using iPhoto with Desktop/Screensaver

Question

using iPhoto with Desktop/Screensaver

It must be something simple, but I've Googled and searched the forum and can't figure it out. I see that apparently this newer version of iPhoto prevents easy access to the folders that contain the actual images. But how you do get the Desktop/Screensaver in Prefs to allow you to select from photos in your iPhoto library? At one point I thought it was importing them, but it spun and spun for a long time, so I canceled. I did access the Originals folder through Finder, created a folder and dragged a few photos to it. I was able to access that folder to select a Desktop pic, but isn't that just making copies and eating up drive space?

Any advice?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2), iTunes 9, iPod Video (and an old iMac running OS 9)

Posted on Dec 7, 2009 6:15 PM

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Answer 1

stedman1

Level 10

265,336 points

Dec 7, 2009 8:02 PM in response to Diane Wordsmith

Hi Diane: Not sure if I'm taking you back over things you have tried, but. Try this: System preferences > Desktop & Screensaver > Select Desktop Tab > In left pane scroll down to iPhoto, click triangle on left. This should open the iPhoto "folder" and you can then select the photo of your choice.

You can also select the photo of your choice from within iPhoto. Select the picture of your choosing, then click share and Set Desktop.

Hope this helps
Stedman

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Answer 2

Dec 7, 2009 8:11 PM in response to stedman1

Thanks, Stedman!

I'm wondering if there was a problem when I migrated my library. When I go to that dialog window in System Prefs, I see iPhoto in the left pane, but there is no triangle next to it to click. Everything looks like it's in my library, but I did have some issues with my Firewire connection while importing it. Maybe I should delete the library and reimport it from my external.

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Answer 3

Dec 7, 2009 8:38 PM in response to stedman1

Thanks ever so much. Your mention of the triangle next to iPhoto indicated to me that the library didn't properly import. I was right. I trashed the current one, recopied the original from my clone backup and dragged it to the Pictures folder. Reopened iPhoto and imported the files. When I returned to System Prefs, I was able to click the triangle and select albums in iPhoto. Thanks again. Your answer did help.

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Answer 4

stedman1

Level 10

265,336 points

Dec 7, 2009 8:41 PM in response to Diane Wordsmith

Hi Diane: Glad it worked, because when your results from my first post didn't align with mine, I was lost. 🙂

Thanks for the Star
Stedman

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Answer 5

Yer_Man

Level 10

166,098 points

Dec 7, 2009 11:03 PM in response to Diane Wordsmith

There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:

*For Users of 10.5 and later*

You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

(Note the above illustration is not a Finder Window. It's the dialogue you get when you go File -> Open)

You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:

Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!

*For users of 10.4 and later* ...

Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:

To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.

This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail

If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.

If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.

*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:

For users of 10.6 and later:
You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.

For Users of 10.4 and later:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser

Other options include:

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.

Regards

TD

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