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How do I delete pictures permanently from albums and library?

I've got a multi-part question... How do I permanently delete a picture from an album and have it automatically deleted from my library? That's the first part... and the easiest part!...

I might have a lot of pictures in one particular album... and then I've created other smaller albums with various pictures from some of the larger albums... then I want to delete a lot of pictures that I'm not interested in taking up any more space on my HD... So, I'd like to delete the larger albums and delete permanently from my library at the same time all those photos that AREN'T in ANY of the other smaller albums. I wouldn't want to delete permanently from my HD any of the photos that I organized into my smaller albums. So my question is... If I try to permanently delete the pictures in the larger albums (from both that album and the HD) and some of those pictures are also in other smaller albums, will the photos simultaneously be deleted from the smaller albums, as well?

If so, then how would I go about permanently deleting photos from both an album and the library that are already in various different places in various different albums. I would only want to delete permanently from the library those photos that AREN'T in any other current albums.

Along those same lines... Now that I've got a lot of pictures in different albums on iPhoto, how do I go about permanently deleting from the Library all those photos that currently aren't placed in any albums?

Thanks a lot,
Bill

PowerBook G4, Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Posted on Feb 15, 2008 5:54 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Feb 15, 2008 8:34 PM

Bill,

How do I permanently delete a picture from an album and have it automatically deleted from my library?


Normally, deleting a photo from an album only removes it from that one album. To remove it from the Library, type Option-Delete, or Option-Drag the photo from an album to your iPhoto trash. The photo will be deleted from your library after you empty the iPhoto trash.

If I try to permanently delete the pictures in the larger albums (from both that album and the HD) and some of those pictures are also in other smaller albums, will the photos simultaneously be deleted from the smaller albums, as well?


Yes. If you remove a photo from your Library, it is removed from every album, slideshow, book, etc. A photo must be in your Library in order to be in any album or product.

...how do I go about permanently deleting from the Library all those photos that currently aren't placed in any albums?


Create a Smart Album with the category "Album" "is not" "any." Then delete the photos from the smart album.

Note: Deleting a photo from a Smart Album WILL remove it from your entire Library. This behavior is different from standard albums. Since a photo is assigned to a Smart Album because it meets the criteria for the SA, it is assumed that if you do not want that photo in the SA then you must not want it in your library at all. Otherwise, if you wish to keep the photo in your library but not in the SA, change the criteria of the photo so that it no longer belongs in the SA.

For cleaning up your library with regards to the large and smaller albums, you can use Smart Albums to locate groups of photos. Something like "Album - is - large album" plus "Album - is not - small album 1" plus "Album - is not - small album 2" etc. That should gather those photos that you don't want. Select the photos in that smart album, then delete, then empty the iPhoto trash.

Regards.
3 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Feb 15, 2008 8:34 PM in response to William Cimikoski

Bill,

How do I permanently delete a picture from an album and have it automatically deleted from my library?


Normally, deleting a photo from an album only removes it from that one album. To remove it from the Library, type Option-Delete, or Option-Drag the photo from an album to your iPhoto trash. The photo will be deleted from your library after you empty the iPhoto trash.

If I try to permanently delete the pictures in the larger albums (from both that album and the HD) and some of those pictures are also in other smaller albums, will the photos simultaneously be deleted from the smaller albums, as well?


Yes. If you remove a photo from your Library, it is removed from every album, slideshow, book, etc. A photo must be in your Library in order to be in any album or product.

...how do I go about permanently deleting from the Library all those photos that currently aren't placed in any albums?


Create a Smart Album with the category "Album" "is not" "any." Then delete the photos from the smart album.

Note: Deleting a photo from a Smart Album WILL remove it from your entire Library. This behavior is different from standard albums. Since a photo is assigned to a Smart Album because it meets the criteria for the SA, it is assumed that if you do not want that photo in the SA then you must not want it in your library at all. Otherwise, if you wish to keep the photo in your library but not in the SA, change the criteria of the photo so that it no longer belongs in the SA.

For cleaning up your library with regards to the large and smaller albums, you can use Smart Albums to locate groups of photos. Something like "Album - is - large album" plus "Album - is not - small album 1" plus "Album - is not - small album 2" etc. That should gather those photos that you don't want. Select the photos in that smart album, then delete, then empty the iPhoto trash.

Regards.

How do I delete pictures permanently from albums and library?

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