iPhoto '11 Fixes Library Syncing Problem?

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iPhoto '11 Fixes Library Syncing Problem?

iPhoto '08 libraries didn't play well with Portable Home Directories, resulting in lots of syncing errors. (There's a lot of information about elsewhere.)

Has anyone had an opportunity to test iPhoto '11 with Portable Home Directories to see if the problem with syncing iPhoto library bundles has been fixed?

I've done some preliminary testing and, so far, it's actually looking pretty good. I haven't seen a sync error yet in my testing with 10.6.4 clients and a 10.5.8 server.

Anyone else?

Xserve G5, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Oct 27, 2010 10:32 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 27, 2010 11:38 AM in response to Steve Rhyne

I've recently broken into the world of Mac OS X Server and I have had nothing but problems with the iPhoto libraries and portable home directories to the extent that I have had to kick the iPhoto library out of the sync process.

Since your post how has your experience been with iPhoto '11 and PHD's? If the problem is fixed then I will have to upgrade so that users can take their libraries with them!

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Answer 2

Jan 7, 2011 5:06 AM in response to Steve Rhyne

I've had a good opportunity to test iPhoto '11 an PHD's.

IPhoto libraries that are pre-iphoto '11 don't work over PHD's, even once they have been upgraded. The home sync manager tries to copy the whole library on each sync back are fore to the client machine/server. I installed iPhoto '11 on the 10.6 server machine and this didn't fix it either.

When working with new iPhoto '11 libraries and PHD's I found the best method was to sync the library at login/logout. If iPhoto as opened (regardless whether changes were made) the Login/Logout sync was delayed for around 30 - 50 seconds before the client machine would continue.

I checked the the server's processes during the login/logout pause and I found that the mds process was working a little harder during this time, but only by up to 5% at the most. It seems that the Sync system is still having big problems with the iPhoto package file.

It seems to me that if Apple took the library back to a folder rather than a package and then hid the sensitive folders/files they didn't ant users to fiddle then this problem would be resolved.

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