Using Aperture with photos in default Photo Folder in OS X (Newbie)

Hey guys...
I'm a new Aperture user (1 day) and fairly new to Mac's (5 months). I have a MB Pro with newest OS. Since getting the MBook I've been placing/storing all my photos in /Users/"lastname"/Pictures and then giving each photo "event" a new folder. I first started using iPhoto as an organizer and was not happy with using it. I had used Picasa on my windows machine and it took a few weeks to realize that there was a Mac version for Picasa. It was probably my own fault, but I couldn't figure out how to point iPhoto to my Photos Folder/Directory (maybe its old Windows habits)??? Because of this I installed Picasa and enjoy the easy croping/red eye/face recognition.
HOWEVER!, I wanted to move on to a real photo editor and got Aperture. Now to my question,,,lol
If I "import" all my photos that are currently in a folder/directory order, will Aperture create a duplicate library? And if so, do I bite-the-bullet and use Aperture as my one and only photo organizer, verse my old school ways of organizing photo folders on the hard drive and then going to the folders view via Finder to get a photo??
While writing this I referred to my photo Folder and noticed a iPhoto "library" ...when I click on it, it opens iPhoto and I see photos that I imported these few days I used iPhoto before Picasa. I guess maybe it means I need to get in habit of using the "library" when I want to search out photo for something (emailing, uploading to FB, etc)
What should I do? Tips?
Thanks guys!

Welcome to the Apple Discussions.
and don’t understand why Aperture don’t keep my folders in sync. So if I delete / add a photo to a folder, it does not update the folder in Aperture, as what you would get in Picasa.
Well the very obvious point is that it's not Picasa and doesn't work like that. Picasa is an attempt to use two databases (the Finder and Picasa) to manage the photos. Aperture simply uses one - the Aperture database. If that's not what you want then don't use it.
If I keep with Picasa, what’s the real benefit of using Aperture?
If you cannot see the opportunities that the Aperture offers for organising, and managing your Photos - including most obviously the tight integration with the OS, so that your photos are in every Open... dialogue on your Mac - and if you cannot see the far, far greater opportunities for post processing your Photos offered in Aperture compared to Picasa, then there is no benefit for you.
If, on the other hand, instead of trying to shoehorn Aperture into your Picasa workflow, you take a few moments to learn how to use it - say by looking at the Aperture tutorials on the Apple site - I think you'll find it's a much more powerful and capable application than your current choice.
Regards
TD

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Using Aperture with a Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Hi,
I would like to make my Aperture library accessible from severals Macs and for different users on these Macs --- not at the same time. The idea is that only one user from one Mac can use Aperture at a given time.
The basic idea is to install the Aperture library on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) --- either will all photos included or with all photos stored in a separated folder structure --- next to the library ("externally referenced masters").
The NAS I am planning to use is a QNAP TS 239 Pro II+, which will be attached to a Gigabit Ethernet network (to which all Macs are connected too). Following the reviews, the QNAP should be capable to deliver a read/write performance in the order of 70 Mb/s ... hence performance-wise there should be no problem.
I've read through various forums and found many messages telling that using Aperture with a NAS is not possible or at least not a good idea. The posts in the forum were partially a bit confusing; people were telling contradictory things. I also had the impression that the answers depend on the actual version of Aperture. Apple itself put in the release notes of Aperture 3.1.1 about Vaults: "Fixes an issue that could sometimes cause Aperture on a computer with Mac OS X v10.5.8 Leopard to stop responding while updating a vault stored on a network volume." Hence, it seems that Aperture 3.1.1 can work with a NAS ... at least it can use vaults that are stored on a NAS. On the other hand, it's exactly the topic of vaults where many people say that this does not work with a NAS ...
To clarify things, I try to get some clear and competent answers here. The questions are:
Can one store and use the Aperture library on a NAS (whose disk is formatted using a UNIX file system, e.g. EXT4) ?
If yes, does this work in both configurations: (a) with a library containing the masters, and (b) with a library with externally referenced masters (that are also located on the NAS) ?
If a user on a given Mac on the network has opened Aperture (and thus the library on the NAS), is this library the blocked for other users ? (That should ideally be the case.)
If it is NOT possible to use an Aperture library on the NAS, is it then possible to store it on an external, HFS+ formatted drive connected to the NAS via USB ? (QNAP allows to format its external drives with HFS+).
I know that putting everything on an iSCSI target volume on the NAS is a solution, but is iSCSCI properly working under OS X (10.6). I read that one has to install an iSCSI Initiator software first ... which is not from Apple itself.
What about Vaults: According to the Aperture 3.1.1 release notes, it seems to be possible to use vaults on a NAS ... is this really the case ?
Is usage of Aperture on a NAS depending on the file protocol used to transfer the data ? I read also that if one uses the AFP protocol (supported in a QNAP NAS) then everything's fine ... Is this the case ?
Thanks a lot in advance for any clear and correct answer!
Rainer

Can one store and use the Aperture library on a NAS (whose disk is formatted using a UNIX file system, e.g. EXT4) ?
Not reliably, no. You will encounter issues. You could use Mac OS X disk images on the server, mount them on a client, and work that way. Note only one machine can mount the disk image at a time.
If yes, does this work in both configurations: (a) with a library containing the masters, and (b) with a library with externally referenced masters (that are also located on the NAS) ?
(a) no (b) no.
If a user on a given Mac on the network has opened Aperture (and thus the library on the NAS), is this library the blocked for other users ? (That should ideally be the case.)
Aperture does no locking. There is a very high likelihood you will corrupt the library if you do this.
If it is NOT possible to use an Aperture library on the NAS, is it then possible to store it on an external, HFS+ formatted drive connected to the NAS via USB ? (QNAP allows to format its external drives with HFS+).
How would you be accessing it then? If it's over a file protocol (SMB or NFS or ...) it likely won't work.
I know that putting everything on an iSCSI target volume on the NAS is a solution, but is iSCSCI properly working under OS X (10.6). I read that one has to install an iSCSI Initiator software first ... which is not from Apple itself.
Right. There is no Apple-provided iSCSI initator. I don't know how well 3rd party initators work.
What about Vaults: According to the Aperture 3.1.1 release notes, it seems to be possible to use vaults on a NAS ... is this really the case ?
I've done vaults reliably for years using a Mac OS X disk image stored on the NAS, that I mount before backing up. I wouldn't do it "naked" (i.e. stored directly on the NAS).
Is usage of Aperture on a NAS depending on the file protocol used to transfer the data ? I read also that if one uses the AFP protocol (supported in a QNAP NAS) then everything's fine ... Is this the case ?
AFP might have a better chance than other protocols but... frankly... it's a bad idea. If you MUST share a library across many machines, use something like a Promise DS4600 (direct attached) and plug it into a machine when you're using it.

Hello! I'm using Aperture with Efex plugins and notice, what when I saving result in plugin and go back to aperture, preview mode is going to grey color and not working until I reboot Aperture. Did you saw this problem?

Hello! I'm using Aperture with Efex plugins and notice, what when I saving result in plugin and go back to aperture, preview mode is going to grey color and not working until I reboot Aperture. What is intresting - in full screen mode everything works fine. Did you saw this problem?

It seems there's a workaround here:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5566037?tstart=0

How Realistic is it to Use Aperture with a JPG Workflow instead of iPhoto?

Hi!
(for reference, I am not a world-class photographer jet-setting all over the world with hot shot clients. I'm a serious hobbyist, enthusiast, freelancer, whatever you wanna call it. I get paid for small headshot and portrait gigs here and there. I am serious about my work, though.) I've been trying to get Aperture for a while, but spent a lot of time developing my skill as a photographer.
I no longer depend on shooting RAW. Is it really necessary to use Aperture if you're in a JPG workflow?
I don't struggle with exposure issues, color casts, and stuff like that. I rely on keywording, organizing, web galleries, and exporting to different sizes. I do that heavily in iPhoto. I've only used the demo of APerture a while ago when I shot RAW and I loved it. But, again, is it worth it if I shoot JPG?
Please give some solid advice about the fitness of the app for working with JPGs as opposed to iPhoto. Thanks so much!!!
Scott

I think Aperture has lots of benefits for jpeg users, although I would aslo advocate forgetting jpeg, even in a controlled environment.
let's go for it:
1
Aperture is structured for large libraries. if you do not put more than say, 3 to 5 hundred pix per project, you can go far without feeling the "slowing down" feeling of iPhoto users with large (20 000+) photo libraries.
2
Editing is non destructive, and you get the sliders from the previous edits where you left them. iPhoto will create a "modified" picture with your setting, then forget the settings (you can ask iPhoto to keep the original and in that case iPhoto creates a new file on your hard drive, effectively doubling the HD space used, whereas Aperture still only stores the original on disk, and makes the adjustments 'on the fly' when you call up the picture)
3
Keywording is done using IPTC and other standards, and the software allows embedding the keywords in the jpeg files when exporting... rendering your rating and keywording much more universal
4
Aperture lets you manipulate RAW files and JPEG files alongside, the workflow is exactly the same. So if you feel like switching to RAW occasionnaly or later, more permanently, all the e-learning will be on the same software (iPhoto can convert RAW files, but is very clunky for that particular use)...
HTH
yours from France
max-pol

Using Aperture with a Magic Mouse

Is anyone else having issues using a Magic Mouse while editing photos? Somehow I'm accidentally activating the swipe motion which causes me to scroll through my library while editing. I've tried turning off swipe motions, which works in Finder, but Aperture still swipes.

I too am not enjoying at all how the Magic Mouse functions in Aperture. All too often just touching the mouse to do an aperture specific task, the mouse misinterprets the touch as a go to start scrolling through my large libraries. Then I have to get back to the right image (usually one I am editing) and be extremely careful with how I touch the mouse. This is not only aggravating but also a BIG waste of time -- two things that Apple has always (and should always) avoid. There was no issue with this with my old Mighty Mouse as the "ball" was very unlikely to be triggered accidentally and start the application scrolling through the images. On the other hand, I will most certainly NOT miss the balls propensity to "crud up". Hopefully this new purchase does not involve a Sophie's Choice - constantly cleaning the mouse or constantly having to get back to the image you were working on. Apple should be shooting for the best of both worlds.
On the other hand the MM is great when I'm working many other applications. I strongly agree with the previous comment that the MM control panel should have an application specific tab. That way I could disable the scroll feature when working in Aperture. Another alternative might be the ability to narrow down the "active" part of the mouse surface to minimize the chances of inadvertently activating the scroll feature.
I really hope there is a fix for this as I am frustrated enough that the MM is about to head to the drawer and I'll either go back to my Mighty Mouse or more likely a 3rd party traditional interface but blue tooth mouse.
Cheers

Tips on using Aperture with Photoshop PSD files

For all the people like me coming to Aperture with hundreds of Photoshop files, I would like to offer what I've learned so far in this area.
1. If Aperture is importing your psd files but not showing an image, you probably need to change some preferences in PS. Apple has a tech note showing how to set the PS prefs here: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302624
Warning: all of the choices should be set to the ones onscreen, not just "maximize compatibility". And even then, I have found I can't simply re-save the file to produce the image Aperture needs. I had to use "Save As" from Photoshop, creating a new file, to import a visible image file into Aperture.
2. Once the psd file is in Aperture, you need to realize that Aperture treats it as a master and won't let you make further changes to it. So, if you select this psd file and choose "Edit in external editor," Aperture will create a duplicate file and send that to Photoshop, thus protecting you. If you don't want two full-size masters of the same image in your library, there are two work-arounds.
Very Important Tip: in the Aperture preferences you must tell Aperture to use the psd file format for the "Edit In External Editor" command. My copy of Aperture defaulted to the TIFF format, which is bad if you want your layers preserved as you should.
One work-around is to import the psd file(s) as referenced masters. When you want to make changes to the file in PS, choose the file in Aperture and select "Show in Finder." From the finder, open the file in PS, make your changes, save, return to Aperture and update the preview if Aperture hasn't automatically done so. I don't like this method because it requires referenced masters and I want all of my files managed by Aperture.
Second method works with managed masters in the Aperture library or referenced masters for that matter. However you cannot use this technique if a psd file in your Aperture library has versions you want to save. You can only do this with files that have not spawned versions which you want to keep. In other words, be very careful. Best to do this as shortly after the import process.
Pick the file, choose "Edit in External Editor." Aperture duplicates the file and opens that in PS. Make some changes, save and return to Aperture. Notice the original master and this new changed version are in a stack. There should be a badge on the changed version indicating it has been edited externally. Here's the trick: Unstack the two images and delete the original master. Now you have only the externally edited master in your Aperture library. If you choose "Edit In External Editor" with this file, Aperture will not duplicate it and send the duplicate to PS, it will send the selected file.
Apple has a useful FAQ on using "Open With External Editor" here: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302820

My suspicion is that Aperture is going to try loading the video card VRAM with your image .... 600Mb worth. So, paging in/out of system memory is going to be a royal pain.
Check that you haven't any alpha channels saved, as Aperture will save them but will not composite them.
Finally, to disable previews, uncheck in preferences, AND also uncheck Maintain previews under the library projects list gear icon.
Cheers!

Using Aperture with PS CS2 (Win) running in Parallels

Does anyone know if it's possible to use Aperture's "Open with External Editor" option with the Windows version of Photoshop CS2 runnning within Parallels?
MacBookPro Mac OS X (10.4.8)
MacBookPro Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Ian is correct.
One option is to output to 16-bit TIF (set the preset to AdobeRGB vs. sRGB). Open this in CS2, adjust, save (still as 16-bit TIF and make sure "Maximize Compatibility is set to "Always"). Then, import this back into Aperture and regroup it into the stack (<Apple><Click> the images to group and then from the menu line, choose Stacks/Stack).
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Using Aperture with Yosemite

When you install Yosemite, Aperture won't work.
What can I do?
You can try to update Aperture. But if you bought it in a shop, rather than through the on-line store, it won't update, because it is not associated with an Apple ID..
What can I do?
The answer is simple : update Yosemite to version 10.1.1, and then you CAN update it on-line.
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Contact AppleCare. They should be able to transfer your Aperture purchase to the App Store so you can download Aperture 3.6 from your "purchased" tab.

Move to Aperture with lots of "edited" photos

As I have 60,000+ photos in iPhoto, and I found that there is a "Modified" folder which carries lots of so-called "editied" photos. When I took a portrait photo, iPhoto will automatically keep two copies of photo (one is edited portrait while the other one is landscape). It eats up my HDD space very much.
So if I move to Aperture, the new photo will not be kept for two copies, right? But how about the existing photos? Will those "editied" photos be there as a separate copies? Or just like what Aperture do, keep the variation only?
Thanks.

So if I move to Aperture, the new photo will not be kept for two copies, right? But how about the existing photos? Will those "editied" photos be there as a separate copies? Or just like what Aperture do, keep the variation only?
That will depend on the way how you import into Aperture and on your current iPhoto version. If import with "File -> Import -> iPhoto Library", not from the iPhot Browser, and if you have the most recent iPhoto version and upgraded your iPhoto Library, then Aperture 3.2.2 will recognize many of the edited versions and create "version - master" pairs, like for new imported images.
The edited images it can not import this way will be imported as two masters and stacked, so you can delete the master you do not want. Also all images will be tagged with keywords.
For more deatails see this recent thread: Correct Answer Re: Aperture Loses iPhoto Edited Images
Post back, if you have more questions.
Regards
Léonie

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Thanks!

The easiest thing to do would be to do a batch rename in Bridge or append the file names with a number at the start of each image.

Using Aperture with two .Mac accounts

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I would like to keep all of my photos in Aperture but deploy the photos into web galleries and websites on both .Mac accounts. I can see how to handle the web pages by outputting to disk and then dragging them into the right folder in each iDisk. But I can't see how to do this with web galleries. In the past, I've tried changing the .Mac account in the system preferences and then using iPhoto and iWeb. This doesn't seem like a good solution.
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Multiple User accounts are the answer.
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Using Aperture with multiple Macs

Hi, all -
I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to share and manage a common photo library across different Macs. I'm about to buy a 2nd Mac (my wife and I will each have our own) and I'm curious how to best share the photo library between our two computers. Assume that the photos will be stored on a common server that is accessible to both. I'd like to use iPhoto on one Mac and Aperture on the other, but I haven't come up with a good way to make each application "aware" when I upload new pics to the server.
What are other people doing to have a common photo library?
What I'm currently doing is importing files from the camera to my local computer, moving files to the server, and then using EXIFtool to rename files by date/time they were taken and sorting into a directory structure based on YYYY/MM/DD. The main photo directory on the server is then shared with the other computers.

I have two Mac's. Both happen to be MacBook Pros. One is the older 2.4 the other is the newer 2.66 (June 2009). I have always kept my Aperture Libraries on external hard drives. Currently I am Using Lacie 320 GB Firewire 800/400. However I am looking at getting the new Lacie eSATA 500 GB.
Now all I have to do is plug in to either system I am using and open the Library. I have another one I use for the Vault for backing up.

How to use Aperture with iPhoto without needing double the disk space?

I've just purchased Aperture. I already use Iphoto and have several gigs of imagery in an iphoto library file.
I want to direct Aperture to import all from my iphoto file.
But....I only don't want Ap to simply create a duplicate of this file and use up several more gigs of space.
Is there any way I can get Ap to just create thumbnails rather than complete copies?
I should say that I will onlybe using Ap from now on, so what happens to the iphoto is of little consequence.

Hi,
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Has anyone used Aperture with Bitcasa?

I've got a rather large libary in iPhoto, on an external disk. I'd like to move it somewhere offsite.. like Bitcasa or something equivalent, and move to Aperture to manage it.
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Thanks.

I know this is a couple of months old, however I figured that I'd throw my 2 cents in here.
I don't store my Aperture library on Bitcasa for the very reasons stated here, however, I do manage it a bit by using externally referenced files.
My primary back up is Time Machine, and my secondary backup is Bitcasa, where I sync/back up Documents, Music, Photos, etc.
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All my Aperture's images are accesible from iWeb in Media/Photos/Aperture.
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Using Aperture with photos in default Photo Folder in OS X (Newbie)

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