mac Mini to make it the primary Library. What he wants to do is be able to load new photographs from any Mac in his house and have them appear in the primary Library. If I make the Mac mini shareable and point iPhoto on each of his Mac's to the Library on the Mac Mini, will that work?
Are there any down sides to doing it this way? Can you create multiple Libraries for iPhoto, the other thing we are thinking about is to organize his Library by years.
Thanks
Elliot

What do you mean by "make the Mac mini shareable"?
Iphoto is not really designed for this kind of use, but there are some possibilities - with limitations.
I'm assuming you want to use the same library for each machine, so there is only one.
Put the Library on a disk formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and set to ignore ownership and permissions.
Then point each machine at it in turn.
Remember only one machine can access the Library at a time, and attempting to do so with multiple machines can cause damage.
How are you connecting to the Library? A strong warning: If you're trying to edit the Library (that is, make albums, move photos around, keyword, make books or slideshows etc.) or edit individual photos in it via Wireless be very careful. Dropouts are a common fact of wireless networking, and should one occur while the app is writing to the database then your Library will be damaged. Simply, I would not do this with my Libraries.
Regards
TD

I have 2 Macs - an iMac that holds my entire iPhoto library and a Mac Book Pro that I use to hold a subset of the main library - how can I transfer photos and their metadata from the main library of the iMac to my Mac Book?

I have 2 Macs - an iMac which holds my main iPhoto library and a Mac Book Pro which holds a subset of the library. How can I transfer photos and their metadata from the main library to the smaller 1 on the Mac Book Pro?

Link the two Macs together and use iPhoto Library Manager
Regards
TD

How can I move my iPhoto Library from one Mac to another without losing the comments on the individual photos in the process?

How can I move my iPhoto Library from one Mac to another without losing the comments on the individual photos in the process? The source Macbook (OS 10.4.11 and iPhoto 6.0.6 (3.2.2.)) is with my husband in Germany, the target MacBook Pro (OS 10.8.5, iPhoto 11) is with me in Japan. Thanks for your help.

I copied the iPhoto Library to a CD and from there to the new MacBook
If you copied the library to the CD via the Finder it would be no different than the methods Terence suggested. If you used the Share ➙ Burn menu option from inside iDVD you'll get a mini library that has to be accessed from the open library and the events/alubums copied into the destination library. Not the same as the other methods.
The Share ➙ Burn method is no longer supported with iPhoto 9 and later.
OT

Sharing iPhoto Library on 2 macs

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