iPhoto '11 referenced library problems

Which is exactly why

However there is no advantage at all to a referenced library and it creates many problems like (but not limited to) the difficulty in changing the path which makes upgrading hardware or replacing defective hardware difficult to impossible -- Referenced libraries are strongly not recommended now

Given many issues and no advantage it is simply best not to use them

LN

This is one of the main reasons for using Aperture, which seamlessly moves between referenced and managed files. It's only $80!

Correct - and with the current version of Aperture and iPhoto you can share the same library so it can fix the iPhoto side you you can use the one you like best ost of the time using the other ony wehn it has something you want

LN

Dear Larry & Odysseus,

I envy your enthusiasm. But this won't help. I want software that I buy to work! This was also how I perceived Apple software IN THE PAST. Now it seems my Windows systems are more robust that my Macs 😟. And I won't to spend 80$ extra just to do it what it is supposed to do.

Anyways just to mention it: my iPhoto data base entries seem to have the right paths to the right place - e.g. /Volumes/Public/myfolder/pic001.jpg . The issue is somewhere where the actual linek between the mount folder and the actual network address happens. Does somebody know if there is some mechanism inside iPhoto or is this purely the job of the system or Samba?

Thank you

You are aware of the following from Apple, right?

It's from Aperture: Use locally mounted Mac OS X Extended volumes for your Aperture library

(Since Aperture and iPhoto now share the same library it also applies to iPhoto).

Resolution

Always use a locally mounted Mac OS X Extended formatted volume to store your Aperture library. Mac OS X Extended is the only file system supported by Aperture.

If you store your Aperture library on a volume that is formatted FAT32 (a file system commonly used on Windows PCs), you may encounter issues including poor performance, data corruption, and data loss. Referenced images stored on FAT32 volumes may sporadically go offline. Many external drives come pre-formatted as FAT32. Use Disk Utility to format new external hard drives as Mac OS X Extended before using them with Aperture. For instructions on how to do so, see the steps in Format external drives to Mac OS Extended before using with Aperture.

Also, it is strongly recommended that the Aperture library be stored on a locally mounted hard drive. Storing the Aperture library on a network share can also lead to poor performance, data corruption, or data loss.

OT

Sorry but when you insist on doing things that are known problems you have no one to blam but yourself when those problems occur as predicted

Which is exactly why

However there is no advantage at all to a referenced library and it creates many problems like (but not limited to) the difficulty in changing the path which makes upgrading hardware or replacing defective hardware difficult to impossible -- Referenced libraries are strongly not recommended now

Given many issues and no advantage it is simply best not to use them

Your choice - but the solution is to either use Aperture which handles referenced libraries fine or to ues iPhoto with a managed library - Your choice but if you continue on the path that is proven to be a problem then you wioll continue to have problems - That is all that the users here can tell you - you are free to do anything you want but there is no current solution known

LN

"However there is no advantage at all to a referenced library"

Disagree whole heartedly.

I am quite suprised that the ability to share photos, videos, or music is such a pain with iPhoto and or iTunes. Really. I love our Mac's but I'm shocked that sharing across a local home network using these apps just *****. Compared to my old school, Windows, XNView and Winamp setup of the past.

The primary advantge of a referenced iPhoto library is the fact that the image files can live on a shared resource like an NAS (this btw is the advantage for music and videos too.) Then my wife, son or anyone else I choose to give access can simply open their chosen viewer/player and view, listen to whatever they want when they want it. Or if they want greater control they too can created their own referenced libraries to allow for things like tagging, face recognition or star ratings in music and video files... Arrghhh. Why is this not obvious!

<Edited by Host>

Or if they want greater control they too can created their own referenced libraries to allow for things like tagging, face recognition or star ratings in music and video files

So, you want a central store of files on a NAS and each person can create their own personal, referenced library on their own Mac.

Sounds good, and doing so with Aperture is trivial as it has the tools for the job. Mind you, those tools have to be used very carefully, as one person making changes can destroy someone else's library. But trying that with iPhoto risks a world of pain: So, if you want to move all your images to another disk, for instance, you can't without making a very large amount of work for yourself, reconnecting each image one by one, or by a crash course in hacking SQL databases. If for any reason the path to the file changes then iPhoto risks losing the image and has no easy quick way to repair itself. So that means if you rename the files, rename the folders, move the images to another disk... in any of these situations you will cause problems for the iPhoto Library. So you need to think carefully and look to the future. If you run a Referenced Library, will you need more disk space in the future? If you will there's no easy way to do that with iPhoto.

This is doubly true when you have the photos on one volume or disk and the Library on another. If the path changes you will have an awful lot of work to do repairing the Library.

These apps are concieved as single user apps. One person, their own Library. The sort of usage you're looking for is perfectly possible, and you do it in the same way as you did on Windows. Files managed by the file manager, using a Viewer to look at them. Limited, not non-destructive, but if that's what you want, go for it.

iPhoto has no cross patform capability - if that is a requirement a referenced library is not the answer since it does not give you any cross platform capability either - the answer is to use a program that does have cross platform capability

In your specific you have no advantages over a managed library and you of course have all of teh disadvantages of a referenced library - you can accomplish exactly what you suggest with less effort and no downside by simply loading your photos to the NAS and importing from there into a managed iPhoto library - exactly your set up with none of the major problems associated with iPhoto referenced libraries

Yes Virgina there is NO advantage in a referenced library in iPhoto

LN

Not quite. No cross platform required any longer we are a full apple house now.

In your method there would be duplicated images those on the NAS and those on the individual computers. Still I can see the possibility of running small subset of photos in a managed library in iPhoto not unlike keeping a small subset of music and videos in iTunes in the same fashion. It would not be as simple as a pure NAS system. Especially considering the simplicity of backup which only requires me to clone the single media drive on regular intervals.

I am happy to report a couple of discoveries for those looking for a similarly simple solution.

1. XnView runs beautifully on the Mac now and supports batch itpc tagging, a wonderfully open tagging methodology that allow organization beyond basic file browsers, amongst a host of other excellent features. Along with a simple import app that has the ability the store photos based on itpc data by year and month I'm happy.

2. My router an Asus rtn66u provides a USB cloud server built in that allows me to view media from this same drive even on my iPad and iPhone devices, another issue I was struggling with!

And here I thought I was doomed :) We'll there is the Apple TV now... Hmmm. Airplay!

Cheers and good luck on your efforts to find a system that works for you all.

G

HELP

Pascal---I have rebuilt my library without making backups (not my intent, just happened somewhat accidently), is there anyway to recover the orginials downloaded on my hard drive in my iPhoto library? What you described makes me think I can, however I do not think I can "do" what you described, would you recommend genious bar or should I take notebook to trustworthy techy and have them try your procedure?

ReCry wrote:

HELP

sorry but you give absolutely no information except that you have a problem of some indefined sort

ANd since this tread is very old (2 1/2 years) and may or may not pertain to your version (undefined) of iPhoto, OS or problem it would be best for you to start a new thread with a clear and concise description of the problem and details about your system and the software versions

LN

Your technical wisdom is beyond my comprehension, I have rebuilt iphoto (somewhat accidently) and my photos are of course not in the new library. Unfortunately, i did not backup my last round of photos and now I'm wondering if those are lost or I can find them. After reading your post I'm hopeful, but have no idea how to what you described. Is this something Genious Bar would be able to hlep me with? Or should I take my notebook to one of my Techy friends? Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I have about 150 photos I'd like to find.

The forum is acting up today and some posts are not showing up. The above I copied from the ASC email.

You have to give us more information than what you have:

With the amount of information you've provided it's impossible to offer a potential solution. We can't see your computer so we need to know the details of your problem and setup, i.e.:

• what version of iPhoto are you using?
• what system version are you running?
• what exactly are you trying to do?
• what fixes have you tried?
• where is your library located?
• did you apply any updates or upgrades just prior to the problem occurring?
• are you running a "managed" or "referenced" library?

• what type of Mac?
• how much free space on your boot drive?

Hi Pascal, I've the same problem here.

Switching from a Mac to another many files have the old HD reference.

I've entered inside library.apdp but I have not resolved.

First of all in the RKMaster table I've tried to change the "fileVolumeUuid" with the correct one... nothing happen.

Then I've tried to change the volume inside the "RKVolume", changing diskUuid with the correct one, but leaving all the other field the same.

When I relaunched iPhoto, it has seen the change and it rebuilded the library but... nothing change since then. The same error in many pictures.

Please can you help me? What the field I've to change?

Thanks in advance

Danilo