What's in YOUR Pictures folder?

Is there any problem with using the Pictures folder in the Finder to hold every image on your Mac without any hierarchy or additional folders for order? Is it wrong or dangerous to simply dump thousands of images here without any attempt at file management as long as iPhoto or Aperture are being used to manage or reference these images?
How do you organise your Pictures folder?

I used to have my iPhoto Library in my Pictures folder. However, it also used to contain other images that were not available in iPhoto. How did that happen? Is it because I failed to use iPhoto to make the Import?
Yes. iPhoto does not know of images that are not imported to it.
If I use iPhoto, but also Aperture which I would like to make my main photo application, should I make my Aperture Library managed and my iPhoto Library referenced to those images in my Aperture Library?
Not quite... iPhoto is not aware of the Aperture Library in the way Aperture is aware of the iPhoto Library. I share the previews from Aperture with iPhoto. The family know no different.
You say that you have both iPhoto and Aperture as managed libraries. Does that mean that you are happy to have duplicate copies of each image on your hard drive so that both applications have their own master image to work from?
Actually, that's what I have on this MBP where I have various test libraries. On my main Mac, where the main Library is, it's done as abpve.
Does this mean that you could potentially have 6 copies of one image if both iPhoto and Aperture are storing a Master, a Modification and perhaps a preview Thumbnail?
Aperture doesn't work like iPhoto. When you edit a pic in iPhoto it creates a modified version. In Aperture, when you edit a pic the choices are recorded in the database and applied live when you view it. So there's no modified version until you export. What Aperture does have a Previews, which are jpegs of the actual image for fast viewing and sharing with iLife and iWork.
One last comment on Aperture: It's very geared to RAW shooters. If you're using jpegs, then the range of manipulation possible on the image is much less.
Regards
TD

Similar Messages

MY PICTURES folder on Mac

I imported all my photos in MY PICTURES (and its subfolders) to iPhoto - and then spent many hours re-organizing them into iPhoto Folders. I am happy with the result.
But the folder MY PICTURES on my Mac is a mess. What I would like to do is blow the whole thing away and duplicate the iPhoto subfolders into MY PICTURES. Can I do this, and if so, how?
TIA.

jap0nica
In what way is your Pictures folder a mess?
It is strongly advised that you do not move, change or in anyway alter things in the iPhoto Library Folder as this can cause the application to fail and even lead to data loss
What I would like to do is blow the whole thing away and duplicate the iPhoto subfolders into MY PICTURES. Can I do this, and if so, how?
No you cant. iPhoto simply does not work that way.
iPhoto is a database, and like any database it needs you to manipulate the data via the app itself, not through a back door like the Finder.
The usual reason people like to try and organise the iPhoto Library Folder is because they fear they will be unable to find a file if they need it.
There are three ways (at least) to get files from the iPhoto Window.
1. Drag and Drop: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. File -> Export: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size.
3. Show File: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
Finally: a Note about the iPhoto Library Folder:
In this folder there are various files, which are the Library itself and some ancillary files. Then you have three 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.
This allows the Photos -> Revert to Original command - very useful if you don't like the changes you've made.
(iii) Data holds the thumbnails the the app needs to show you the photos in the iPhoto Window.
Regards
TD

I would like to use iPhoto to see existing Picture folder without importing

The following is a question for Aperture, as well.
I have a huge Picture file (90G), and I do not want iPhoto to import that Picture folder thereby making a duplicate. I only want one Picture file, the existing system folder called Pictures. And I want iPhoto to "reference" those files. I have seen references to setting up iPhoto (and Aperture) to use photos in outside libraries. I have seen them called "referenced"
But I can't find a specific instruction on how to set up iPhoto to do this. And I think it is crazy to have an iPhoto library of 90G, and an aperture library of 90g (already made that mistake, want to get rid of it), because that would give me three sets pf photos, with Pictures, and iPhoto and Aperture Libraries within Pictures (that's where the Aperture library is now). And the iPhoto library is there too, but is now empty. I do not want it to be filled. The User guide says Aperture (and by inference, iPhoto) can "link" to outside photos and create "referenced" libraries.
That is what I want to do, because I do not want my files within iPhoto and Aperture, because they are too hard to handle for other purposes, like using Preview for a quick look, or using Photoshop for editing. Not to mention the waste of disk space created by 2 libraries and the Pictures folder. And the confusion over time about which Photo is the real one.
Surely there is a better way, a way to have iPhoto (and Aperture) use the existing Picture folder in OSX (Snow Leopard).
Can anyone help me here?
Just tell me there is a way to do this, please.
Hope someone can help.

Your question is based on a false premise. It makes no sense to use iPhoto, Aperture and the Finder to manage the photos. The Finder isn't a photo manager. It's a file manager. If you can't grasp that distinction then you stick with the Finder. Both iPhoto and Aperture (and Lightroom, and Picasa) are Photo Managers. The entire point of these apps is to manage the photos without recourse to the files.
If you use a Photo Manager then you don't use the Finder's Quicklook, you use the application's viewing and sharing features.
Think of it this way: would you write your novel in Word, Pages, TextEdit and Nisus Writer at the same time? And also expect to be able to read it without launching your Word Processor?
So, yes, this is crazy:
And I think it is crazy to have an iPhoto library of 90G, and an aperture library of 90g (already made that mistake, want to get rid of it), because that would give me three sets pf photos, with Pictures, and iPhoto and Aperture Libraries within Pictures (that's where the Aperture library is now).
Because you would not use all three options. iPhoto and Aperture do essentially the same job. If you've purchased Aperture then that's the one to use. It's the more powerful application.
But regardless of which you choose, when you do you give up looking at the files in the Finder, you use the Photo Manager.
, because I do not want my files within iPhoto and Aperture, because they are too hard to handle for other purposes, like using Preview for a quick look, or using Photoshop for editing.
Both apps provide integration with Photoshop. Using Photoshop via the Finder and not via the app will cause you problems.
None of these apps are like Photoshop. Photoshop is a layer based pixel editor. These other apps are Digital Asset Managers. It's not the same thing. Photoshop has no management capability at all.
And the confusion over time about which Photo is the real one.
Now you need to do some reading on Photo Managers. All of them use a Non-Destructive workflow. All of them preserve your original photos, The concept of the "real one" makes no sense when you have many possible versions based on a single master file.
You've not grasped the key distinctions in managing digital photos. You're confusing photos with files, confusing the file manager with a photo manager and have given no consideration to Digital Asset Management. I would consider these issues before going any further.
FWIW: using a referenced Library with iPhoto:
*How to do it:*
Simply go to iPhoto Menu -> Preferences -> Advanced and uncheck 'Copy Files to the iPhoto Library on Import'.
*What Happens:*
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.
*Some things to consider:*
1. Importing and deleting pics are more complex procedures. You have to to put the files where they will be stored before importing them. When you delete them you'll need to remove the files from the HD yourself.
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.
4. Because iPhoto has no tools for managing Referenced Files, if, for some reason, the path to the photos changes then you could find yourself resolving aliases for +each photo in the Library+ one by one.
My own opinion:
I've yet to see a good reason to run iPhoto in referenced mode unless you're using two photo organiser
If disk space is an issue, you can run an entire iPhoto Library from an external disk:
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library as an entity from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
If you're concerned about accessing the files, There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 and later*
You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:
For users of 10.6 and later:
You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
For Users of 10.4 and later:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *File -> Export*: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
3. *Show File*: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
Using iPhoto with Photoshop:
You can set Photoshop (or any image editor) as an external editor in iPhoto. (Preferences -> General -> Edit Photo: Choose from the Drop Down Menu.) This way, when you double click a pic to edit in iPhoto it will open automatically in Photoshop or your Image Editor, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically. This is the only way that edits made in another application will be displayed in iPhoto.
Note that iPhoto sends a copy+ of the file to Photoshop, so when you save be sure to use the Save command, not Save As... If you use Save As then you're creating a new file and iPhoto has no way of knowing about this new file. iPhoto is preserving your original anyway.
Regards
TD

Moving Pictures folder to an external hard disk

In order to have more space on my hard disk, I bought an external HD where I wanted to store my Itunes and Aperture library.
Formatted the exteral HD as Mac OS extended journaled, in order to back it up using Time Machine to my Time Capsule.
I used Iphoto before going over to Aperture.
In order to move my files I selected all my projects in Aperture, and then used relocate masters to move them to my new HD.
This added 92 GB to my new external HD.
I made a check by removing the external HD, and as expected saw that if I wanted to adjust pictures in Aperture, the section adjustment was grey.
After plugging in the HD it worked again as it should.
So I thought all had gone well.
I noticed that not all the pictures were found though, and I saw that the pictures that were not found had a keyword " iphoto original"
After moving from Iphoto to Aperture, I had deleted all Iphoto files, so did not expect to find any reference to Iphoto.
I open these pictures, but Aperture can not find the originals.
The Pictures folder in my home directory was still on my internal HD under users, and contained 90GB; all missing pictures are there as well.
I copied that folder to my external HD, and moved the original folder to the trash.
When I opened Aperture no pictures were there at all.
Of course I put the pictures back from the trash, but now I am wondering:
Aperture was clearly using the Pictures file in my home directory; why was it not using the masters I relocated?
How can I move the Pictures file to my external HD? I now have the relocated master file on my external HD, a copy of the Pictures file from my home directory, and also the Pictures file in my internal HD, which takes up a lot of space.
Where can I find the original pictures from the deleted Iphoto library; they are all in the Picture file, and with normal size of several MB per picture, but Aperture can not seem to find them.
Lot of questions, would appreciate it if someone could help me out.

In order to have more space on my hard disk, I bought an external HD where I wanted to store my Itunes and Aperture library.
Formatted the exteral HD as Mac OS extended journaled, in order to back it up using Time Machine to my Time Capsule.
I used Iphoto before going over to Aperture.
Did you import your iPhoto Libraries or exported your photos from iPhoto? What version of iPhoto did you migrate from? If you imported your iPhoto Libraries, how did you do it? Referenced, as described in this support article? http://www.apple.com/aperture/iphoto-to-aperture/how.html.
In order to move my files I selected all my projects in Aperture, and then used relocate masters to move them to my new HD.
This added 92 GB to my new external HD.
I made a check by removing the external HD, and as expected saw that if I wanted to adjust pictures in Aperture, the section adjustment was grey.
After plugging in the HD it worked again as it should.
So I thought all had gone well.
o.k.
I noticed that not all the pictures were found though, and I saw that the pictures that were not found had a keyword " iphoto original"
After moving from Iphoto to Aperture, I had deleted all Iphoto files, so did not expect to find any reference to Iphoto.
Do you mean, you deleted the old iPhoto Libraries? If yes, do you have a backup of them?
I open these pictures, but Aperture can not find the originals.
The Pictures folder in my home directory was still on my internal HD under users, and contained 90GB; all missing pictures are there as well.
I copied that folder to my external HD, and moved the original folder to the trash.
When I opened Aperture no pictures were there at all.
Of course I put the pictures back from the trash, but now I am wondering:
Aperture was clearly using the Pictures file in my home directory; why was it not using the masters I relocated?
Aperture will only relocate original that it is using. You seem to have had a mixed library, part of the originals in your "Pictures" folder, part of them in your iPhoto Library.
If not all original masters have been relocated, you may not have had selected all images when relocating. I suggest to simply flag all images, that are still on your internal drive and then to relocate them as well.
To be able to flag the, disconnect again your external volume and search for images that have the filestatus "online".
A smart album with the smart rule "Add rule: Exif: Filestatus is online", and set the source of the smart rule to "Library". Then flag all images.
Now connect your drive again and select all images in the "Flagged" album and relocate them to your external drive.
Do they now move over?
You can check the location of referenced images by using the command "File > Show in Finder".
Regards
Léonie

Iphoto is scrambling my picture folder. When I sync, it mixes up the pictures in the folders. approximately 1/3rd of my foilders are okay, with the correct pictures in them, but the rest are completely mixed up.

I synced and when I looked at my folders, the wrong pictures were in them. I checked in iPhoto, and the pictures were in the correct folders there. they get messed up when I sync on both my Ipad 2 and my Iphone 5.

Your post is not clear as in iPhoto for the Mac folders do not contain photos - and the order of photos on an IOS device is not determined by iPhoto on the Mac - it is determined by the photos program on the IOS device - I suspct you nee to ask in an IOS for iPhone or iPad foum - although I'm not really clear on what your question is
And iphoto does not (and can not) make any change o any file or folder outside of the iPhoto library - it simply has no ability to do that so iphoto is not every doing anything to your pictures folder
LN

Thinning Pictures Folder to Match the iPhoto Library

Hi everyone,
The folder for my "iPhoto library" folder is 6.63GB and the size of my actual library in iPhoto is 4.8GB. There's a lot of ancient pictures and movies that I thought I had deleted that are still around, obviously. How can I quickly delete the excess and keep what I'm using without going through manually?
I need the space and would really appreciate an answer. Thanks in advance.
Cheers!

Keegan
There's a lot of ancient pictures and movies that I thought I had deleted that are still around, obviously.
Are you able to see any of the photos that you think are still around and that you thought you had deleted?
The folder for my "iPhoto library" folder is 6.63GB and the size of my actual library in iPhoto is 4.8GB.
Where do you get 4.8GB as the size of your actual library? Is this your iPhoto Library package inside your Pictures folder?
Is the 6.63GB your Pictures folder?
How can I quickly delete the excess and keep what I'm using without going through manually?
If you are considering deleting files from within the iPhoto Library package then don't, this would have serious effects on the working of iPhoto.
When we hear from you we will provide further information.
Jim

Changing Default Location of MY PICTURES folder in Windows 7

Hi Guys
I have noticed that in Windows 7 the 'MY Pictures' folder is no longer a sub-section of the 'My Documents' Folder. I have moved my 'My documents' and 'Desktop' folders within my user profile to a NEW location (another partition) but would like to know how this is now done for the 'My Pictures' Folder also ?
Normally it would move with the 'My Documents' folder but, as I have said above, the 'My Pictures' now seems to be a separate entity to 'My Documents' as a whole.
Thansk

The answer you are looking for can be found at: http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-vista/move-my-pictures-to-different-location/ and is where I acquired the information below.
One way Windows helps you organize your files is to direct different kinds of content to different locations. There’s a Music folder, a Videos folder, a Saved Games folder, and a Pictures folder. Put all your digital pictures in your Pictures folder,
for example, and that’s where most photo applications will prompt you to open and save your files.
And as explained in the previous section, Windows Explorer will be more likely to display your pictures as thumbnails if they’re in the Pictures folder (or a subfolder thereof). But what if you don’t want to put your pictures there? Previously,
I wrote about how you can
change the location of the My Documents folder , but what if you only want to move the My Pictures folder?
Since years of digital photos can take up gobs of hard disk space, many people have started storing their pictures (as well as their music) on second hard disks, and it can be a pain to have to manually switch to the new location each time you need to open
or save a file. The solution is to tell Windows where your Pictures folder ought to be, a
task that requires a quick Registry modification (make sure to
backup the registry first):
1. Open the Registry Editor by running “regedit”
2. Expand the branches to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders then choose
My Pictures :
3. To edit the value, double click the “My Pictures” registry entry and enter a new path of the My Pictures directory:
For example, to change to “D:\Pictures”, enter that path to the value data field then click OK:
The change should take effect immediately, but you may have to restart any open applications before they’ll recognize the new location. To test the change, open Microsoft Paint (mspaint.exe), and select File > Open. The default folder should
be the path you entered above.

"my pictures" folder in finder vs iphoto library

I noticed many (not all) of my photos in the "pictures" folder in the finder. I think they're dups of what I have nicely organized in iphoto. Can I delete the photos in the Pictures folder without disturbing the photos in iphoto?
I guess what I'm wondering is if iphoto automatically copies photos to the Pictures folder? Did I place them there intentionally? I always import photos from my camera directly to iphoto. Where do photos "live" on mac?
Thank you very much.

1 - iPhoto never puts any photo anyplace except in the iPhoto library so any photo anyplce else (like the pictures folder) was not put there by iPhoto but by you
2 - assuming that you are using a default "managed" library (the iPhoto preference to "copy imported items to the iPhoto library is in its checked state) then you can delete any photo not in the iPhoto library
I guess what I'm wondering is if iphoto automatically copies photos to the Pictures folder?
No - it never copies photo anyplace except to the iPhoto library
Did I place them there intentionally?
Someone did - iPhoto does not
I always import photos from my camera directly to iphoto.
Both this and
I noticed many (not all) of my photos in the "pictures" folder
can not be true - the photos in your pictures folder were not put there by iPhoto
Where do photos "live" on mac?
By defalut in the iPhoto library
LN

Albums and the Pictures Folder

Why do some Albums I've created in iPhoto appear in the Pictures folder of Finder and others don't?
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.7)

The phrase "they are entries in the iPhoto database - by default the iPhoto library in your pictures folder - if you move your iPhotolibrary to an external drive they are there - " answers the question.
If it is of use to you or others, don't do what I did, read the help menu item below first instead: In ignorance, long ago I did the following:
moved images out of yyyy database files into custom name files in the same HD/Photo Library
deleted the yyyy database files on HD in attempt to save space
deleted images from application
Since keywords etc said to move with image files into HD, my old-fashined tree recreates a poor wheel, making back up a tedious process.
From iPhoto Help:
IMPORTANT: There is also an "iPhoto Library" folder located in the Pictures folder in your home folder, outside the iPhoto application. If you move, delete, rename, or otherwise touch files or folders within this folder, you may be unable to see your pictures in the iPhoto application.
The files within this folder should only be manipulated by a customer care representative.

My iphoto library folder with files of my pictures is missing from the pictures folder, only the application icon remains. I have read through similar discussions but have not managed to fix the problem with the recommended solutions. Can anyone help?

I have a Macbook Pro with iphoto '08 running on Mac OS X version 10.5.8. I used to be able to go to my pictures folder on my HD and access my pictures via that iphoto library folder. There used to be a small arrow next to the iphoto icon with all the albums then listed within the folder (to the right). That arrow is now gone and all I have is the iphoto application icon which just reopens iphoto when I click on it, but I want to be able to access the data files. Somehow I do have files btwn 2008 and 2009 but it hasn't created these since then...Could someone please help me to restore this ability? I have read other similar posts but they seem to be related to lost data all together and I do luckily have all my pictures in iphoto still. I just can't access them in the pictures folder which means I can't access them on my external hard drive. I am now out of start up disc space somehow so I figured I had to delete some albums (I have 12,090 pictures) and do have them backed up but want to make sure I can go back for them when I need them. I did export all the pictures to a folder on the hard drive but it is all 12,090 in one long list with only numbers as names and not in any order, this will be a nightmare to access later! Please help! Thank you!

You can’t open your current photo library using this version of iPhoto.
That indicates that that is your library. Put it in your Pictures folder if it already isn't there and make sure it's named "iPhoto Library". It should look like this:
Now launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and select that library to open. If you get that same message close iPhoto and try the following;
Apply the two fixes below in order as needed:
Fix #1
Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.
Select the options identified in the screenshot.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File ➙ Rebuild Library menu option
In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
Click on the Create button.
Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.

How to view images from Pictures Folder using iPhoto?

Right now when I click an image in the Pictures folder, the image is automatically opened using Preview. I want to view images directly from my Pictures folder, and have them open to iPhoto. Is that possible?
I just want to be able to view/sort my photos by Folders rather than by Events, Titles or Photo dates. I can't seem to get them to sort by folders in iPhoto.

Iphoto is a Photo Database designed to allow you to organise and manipulate you photos without recourse to your files.
It's not an image viewer, it can only work with photos that have been imported to the database.
I just want to be able to view/sort my photos by Folders rather than by Events,
An Event is a folder of images with a fancy icon. You can organize your pics in iPhoto anyway you want, using Albums, folders, keywords and so on. It's far more flexible that using folders in the Finder.
You can opt to organise the files yourself, rather than have iPhoto do it for you, but I don't recommend it.
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.
Always allowing for personal preference, I've yet to see a good reason to run iPhoto in referenced mode unless you're using two photo organisers.
If disk space is an issue, you can run an entire iPhoto Library from an external disk:
1. Quit iPhoto
2. Copy the iPhoto Library as an entity from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
If you're concerned about accessing the files, There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 and later*
You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*For users of 10.4 and later* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:
For users of 10.6 and later:
You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
For Users of 10.4 and later:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *File -> Export*: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
3. *Show File*: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
You can set Photoshop (or any image editor) as an external editor in iPhoto. (Preferences -> General -> Edit Photo: Choose from the Drop Down Menu.) This way, when you double click a pic to edit in iPhoto it will open automatically in Photoshop or your Image Editor, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically. This is the only way that edits made in another application will be displayed in iPhoto.
Regards
TD

Not all iphoto photos showing up in My Pictures folder

I'm wondering why all of my photos that are in my iphoto don't show up in my My Pictures folder. When I back up with Time Machine, is it backing up my entire iphoto library, or just the ones in the My Pictures folder? When I look at my backups in Time Machine, not all of my pictures are there. Can anyone help?
Thanks

Since iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is a Package File. This is simply a folder that +looks+ like a file in the Finder. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves.
Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.
Standard Warning: Don't change anything in the iPhoto Library Folder via the Finder or any other application. iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things,, deleting them or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
Regards
TD

Using iPhoto 09 to keep your pictures organised

If you're a clean freak as I am, iPhoto 09 can help you keep your pictures folder organised.
Sorting out your albums and events inside iPhoto is easy and most of you will have it done already. However, when you browse through your Pictures folder, you'll find that the originals have been kept as they were (non corrupted and not organised).
To organise this folder so you can make the most use of Cover Flow browsing in Finder, you can opt to have the pictures folder exactly as your iPhoto events.
This is how-
Simply highlight the event you wish to turn to a folder, go to 'file' and 'export'.
For best results,opt for 'Tiff' file format and you'll get to rename the files.
Once the exports are done for all your events, you can replace the entire pictures folder with these exported folders and- you have a completely organised picture folder to match iPhoto events.

Are you running a Managed or a Referenced Library?
If you're running a Managed library, then it's the default setting, and iPhoto copies files into the iPhoto Library when Importing
If you're running a Referenced Library, then you made a change at iPhoto -> Preferences -> Advanced and iPhoto is NOT copying the files into the iPhoto Library when importing.
If you're running a Managed Library, why do you have copies of the files outside the iPhoto Library in your pictures folder?
IF you're running a Referenced Library, if you:
replace the entire pictures folder with these exported folders
then you will corrupt your Library.
Regards
TD

Export Pictures Folder or iPhoto library to an external drive.

Hi
I am unable to copy the Pictures folder to an external hard drive. I receive an error message saying there is insuffience disk space to perform this function.
I had a MacBook Air stolen and backed up to an old eMac which has proved useless. I now want to remove all 10 000 photos from the eMac and place them
onto an external drive.
I have read the posts from TD and fromedinborough about iphoto Library manager and sync. I am hoping to try something else please.
I will be most grateful for any help.

Drag and drop the IPhoto Library file from your Pictures folder onto the new drive. It will copy by default. Before you delete the original, double-click the library in its new location and iPhoto will launch. Doing it this way tells iPhoto to use this library in future. Make sure it works correctly (and that you have a backup elsewhere, of course) before deleting the original.
Matt

How can I stop .jpg files from automatically being moved off my desktop to my user's Pictures folder?

When I put a picture file on my desktop (like a screenshot I want to email away), it is automatically whisked off into my user's Pictures folder.
How do I stop that annoying, unsolicited behaviour?
thx,

The only 3d party apps are Hazel...
And that's your problem!
From the Hazel site's description:
Hazel watches whatever folders you tell it to, automatically organizing your files according to the rules you create.
Hazel, is a prefPane so you must have some rule (or it supplied the rule as a default) to put pictures (jpg's) from your Desktop (folder) into your Pictures folder.
Open your System Preferences and Hazel in there and either turn off Hazel or change or delete the appropriate rule covering this situation.

What's in YOUR Pictures folder?

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