smitty195

Q: Where is the iPhoto library folder?

Hello,

 

I know this sounds kinda dumb, but I can no longer find the iPhoto folder that has my pictures in it. What I mean is, if I go to a Finder window and I click on "Pictures", it accurately lists all of my pictures that are on my MacBook Pro. However, there is no longer a folder there that I can open for my iPhoto pictures---instead, it's an icon of ALL of my iPhoto pictures. Does this make sense what I'm asking?

 

In other words, let's say I wanted to choose a single photo as my avatar for a certain webpage. Okay, so when the directory window opens up to allow me to navigate to the specific photo I want to use, in the past I have always clicked on "Pictures", and then I could see a FOLDER that I could click on to open it up. Once inside that folder, I saw the long list of picture categories (such as Events, Photos, Last Import, Faces, all of my custom folders, etc, etc, etc). But now, the only choice I have is to click on "iPhoto Library"---all 75 GB's of it! I don't want thousands of photos---I just want ONE. What happened to the folder that used to be there?

 

I am using iPhoto 11 (the latest updates are in it), Mountain Lion 10.8.1, and a MacBook Pro.

 

Thank you!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Sep 11, 2012 4:56 AM

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Q: Where is the iPhoto library folder?

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  • by rogersdan,

    rogersdan rogersdan Aug 17, 2013 9:31 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 9:31 AM in response to Old Toad

    Thanks - I got it. 

     

    The real problem is a lot of "empty" icons in iphoto.  I see that the the iphoto 9.4.3 organizes photos Masters-year-month-day.  But I have a lot of photos in the Masters that are "outside" that organizational scheme and I don't know how to get them recogniced by iphoto.  I have tried to repair and rebuild the iphoto database - but no resolution to the problem.

     

    Thanks,  DR

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Aug 17, 2013 9:37 AM in response to rogersdan
    Level 10 (141,085 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2013 9:37 AM in response to rogersdan

    Try the following:

     

    Using iPhoto Library Manager  to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library

     

     

      1. Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
      2. Click on the Add Library button,

                                iPhoto Library Manager002.jpg 

        and select the library you want to add from those in the selection window.

         

      3. Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library âž™ Rebuild Library menu option

     

                  iPhoto Library Manager001.jpg

     

     

      1. In the next  window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
      2. Click on the Create button.

     

    Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.


    Note 2:  Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Aug 17, 2013 9:40 AM in response to rogersdan
    Level 10 (84,530 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 9:40 AM in response to rogersdan

    rogersdan wrote:

     

    Thanks - I got it. 

     

    The real problem is a lot of "empty" icons in iphoto.  I see that the the iphoto 9.4.3 organizes photos Masters-year-month-day.  But I have a lot of photos in the Masters that are "outside" that organizational scheme and I don't know how to get them recogniced by iphoto.  I have tried to repair and rebuild the iphoto database - but no resolution to the problem.

     

    Thanks,  DR

    Since you never go into the iPhoto library using the finder for any reason the organizationo of the folders in it is of no interest nor does it afedt you in any way

     

     

    Directly accessing the iPhoto Library from the Finder is not supported, nor has it been on any version of iPhoto.

     

    There is no problem with the orginazation of the contents of the iPhoto library - it is only used by iPhoto and the media browser and you should not even know what it is since there is no reason to be there

     

    If your have problems using iPhoto you resolve them using iPhoto or iPhoto Library Manager - NEVER the finder - it is impossible to "fix" iPhoto using the finder - all you can do is make things worse

     

    LN

  • by rogersdan,

    rogersdan rogersdan Aug 17, 2013 9:43 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 9:43 AM in response to LarryHN

    Larry,

     

    You say that there is no problem with the organization of the the contents of iPhoto - but I have hundreds of photos in the iphoto library that are not being located when I open iPhoto.  These photos were available to me in previous versions of iPhoto, so I think that there is a problem.

     

    Thanks,  DR

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Aug 17, 2013 9:49 AM in response to rogersdan
    Level 10 (84,530 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 17, 2013 9:49 AM in response to rogersdan

    and again

     

    If your have problems using iPhoto you resolve them using iPhoto or iPhoto Library Manager - NEVER the finder - it is impossible to "fix" iPhoto using the finder - all you can do is make things worse

     

     

    In fact if you have been mucking around inside the iPhoto library then you may have caused the problem by makeing changes to the content of the iPhoto library  - if you did then it can not be fixed and you will have to start over - if you did not cause it, then As Old Toad suggested -  backup your iPhoto library, depress and hold the command and option keys, launch iPhoto and rebuild your database

     

    LN

  • by rogersdan,

    rogersdan rogersdan Aug 17, 2013 9:57 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2013 9:57 AM in response to LarryHN

    Yes - I agree, thanks. 

     

    I am not trying to fix iphoto from within the library.   Originally I thought the photos were lost but was relieved to see that the photos are in the library although not recognized when iPhoto is launched.

     

    I have made no changes to the library but rebuilding the library by launching with the command and option key depressed has not solved the problem.  I wll try to download iphoto library manager and see if that works.

     

    Thanks for your suggestions.

     

    DR

  • by MLadd,

    MLadd MLadd Aug 17, 2013 5:12 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 3 (701 points)
    iPhone
    Aug 17, 2013 5:12 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thank You, LN for continuously repeating your warning that going into the iPhoto package/library via the finder *could* cause a problem. We get it.

  • by EnergieSolaire,

    EnergieSolaire EnergieSolaire Oct 27, 2013 12:10 PM in response to MLadd
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 27, 2013 12:10 PM in response to MLadd

    I too sometimes find that apple's way of doing thing is cryptic and ridiculously complex. What makes matters worst, is the advices we often get.

     

    Anyway, do whatever you want with it, but my way of retrieving my files (works with iPhoto11), is the simplest I find. I just highlight the photo, then select File/Reveal in Finder. Then the finder window happily pops up showing the file which I can copy/paste elsewhere.

     

    Hope this helps.

     

    Charles

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Oct 27, 2013 1:27 PM in response to EnergieSolaire
    Level 10 (139,532 points)
    iLife
    Oct 27, 2013 1:27 PM in response to EnergieSolaire

    There's nothing complex or even cryptic about if you understand the application you're using, and if you don't, I'd pretty much wonder why you are using it.

     

    The problem with your suggestion is what it risks - damaging the library - and what it fails to do - access any edited versions. You only get the original version that way.

     

    All the other methods are - for a few seconds learning - more useful, faster and actually give you the option to choose between the versions you have. Check them out sometime.

     

    For help accessing your photos in iPhoto see this user tip:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4491

  • by dean44,

    dean44 dean44 Nov 17, 2013 5:13 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 17, 2013 5:13 PM in response to LarryHN

    i understand your point, but I am just really tired of apple deciding what I need or am trying to do. They are becoming more hastle than doing constant restarts with MS.

  • by MLadd,

    MLadd MLadd Nov 17, 2013 5:25 PM in response to dean44
    Level 3 (701 points)
    iPhone
    Nov 17, 2013 5:25 PM in response to dean44

    Because Microsoft fully supports mucking around in the thousands of registry settings, right?

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Nov 17, 2013 5:43 PM in response to dean44
    Level 10 (84,530 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Nov 17, 2013 5:43 PM in response to dean44

    Apple decides nothing - they provide software - you decide if you want to use it or not - if you use it then you use it the way it works - it is amazingly arrogant to think that every piece of software in the world should work the way you personally want it to - it works like it works and in the case of iPhoto it works like it does for a very good reason - it is a SQLite database program and you have to use the database management software to manage the database

     

    If you do not like it then it is very simple - do not use it

     

    LN

  • by fsucujo,

    fsucujo fsucujo Dec 9, 2013 11:08 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 9, 2013 11:08 AM in response to LarryHN

    Here is my question, and I hope it isn't redundant or silly.  I have too many photo's in iphoto and it is clogging my system and filling my hard drive.  I used to use a windows computer and imported all my files and have been using iphoto every since. 

     

    I would like to put the majority of photos on my backup drive.  I have dragged the whole iphoto icon there and it took forever, so I think that copied them, but I can only view those pictures on a mac.  I have another computer i would like to view them on. Is that possible. 

     

    You told me a long time ago to just use iphoto and quit trying to find a way to have them organized anyother way but I am up to almost a hundred GB of pictures. 

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Dec 9, 2013 11:20 AM in response to fsucujo
    Level 10 (141,085 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 9, 2013 11:20 AM in response to fsucujo

    To use the library on the EHD launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and select the library on the EHD in the window that comes up:

     

    xip11option.png

     

    Make sure the backup drive is formatted OS X Extended (journaled) with ownership set to be ignored.

    ignoreownership.PNG

     

    Then any Mac on your LAN which is using the same version of iPhoto as you have can access the library to edit, etc.  It must be the same version!

     

    Happy Holidays

  • by fsucujo,

    fsucujo fsucujo Dec 9, 2013 11:30 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 9, 2013 11:30 AM in response to Old Toad

    That does not solve my problem. I have only one mac and I want my wife and kids to be able to access pictures on their windows computers from the hard drive.

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