What is iPod Photo Cache for?

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Level 2

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What is iPod Photo Cache for?

I have all of my photos arranged under individual folders in My Pictures under My Documents. This way, when I go to Photos on the touch I see the groupings instead of every photo lumped together. But there is another folder - which I didn't create - called iPod Photo Cache. In it are folders named F00, F01, ... . In each of them are four files, called Tnnn.ithmb (nnn is a 3-digit number). Each is exactly 656 KB, and is designated as a ITHMB file (whatever that is).

Does anyone know what this (these) are? I assume the iPod created this folder initially. It seems like duplication of every photo I have. The name sounds like thumb files, and there are thumbs for all of the photos of course, but not 656 KB each! That bigger than some of the photos themselves! Can I just delete this folder?

Posted on Dec 31, 2007 6:55 AM

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Answer 1

Phi Guy Author

Level 2

301 points

Dec 31, 2007 7:47 AM in response to Phi Guy

Additional data: The +My Pictures+ folder is currently 128 MB in size. Inside that are the different folders with all my pictures, which collectively add up to around 41.6 MB. The remaining +iPod Photo Cache+ folder is 86.6 MB. So the size has trippled over the base set of pictures without any apparent benefit. It is as if the cache folder has simply copied every photo, taking twice the size needed to do it!

Any ideas?

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Answer 2

Dec 31, 2007 8:20 AM in response to Phi Guy

Good question...I too just loaded some photos to iTouch and have wondered the same thing.....I also wonder if I can delete the iTouch Cache and lose the photos or not?

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Answer 3

Phi Guy Author

Level 2

301 points

Dec 31, 2007 8:34 AM in response to lovesongs

Actually, Apple has an answer for this on this support section, which I found by Googling it!:

+When using iTunes to sync photos to iPod photo, iTunes creates a folder called iPod photo Cache in the top level of the folder you selected for your photos. Picking another folder to sync does not erase the previous iPod photo Cache.+

+Depending on how many photos are being synced, the hard drive could fill up.+

+Drag the folder named iPod photo Cache to the Trash or Recycle Bin.+

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Answer 4

Dec 31, 2007 10:39 AM in response to Phi Guy

yeah when you sync photos iTunes will sometimes resize or adjust photos to 'optomise' their viewing on the iPod. it creates this folder to store the better images before transfering to the ipod.

i don't know this but im pretty sure.

Rory

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