Syncing iphoto between computers

Question

Level 1

0 points

Syncing iphoto between computers

I have a large Iphoto library containing 100's of HD video and photos (circa200GB). I need to sync the library accross three computers so that additions,deletions,changes to the iphoto library on one computer is mirrored in the other Iphoto libraries. I am trying to avoid having to copy the whole library across to each Mac every time there is a change, as this exercise takes 24 hours each time per computer. Is there a way to sync the libraries so that only changes are copied? I have tried goodsync for mac which is normally excellent, except that in iphoto it wants to split it up into its constituent sub file upon sync....this then means the recipient mac wont read the library changes.

Any thoughts?

Mac pro, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Dec 1, 2010 11:57 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,314 points

Dec 2, 2010 12:35 AM in response to Yamaha140

I need to sync the library accross three computers so that additions,deletions,changes to the iphoto library on one computer is mirrored in the other Iphoto libraries.

This is bi-directional copying and you cannot do this with automatically with iPhoto. No Syncing software is capable of parsing the iPhoto Library in this manner. One or both of your Libraries will be damaged if you try this.

You can have uni-directional copying - files in Library A are copied to Library B - this is essentially backing up. Obviously you can also copy from Library B to Library A.

The nearest you can get to syncing is to use iPhoto Library Manager to move files/Albums/Events plus associated metadata between Libraries. This process cannot be automated.

An alternative: Move the Library to an external disk (formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and share that Library with the three machines.

Regards

TD

Reply

Answer 2

Yamaha140 Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 2, 2010 11:24 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks, at present we are uni - directional copying at present but this takes about 48 hours per copy as we are moving circa 200gb of data that is contained in the iphoto library. Ideally, we really only want to move the files that have changed rather than everything in order to save time. It would be nice to be only copying maybe the 1gb that has been edited and changed rather than the whole library.

Unfortunatly, the sharing idea does not not work with HD video files - videos stall and the sound/video become unsynced. It appears that network and disc read write speeds fast enough to cope with uncompressed HD .mov files as used in iphoto.

Perhaps there is another application which has the same great cataloging functions as iphoto which is syncable- do you know of one?

I presume the iphoto copy function is the library manager feature you are referring to, we have already used this to specify either a file, event or the whole library to copy. howvever quite often small changes are being to multiple events and therefore trying to capture and catalogue all the files to copy is tedious.

Reply

Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,314 points

Dec 3, 2010 1:24 AM in response to Yamaha140

If you're content with Uni-Directional copying - that is:

I have a Library on Machine A and I want copies on Machines B and C

and you want to copy over the changes, then use an app that will do incremental back ups of the Library. So, the first time you run it it will copy the entire Library from Machine A to Machines B and C, thereafter it will only copy the changes, and so keep libraries B and C up-to-date with A - obviously a much faster process.

Examples of such apps: Chronosync, DejaVu and there are many others - search on MacUpdate.

this takes about 48 hours per copy

Wireless connection? Try a wired one - take about 45 hours off the process of copying the entire library!

Perhaps there is another application which has the same great cataloging functions as iphoto which is syncable- do you know of one

I don't, frankly. Syncing (where defined as *multi-directional copying*) is one of those things that seems quite obvious and basic to the user, but it is a bear to actually programme and can be tricky to set up - just ask anyone who has wiped the AddressBook while trying to sync with their phone, for instance.

I presume the iphoto copy function is the library manager feature

I was referring to the facility in iPhoto Library Manager to copy a specific Album and/or Event between libraries.

Regards

TD

Reply

Answer 4

Yamaha140 Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 3, 2010 4:11 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks for this advice - i have checked out your links and experiment.

Reply