Linnman

Q: How do I access my iMac's Photo Stream on my MacBook Pro Retina?

I recently bought a MacBook Pro Retina.  I want to set iPhoto up so that it accesses my Photo Stream.  However, when I go to turn on Photo Stream on the MB Pro, it comes up with the following warning:

 

"Photo Stream for (my apple ID) is being used with another library named “iPhoto Library”. Switching Photo Stream to this library will turn it off in “iPhoto Library”.

 

I don't want to do this as I was all of my Apple devices to share the iPhoto Library on my iMac.  Any ideas?

MACBOOK PRO (RETINA, 13-INCH,EARLY 2013), iOS 6.1.4

Posted on May 16, 2013 2:32 AM

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Q: How do I access my iMac's Photo Stream on my MacBook Pro Retina?

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  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 16, 2013 3:25 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    May 16, 2013 3:25 AM in response to Linnman

    Only one iPhoto Library or Aperture Library can be used with each AppleID and Mac. If you want to use Photo Stream with one specific iPhoto Library, then open iPhoto with that iPhoto Library, before you enable Photo Stream. Switching between Libraries will turn Photo Stream off, while you are browsing a different library.

     

    Select your main iPhoto Library in the Finder and double click it to open, then select Photo Stream in the Source List to enable it, if it is not already enabled for your main library.

     

    Don't turn on Photo Stream while browsing other iPhoto Libraries.

     

    Regards

    Léonie

  • by Linnman,

    Linnman Linnman May 16, 2013 3:37 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 16, 2013 3:37 AM in response to léonie

    Many thanks Léonie.  So does that mean that if I want to view my Photo Stream from the MacBook Pro, I have to remotely connect to the iPhoto library on my iMac first?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 16, 2013 11:23 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    May 16, 2013 11:23 AM in response to Linnman

    Many thanks Léonie.  So does that mean that if I want to view my Photo Stream from the MacBook Pro, I have to remotely connect to the iPhoto library on my iMac first?

    No, a remote connection is not necessary.

     

    But on each of your macs only one iPhoto library can import from the Photo Stream. You have to make up your mind, which of the iPhoto libraries you have on each device (if you have more than one library on the device) will have the Photo Stream connection. And if you want to view the Photo Stream you have to switch to that local library.

     

    Do you have more than one iPhoto Library on your MBP?

  • by eddymacUK,

    eddymacUK eddymacUK Jun 6, 2013 12:18 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 12:18 AM in response to Linnman

    I have the same problem.  I am quite happy that I want the main iphoto library to be on my IMAC but I would like to view the photostream on my macbook as well as on my other devices. 
    How do you do this? 

     

    On a windows machine they have photostream.exe that allows them to see it but I cant see how to do this on the macbook.  Apple say that photostream allows you to see your photos on all your devices but for the life of me, I cant see how I can view it on my macbook.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jun 6, 2013 12:30 AM in response to eddymacUK
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 6, 2013 12:30 AM in response to eddymacUK

    Apple say that photostream allows you to see your photos on all your devices but for the life of me, I cant see how I can view it on my macbook.

    The devices do not see each other photo streams; each device will see what is currently in the Photo Stream in iCloud, and you can access this from a photo library on that device.

     

    Install iPhoto on your MacBook and create a small photo library. Enable Photo Stream for it.

     

    Your MacBook will see what is currently in the Photo Stream in iCloud and iPhoto will show these photos in your local photo library on your MacBook.

     

    iCloud: Photo Stream FAQ

     

    iPhoto and Aperture: Using Photo Stream

  • by eddymacUK,

    eddymacUK eddymacUK Jun 6, 2013 12:39 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 12:39 AM in response to Linnman

    Thanks Leonie

     

    So in otherwords, I will have to switch the iphoto library from my imac to macbook.  There is no windows style viewing method.  I assumed that that was built on webdav or something and that there would be an app or something.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jun 6, 2013 2:51 AM in response to eddymacUK
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 6, 2013 2:51 AM in response to eddymacUK

    So in otherwords, I will have to switch the iphoto library from my imac to macbook.  There is no windows style viewing method.

    No, tht is not what I meant.

    You can have as many iPhoto libraries as you want on each mac. But one library on each mac can use the Photo Stream with your Apple ID and sync the Stream to iCloud with your AppleID.

     

    Each of my my Macs has Photo Stream enabled in one of the iPhoto or Aperture Libraries and downloads from iCloud the current Photo Stream photos.  To view the Photo Stream I open this Library, that has the Stream enabled. Keep your main iPhoto library on your iMac and create a second library, just for Photo Stream viewing, on your macbook. Enable Photo Stream on both, and you can browse the stream on your macbook as well.

  • by Linnman,

    Linnman Linnman Jun 6, 2013 3:17 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 3:17 AM in response to léonie

    Hi Leonie

     

    Sorry, I'm still not quite getting this.  I have my main iPhoto library on my iMac and share this library to the iCloud via Photo Stream.  I have also created a small iPhoto library on my MacBook but when I go to turn on Photo Steam it says"

     

    Photo Stream for (my Apple ID) is being used with another library named “iPhoto Library”.  Switching Photo Stream to this library will turn it off in “iPhoto Library”.

     

    Doesn't this mean that the iPhoto library (from my iMac) in iCloud will be replaced with the iPhoto library on my MacBook, so all I'll see in Photo Stream on all of my iOS devices will be the small iPhoto library on my MacBook?

  • by eddymacUK,

    eddymacUK eddymacUK Jun 6, 2013 3:37 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 3:37 AM in response to Linnman

    I have selected ok and switched to my macbook.  I imagine when i get home to my imac that I will see the same message and will have to switch back. I can't see how to follow Leonie's advice as iphoto will not allow more than one iphoto library per photostream.   Maybe its not too much of a hardship to just switch back and forth but the windows users do get a better experience with their photostream.exe

  • by Linnman,

    Linnman Linnman Jun 6, 2013 3:40 AM in response to eddymacUK
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 3:40 AM in response to eddymacUK

    Eddy

     

    Thanks but isn't your Photo Stream now seeing your iPhoto library on your MacBook?  I want to view the Photo Stream from my iMac on my MacBook.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Jun 6, 2013 3:52 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 6, 2013 3:52 AM in response to Linnman

    Photo Stream for (my Apple ID) is being used with another library named “iPhoto Library”.  Switching Photo Stream to this library will turn it off in “iPhoto Library”.

    That means that you have at least two iPhoto libraries on your MacBook and one is already seeing your Photo Stream.  Each mac needs exactly one photolibrary to be able to see the Photo Stream.

     

    Search your MacBook for PhotoLibraries: Type "Photo Library" into the Spotlight searchfield.

    Is there another iPhoto Library? Then double click it to open and probably the Photo Stream is already enabled for this library.

    Or are you sharing your iPhoto Library on a network volume?

  • by eddymacUK,Solvedanswer

    eddymacUK eddymacUK Jun 6, 2013 3:58 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 1 (17 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 3:58 AM in response to Linnman

    Linnman - no - the photostream is from icloud - so I have everything that the imac saw, now on my macbook.   Which is what I wanted

     

    If I take a picture, then that gets added to the library on my Mac Book now (that's not what I want) so I will have to import those from photostream in to the imac at some point.  Urgh.

     

    So - I think I can live with this but its not the photostream viewer that I was hoping for. 

  • by Linnman,

    Linnman Linnman Jun 6, 2013 4:04 AM in response to Linnman
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 6, 2013 4:04 AM in response to Linnman

    Eddy - brilliant, that worked.  I just assumed that Photo Stream would use the library on my MacBook if I made the switch.  This is fine for me.

     

    Leonie - many thanks but I only have one iPhoto library on my MacBook and I'm not on my home network.

  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Jun 6, 2013 4:06 AM in response to eddymacUK
    Level 10 (108,498 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 6, 2013 4:06 AM in response to eddymacUK

    If I take a picture, then that gets added to the library on my Mac Book now (that's not what I want) so I will have to import those from photostream in to the imac at some point.  Urgh.

    Disable "Autoimport" for the Photostream on your Mac Book. This way you see the stream, but do not import the photos.

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