Edits in IPhoto and then Uploading to Shutterfly

fsujm

We'll go for both your posts in one:

Your modified files are in the iPhoto Package File and you can access them by using one of the following:

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.

And, of course, keep hassling Shutterfly to update their plug in.

To rename the files before you import them to iPhoto, use a batch renamer such as File List ( http://www.manytricks.com/filelist/). As you know, you can add titles in iPhoto and then use those titles as filenames on export. However, there is no way to rename the FILES in iPhoto, and if you do iPhoto will lose track of the files.

Or am I actually better off just importing the photos to iPhoto and letting it store it in the iPhoto library, instead of my setup of just pointing to it?

Yes, you are better off letting iPhoto manage the files. Otherwise, you are responsible for all the file management: Import and delete are multi-stage operations, (when managed, if you delete a file in iPhoto, it's removed from the HD as well, in your system you'll have to trash it by hand). But most important, migrating the library to a new HD or computer is rather more complex.

For my money - and always allowing for personal preference - I've yet to see a good reason to manage the files yourself, unless you're using two file organisers.

Regards

TD

How would I upload files to Shutterfly? I would want to upload the edited files.

When Shutterfly update their plug-in, you select the pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export, and work in the Shutterfly pane of the Export dialogue. Until then, select the pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. and export the pic to the desktop. Attach it to the email browser from there. After the upload is finished trash the file on the desktop - it's only a copy.

The iPhoto Window always gives you the latest version of the pic.

Still allowing iPhoto to handle everything. I would import from my camera via Image Capture to a temp folder, rename via an application that you listed, and then import to iPhoto. Are those the steps?

If you want to name the files in advance that's the way to do it. And after, trash the temp folder.

In iPhoto, how do i get access to my files? What if I want to edit using Adobe?

(You mean apart from the three options above?)

You can set Photoshop (or any 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, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically.

I have read that iPhoto does something funky with the size of the photos

iPhoto does nothing to the photos. IF you tick the box in the dialogue, iPhoto will upload Full Sized pics for downloading from the Web Gallery. AT ALL times, iPhoto keeps the Roiginal file untouched and all operations are carried out on a copy.

Regards

TD

It's very easy to recreate your structure in the iPhoto Window:

1. Go to iPhoto -> Preferences -> Events and UNCHECK the box at Autosplit Events: Imported Itemd from Finder

2. Start at the bottom of your hierarchy and drag each folder of pics to the Source (or left hand) pane in iPhoto. There iPhoto will create an Album and an Event of the same name as the Folder.

3. You can recreate the Enclosing Folders in iPhoto -> File -> New Folder. Folders can contain albums.

Regards

TD