An intelligent way to import already existing directory structure to Aperture

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Level 4

1,270 points

An intelligent way to import already existing directory structure to Aperture

Hello,

is there an intelligent way to import already existing big directory structure of photographs (over 2TB) archive into Aperture?

I have my catalogue on a disk created in a way:

date - short shot description (i.e. “2011-02-14 Name Surname (portrait)”)

Originals

Converted

PSD

Final

I would like, when importing “date - short description”, it to become an Aperture Project with the same name and subfolders Originals, Converted, PSD and Final to become Aperture Albums or Folders in that Project.

The only way I found is to create a Project and Albums in that project manually and then import all the pictures from the corresponding folders, one-by-one, to Aperture’s Albums. I use references only to preserve the current archive structure on a disk as well.

thank you for your time.

Posted on Apr 17, 2011 6:04 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Frank Caggiano

Level 7

25,979 points

Apr 17, 2011 7:04 AM in response to Munas

You can try and experiment with the various options in File->Import Folders as Projects, specifically the option Import Folders as to see if you get what you are looking for but I doubt you will get exactly what you are looking for.

One way to achieve your goal would be to import the projects and then once that is done create the other entities (either folders or Albums) once and then paste them into each project.

The only way to truly automate this would be to write an Applescript and unless this is an ongoing requirement by the time you developed the script you could have just created the structure and pasted into the projects.

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Answer 2

Munas Author

Level 4

1,270 points

Apr 17, 2011 1:16 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

Thank you Frank,

your suggestion to "<...>experiment with the various options in File->Import Folders as Projects<...>" at first made me suspicious - is there are anything to experiment with .... and voilá changin default value of field Import folders As -> Folders as projects to Projects and Albums made my imported pictures landing in a way exactly I need.

Thank you very much. You made my day 🙂

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Answer 3

Apr 17, 2011 2:16 PM in response to Munas

Glad it help, thanks for the star.

One of the best ways to learn any system, hardware, software or anything in between is to play with it. But to be comfortable playing with something like Aperture you need to have a robust backup plan in place. Once you know no matter what you do you can always back out you'll be surprised how fast you can pick things up.

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