Are there easy instructions on how to get my photos into iPhoto and then get rid of them elsewhere?
Launch iPhoto and import the photos (File ==> import or drag them to the iPhoto window or drag them to the iPhoto icon in the dock) - once they are imported (assuming that you have not changed the default preference to "copy imported items to the iPhoto library") you can delete the source photo
I thought, from the help files, all I had to do is drag whatever I want to the iPhoto library file and all the good things would happen but this hasn't been the case.
That is correct - you must never make any changes of any sort to the contents of the iPhoto library - all manipulation of the iPhoto library must be done by iPhoto - there are no user serviceable parts within it.
I also need to move the pics to an external hard drive as my old 80G drive is near full.
To move the iPhoto library simply quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library intact as a single entity to the external drive - depress the option (alt) key and launch iPhoto - select the new library location - once you have tested the library in the new location you can delete the old one -- be sure to update your backup procedures to reflect the new iPhoto library location and be sure that the external drive is online and available anytime you launch iPhoto
Also it would be really good to go through the iPhoto tutorials -
http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#iphoto - iPhoto is a very powerful relational database program and there is some learning curve - this will save you time and trouble in the long run
LMN
Message was edited by: LarryHN