Split iPhoto library to solve sluggishness?

Hello, we have 23000 pictures in our iPhoto library. It seems like iPhoto is particularly "burdened" by all the photos (i.e. sluggish at times). At least that's our theory.
We're wondering, provided our theory is correct--if splitting the library into multiple libraries, and then setting iPhoto;s default library just to the most recent pictures would solve its sluggishness?
Would that help, or would anyone have other ideas how to give iPhoto a break from having to load 23000 pics every time we load it?
many thanks!
--sluggish in Dallas

i split the library by creating a new one and them importing the pics I wanted to have ready access to in a streamlined library.
problem is, all my ratings didn't come across in the import. what did I do wrong? I even check the prefs file to ensure ratings and other metadata would be included in the import, but no dice.
any ideas?

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Split iPhoto Library into two?

If one has an iPhoto Library that is too large to burn to a CD (or DVD), is it possible to split the iPhoto Library into two libraries?
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4)

I used this method of duplicating the library, renaming, and then deleting appropriate rolls from the two resulting libraries. After doing so, however, my iPhoto applicaton developed some nasty quirks. First, it would not let me rename my rolls. Secondly, it would on occasion unespectedly quit. I do not know if this was a result of my duplicating/splitting libraries, or just bad karma. I tried correcting it by copying back my original iPhoto library from a backup volume, with no results. I repaired permissions, repaired disk, and ran DiskWarrior with no results. Finally, I booted from a cloned drive, checked that iPhoto worked properly on my clone, and then copied the iPhoto library from the clone to my main hard drive, and all was well. So, now I have a working iPhoto, but am stuck with my original large library. As I said, this may have just been an unpleasant coincidence, but I am afraid to attempt to split the library again.
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How to split iPhoto library and NOT loose metadata?

My iPhoto library gets too big (30GB); hence I'd like to split it and make two separate libraries, one for 2008, one for 2009.
How can I do this WITHOUT loosing all the metadata and file structure: e.g. the albums, the MobileMe gallery, the Faces and Places data etc.???
Any solutions, suggestions, pointers are welcome. Thanks.

Splitting the Library will not save you any disk space, and will, in fact, use more as the database and support files will be duplicated. Also, it's less convenient as you can only access one Library at a time. If you're worried about disk space you can run a Library from an external disk.
That said:
Duplicate the Library in the Finder.
Open the first one - lets say it's the 2009 one - and remove all the 2008 elements from it.
Then Open the second one and remove all the 2009 elements from it.
Result: two libraries, intact for the respective years.
To choose a Library to open: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'
Managing Multiple Libraries - including moving pics/albums/rolls and metadata between them - is greatly facilitated by using iPhoto Library Manager
Regards
TD

Best way to "split" iPhoto library?

Usually, at the beginning of the year I create a new, clean library for iPhoto. This helps me keep my library size managable. Well, this year I forgot to do it and now my iPhoto library contains pictures from 07 and 08. Is there an easy way to split my iPhoto library? How do I create a new library with my 08 pictures? There must be a way to do it. I know what events I want to move to a new library I'm just not sure how to go about doing it.

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
iPhoto Library Manager will copy Events and well as Albums, for further information consult the Help on the app or contact the Developer.
I have an external network drive to store the libraries so I also want to experiment with sharing those libraries with my wife
Users have consistently reported problems when using a disk not formatted for OS X (such as a NAS) with iPhoto. These issues include problems sharing, problems saving changes and others. I would not recommend using iPhoto on any disk not formatted for OS X.
Regards
TD

Splitting iPhoto library and social media

Greetings,
I am in the process of breaking up my gargantuan iPhoto library into smaller libraries, by year (this scheme works perfectly fine for me). However, I ran into a problem last night which I would like not to repeat. Starting with all of the photos from 2013, I had exported all of them out of iPhoto.photolibrary into folders on my desktop. Then, I had created "2013 iPhoto Library" and mass-imported all the files from the desktop. When I was satisfied that I had everything I wanted, I both securely deleted the desktop files and also the albums from within iPhoto. However, when I started doing the latter, they began removing themselves from Facebook. It makes sense, but it's an undesirable side effect.
Since I plan on doing this reorganization at the end of each year, I obviously don't want to keep this from happening, i.e. I'd like to leave my albums which take me a great amount of time to put together for sharing on Facebook in place so that they don't get removed. My proposed solution is something like the following:
1. Continue the process all the way back to 2005 and before (since I hate to have a disconnect with last year's albums gone but none of the others deleted, I might as well delete them all from my Facebook).
2. Leave 2014's photos in "iPhoto Library" (thus leaving my photos still connected to my Facebook albums.
3. When 2015 rolls around, rename "iPhoto Library" to "2014 iPhoto Library" and create a new "iPhoto Library" (hoping such a name change is permissible).
4. Repeat 2. and 3. every year.
Can anyone tell me if this is a recommended solution, or if this will/won't work? My main concern is that "iPhoto Library" is somehow special and has to be left as-is, i.e. I can't rename it, or have a new file called "iPhoto Library" which might corrupt something
Thanks,
Mike

The Social Media albums are attached to the library that created them. So step 2 works. Yes you can rename libraries.
The way you're splitting the Library destroys the non-destructive editing feature of iPhoto and, depending on a: what you've done in iPhoto and b: the exact export settings you are using, risks significant dataloss. If you must split the library (and deal with all those inconveniences) use iPhoto Library Manager to do it, and preserve all your versions and data.
For the sake of others who may read this: iPhoto can only open or search one Library at a time. That's just one of the inconveniences of multiple libraries. An iPhoto Library can contain up to 1,000,000 million items

How to split iPhoto library

my library is too big. What is the easiest way to split? Has to be simple to access.

Larry,
I have been searching a solution to my problem and came across this post. My circumstances and imac is almost identical to dougfromfruitvale to which you responded:
"Back up your iPhoto library, Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - repaid permissions and then repeat and rebuild your iPhoto library database" which Doug found helpful!
I am a bit more nieve it seems, I was wondering if I might find some more specific instructions to these instructions. My photos are backed on the cloud (i assume as I utilize photo stream) as well as a time capsule. I get pressing alt and command while launching, but what is meant by repaid permissions, repeat and rebuild iphoto library database. The last step seems particularly daunting!
Thanks so much

Splitting iPhoto Library

I would like to split my iPhoto Library, one for my digital photos and the other for digitalized photos from scanned slides. Since the scanned photos were inserted into my library at many different times they are scattered throughout my library. Does iPhoto identify scanned slides from the others or do I have to go through my entire library of over 40,000 photos and separate them myself and then transfer them to a new library?

iPhoto does not treat scanned photos differently
You may be able to do a smart album for all photos taken by any or your cameras and use iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - to move those to a new library - the ones left are the ones not taken by any of your cameras and therefore should be the scanned ones
LN

Splitting up iPhoto library into two locations

How do I split my iPhoto library to have some events on my laptop (in one library) and some on my external drive (in another library)

Here's one way to do what you want:
Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
Now you have two full versions of the Library.
3. On the Internal library, trash the Events you don't want there
Now you have a full copy of the Library on the External and a smaller subset on the Internal
Some Notes:
As a general rule: when deleting photos do them in batches of about 100 at a time. iPhoto can baulk at trashing large numbers at one go.
You can choose which Library to open: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'
You can keep the Library on the external updated with new imports using iPhoto Library Manager

Splitting the iphoto library

hey everybody.
i have about 7000 high-resolution pictures in iphoto. now with all the music in itunes and the other stuff - and my hd only being a 80gb disc- my hd is full. since i need all my data and music with me, i'd like to save space by putting fotos on an external drive.
but: i don't want to put the entire library on an external drive. i thought that maybe i could keep the good ones as originals on my hd and put the others on the external drive.
so, is it possible to split the library? and, is it possible to move photos between the two libraries afterwards? how is it done? are there any negative aspects of doing this? ...

1. Copy the iPhoto Library Folder from your Pictures Folder to the External Drive.
Now you have two full Libraries.
2. Launch iPhoto. It will open the Library on your mac. Delete from it the pics you don't want to have with you: (Put them in the iPhoto trash and go iPhoto Menu -> Empty Trash). (Hint: Do this in batches of less than 100 at a time. iPhoto won't trash more at one go: protection against little ones being er, helpful)
Now you have a Full Library on the External and a sub-set of it on the Mac.
To choose between libraries: hold down the option (or alt) key on launch and select 'Choose Library'.
Managing multiple libraries is greatly facilitated by using iPhoto Library Manager. It is also the best way to move albums/rolls/pics and metadata between Libraries.
Regards
TD

Splitting an iPhoto library?

I've been using Macs since 2005 and have been taking digital photos for a few years before that (not including prints I've scanned), si I have a rather large iPhoto library - currnetly standing at 81GB. On my 1TB iMac this isn't a problem, but as I have an Apple TV for watching movies wirelessly, I'm thinking of switching back to a high end Macbook Pro with a 256GB SSD. Obviously, I don't want a third of my storage space to be filled with decade old family photos, but I also don't want to lose them.
Is there a way to either split my iPhoto library, so anything older than 3 years or so is archived to an external drive? I've just set up my Airport network to have my Time Machine and another storage drive work wirelessly, so if I can't split it, can I store my iPhoto database file on an external drive? The only problem with that would be if I wanted to access iPhoto away from home.
Thanks
Matt

You can do either or both.
To store on an external drive:
Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library 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.
To split a Library
Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
Now you have two full versions of the Library.
3. On the Internal library, trash the Events you don't want there
Now you have a full copy of the Library on the External and a smaller subset on the Internal
Some Notes:
As a general rule: when deleting photos do them in batches of about 100 at a time. iPhoto can baulk at trashing large numbers at one go.
You can choose which Library to open: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'
You can keep the Library on the external updated with new imports using iPhoto Library Manager
Or you can use the Split Command in iPhoto Library Manager
Regards
TD

IPhoto library, split or move?

My iPhoto library is on my old system disk which is now full, >1.5Gb. I'll buy a new 1gb drive but should I move the whole library or can I split it between two hard drives?

1 - you need a minimum of 10GB of free disk just to operate safely so you need to act quickly to free up disk space on your boot drive
I'll buy a new 1gb drive
2 - I assume you mean a 1TB drive since they do not make 1GB drives. Will this be an internal or external drive? If external how will it be connected?
3 - I would move the iPhoto library to one of the other internal drives if any of the three have space - or make space on one of them by moving less active data to an external drive - the faster the drive and the faster the drive connection the better iPhoto is going to work
LN

How can I access the iphoto library using windows pc? Upgrading to aperture solves my problem?

How can I access the iphoto library using windows pc? Upgrading to aperture solves my problem?
My home network is used both by my macbook and my wife's windows pc. Considering that, I would like to know if we can share our pictures with each other (specially because I intend to store all of them into a NAS storage - WD My Cloud, probably).

No you can not - neither iPhoto nor Aperture has any cross platform capability
You can share photos with the PC using MyPhotoStream or Shared PhotoStreames
You can not share the iPhoto library
And you can not put the iPHoto library on a NAS - it MUST always be on a volume formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) and mube on a fast wired local connection - it can not be on a Network
There are Digital Asset Managers that can do what you want - iPhoto and Aperture can not
LN

I don't know what has happened but I can't open iPhoto. When I try to open it I receive a caution "The iPhoto Library is locked, on a locked disk, or you do not have permission to make changes to it." How do I solve this??!!

I don't know what has happened but I now can't open iphoto. I get a caution when I try which says the iphoto library is locked! It was working perfectly fine this afternoon until I tried to upload some photos from my camera and my computer started to run very slow and wasn't recognising my camera. I tried to quit iphoto and then when I came back in to it, this was the message I received. As far as I am aware I didn't alter any settings or put on any locks. Please help!!

What version of iPhoto? Assuming 09 or later...
Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.
If that fails:
Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one. .
Regards
TD

I would like to condense my iPhoto library

Dear forum,
I am starting to be really disappointed about the unstable software upgrades in iPhoto. Iphoto is continuously crashing in my Mac and this is really annoying. Tested so far all the various proposals I could find in various forums but nothing seems to work in a consistent way. My iMac is 7 years old and I have been told there is only a way. Buy a new iMac and everything will work.
I would like to give last chance to Apple so I am going to buy the new iMac. But I have a 35Gb iPhoto library that is used only for creating projects and books. Unfortunately it is not in one disk, being splitted in three HDs (the internal one and two external ones). I know this is wrong but unfortunately I can't go back.
I do not use Apple products to manage my photo archives (about 700 Gb). I use iPhoto only for making books. I have about 35 books and various other projects I do not want to loose moving to the new iMac. But with the current version of iPhoto there is no chance to condense the library in one HD keeping my books (unbelievable that this possibility is not existing!). I have also iPhoto Library Manager, duplicated the library in one single library but as you all know it does not keep the books and projects.
So if I want to keep my books in my new Mac I should keep my external drives!
I can't believe this is the situation and would appreciate indeed if someone could help. I have tried with all the possible Genius support and it looks this is not possible.
It simply means that to solve software problems I need to buy the new iMac. If I buy it I will loose my books and projects unless I keep the old external HD.
I would really appreciate some suggestion.
Thanks
Luca

But I have a 35Gb iPhoto library that is used only for creating projects and books. Unfortunately it is not in one disk, being splitted in three HDs (the internal one and two external ones). I know this is wrong but unfortunately I can't go back.
This is not possible - an iPhoto library can not be split in any way - it is a single entity and can not be split up - do you have several iPhoto libraries each independent of the other?
I have about 35 books and various other projects I do not want to loose moving to the new iMac. But with the current version of iPhoto there is no chance to condense the library in one HD keeping my books (unbelievable that this possibility is not existing!).
Guessing that you have several iPhoto libraries there is no real reason to consolidate them - just move each of them (each will need a different name) to an archive folder in your pictures folder - switch between them by depressing the option key and launching iPhoto or using IPLM
Also with a new Mac and Aperture you can consolidate libraries - not sure if Aperture consolidates books but suspect it will - however given the way you use iPhoto I see no reason to consolidate
LN

Multiple users on multiple macs sharing iPhoto Library

How can different family members (using personal logins) all access the same iPhoto library, regardless of which of our two iMacs they happen to be logged into?
I thought the solution would be as simple as:
Plug an external hard drive into the Airport Time Capsule.
Copy our iPhoto library onto the external hard drive.
Log in as each user, open iPhoto and point to the iPhoto library on the external hard drive.
I've searched the support forums and can't find a successful example of this. Does it work? If not, is there another elegant solution?
I'd also be interested in how to back up the 'networked' iPhoto library. I plan to use iPhoto's "publish to Flickr" capability for this as it also solves how to share photos with our family's many iOS devices.
Ps. I'm new to the Mac environment so am still learning my way with OSX (be gentle please).
Equipment
x2 iMacs (<12 months old) running the latest OSX and iPhoto software versions
2TB Airport Time Capsule (brand new) with a 1TB USB external hard drive plugged-in (not sure of the formatting).

How can different family members (using personal logins) all access the same iPhoto library, regardless of which of our two iMacs they happen to be logged into?
I thought the solution would be as simple as:
Plug an external hard drive into the Airport Time Capsule.
Copy our iPhoto library onto the external hard drive.
Log in as each user, open iPhoto and point to the iPhoto library on the external hard drive.
This cannot work, unfortunately, for several reasons:
iPhoto is strictly a single user database. Only one user at a time can open it.
An iPhoto library needs to be on a locally mounted volume. It cannot be on a network share.
The file system of the drive needs to be MacOS Extended (Journaled).
Apple's only recommendation to share an iPhoto library is this: iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users
If you want to share photos and not the library, see this: iCloud: iCloud Photo Sharing FAQ
Trying to put the iPhoto or Aperture library on a network volume, will result in library corruption or data loss:
Use locally mounted Mac OS X Extended volumes for your Aperture library

Split iPhoto library to solve sluggishness?

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