Where does iPhoto store imported photos?

Whatever. It's not an image viewer but you'll twist yourself into all sort of odd positions to try and use it like one. Makes a much sense as writing a novel in Photoshop - somehow possible, but rather pointless when you consider the tools out there designed for the job.

iPhoto does allow you to choose where you store your files - you have unchecked the option to copy the files into the Library package, haven't you? I don't recommend it for many reasons, but there you go. It's the rest of the carry on that makes no sense:

If the folder has been imported before, because I have only added photos to the existing folder, iphoto decides annoyingly to create another event of the same name. I then highlight the two events, right click and hit Merge Events. BAck to one event = one real folder.

If I use Photoshop I always do it outside iphoto and import the subsequent version as above.

If I get tired of the wasted space in the iphoto library I find it and delete it, then import the whole folder structure fresh into iphoto. Cooks the CPU but no harm done.

Let me give you one small tip: If you export as current then you're losing metadata.

Regards

TD

If the folder has been imported before, because I have only added photos to the existing folder, iphoto decides annoyingly to create another event of the same name. I then highlight the two events, right click and hit Merge Events. BAck to one event = one real folder.

If I use Photoshop I always do it outside iphoto and import the subsequent version as above.

If I get tired of the wasted space in the iphoto library I find it and delete it, then import the whole folder structure fresh into iphoto. Cooks the CPU but no harm done.

To explain, The first point is that iphoto is behaving badly (IMHO) creating another event of the same name but with a date qualifier so it makes sense for ME to merge them. If you want iphoto to control your life events as it chooses then ignore the method.

Second point is that my serious edits would be done in RAW and resultant jpgs can be imported after editing. Again this allows me to keep my separate RAW 'negative' files separately. The 'Edit in external editor' option is very slow and has hung my mac several times with the wheel of death.

Final point is, as you will see from many previous posts, when these databases screw up their index they tend to trash your photos. Having an index that can be recreated from the master filesystem rather than a filesystem that is created from the index, the index is disposable and cannot screw up your photo collection.

Yes of course editing any jpeg will lose some metadata every time it is saved. It's a flaw in the jpeg compression The 'current version' held in iphoto has already lost its metadata (it is saved as a jpg in iphoto library) and exporting it does not make it any worse. Also if exported with a suffix a,b,c all versions are available in the mac fielsystem. Exif data is preserved.

Yes of course editing any jpeg will lose some metadata every time it is saved.

You still think that statement is true? Or this

iPhoto preserves the Original file untouched in every operation. You can always revert to the original file.

is untrue?

Both statements are true but not mutually exclusive.

The definition of metadata is ambiguous so replace my word 'metadata' with 'data' and 'exif data' with 'camera/lens data' and I stand by my statements.

Storing the original file alongside the edited 'current' version does not make iphoto a lossless editor. The resulting 'current' jpg produced by iphoto, stored in iphoto library, is smaller in bytes and therefore must have lost data, but the camera data is preserved.

If however you are saying that iphoto displays the current version without loss in some internal format (like .psd in photoshop) then I stand corrected.

I was not expecting such a forensic analysi, and a certain amount of ridicule if I may say so. It does not encourage contributions.

The definition of metadata is ambiguous so replace my word 'metadata' with 'data' and 'exif data' with 'camera/lens data' and I stand by my statements.

No, nothing ambiguous about that at all. Data and Metadata are quite distinct things. Camera and lens data are a small subset of Exif and take no account of IPTC.

Put it this way, you can have an image with out Metadata, but not the other way round.

Storing the original file alongside the edited 'current' version does not make iphoto a lossless editor. The resulting 'current' jpg produced by iphoto, stored in iphoto library, is smaller in bytes and therefore must have lost data, but the camera data is preserved.

Perhaps you need to explore the other exporting options from iphoto. It does not "store the original file alongside the edited current version". Edits are stored in the database and applied to a new file when exporting. You can export in a variety of Jpeg compression schemes. What you're calling an 'edited version' is a Preview. If you want to explore dataloss via Jpeg compression keep on editing that 'current' you're exporting. However, you can edit a shot stored in iPhoto many, many times over and lose no other data. That's what makes it lossless.

Regards

TD

Here's a little case in point, (Not just to Terence, to the community)

Today I got version 9.3 update. After 10 minutes of library "conversion" it said did I really want to delete 1500 photos?

- er, no!, and which photos out of my 10,000 did it think I wanted to delete?

My solution, say cancel, delete the iphoto library and re-import the whole thing again from my stable filesystem folders. 10 minutes and a clean catalogue.

Trusting the app and saying yes was not an option. Don't really care who's to blame this time or what other elegant explanation there is.

Well you know, if you consistently misunderstand and misuse the app, you can expect odd things to happen. I wonder how many other reports of this we'll get.

Were these photos in the iPhoto trash by any chance?

Regards

TD

Ha Ha using iphoto in a way other than total submission to the almighty Apple is not misuse. Any more than changing from two finger click to activated right click should be considered subversive. It's choice within the designed boundaries of the app.

I suspect they were in the iphoto trash as I had recently deleted several events, in which case a more informative message would have been appropriate.

What a load of codswallop. If you misuse Word odd things will happen, or Photoshop, or anything else. If you persist in misung the app don't be surprised if odd things happen.

Just like if you use a Car as a Boat or a Hammer as a Paintbrush. Even you can understand that, right?

There is no submission required. I do find it amusing though that so many people with a Windows background seem to have this obsession with submission. Not sure why. When I do see it though it always because they misunderstand the difference between a File Manager and a database. I'm sure there's a PhD for someone in that.

No idea what you're on about with clicking. But it's all customisable.

So now your complaint is what? Oh, I wish it was a more informative message? Yes, well I'll hand that to you. iPhoto, Apple, MicroSoft, Adobe and Uncle Tom Cobbley could certainly use more informative error messges.

I’m not sure how you can misuse Word, Photoshop

Well written software will adapt to the end users workflow, you should not have to adapt to the software predefined workflow.

Apple seems to have the mentality that our way is the perfect way...

Terrance, you are obvious a smart guy, but every single one of your posts comes across as condescending and defensive. To the point where your arguments increasingly lose credibility. Just something to think about.

Peace be with you..

Well written software will adapt to the end users workflow, you should not have to adapt to the software predefined workflow.

Absolutely right. However, a well written file manager is not the same as a well written Photo Manager. If you use the app in the role it's designed for, you'll find it's pretty flexible. However, if you use it in a different role you'll have problems. It's not a File Manager and it's not a Photo Viewer.

And this is my key point. You don't understand that app you're trying to use:

The whole problem is storing large amounts of binary data in a database is not efficient. It started as a great idea but it’s still better to store a pointer to the actual file. Thus using a database for its actual intent of how you should store data.

And this is exactly what iPhoto does. It does not store large amount of binary data in a database. It stores the files in the Finder. But you keep wanting to manage the files and for that you should use the File Manager. iPhoto is about the Photos. Try work it like that and you might be surprised how effective it is.

But if you can't distinguish between the file and the photo you will just be happier using another app.

"

And this is exactly what iPhoto does. It does not store large amount of binary data in a database. It stores the files in the Finder. But you keep wanting to manage the files and for that you should use the File Manager. iPhoto is about the Photos. Try work it like that and you might be surprised how effective it is."

If you edit RAW files in Photoshop it stores the changes alongside the RAW in the same filesystem folder. Iphoto in contrast stores the changes in the iphoto library even if the master is elsewhere. If you choose to use iphoto as an index/catalog and store masters in your own filesystem folder structure, then the changes would ideally be saved there too.

By the way also most of us do understand the app and would not be happier using another app.

@Terence,

This is where proper education to the end user and Apple’s own employees is key, speaking to an Apple rep in the past it was explained to me that the binary data is stored in the actual database file.

Of course I was told that my Mac could never get a virus as well.. Regardless iPhoto is a nice program but it’s seems really geared to a home end user. I know some will argue the point but all of Apples apps seem to follow that model.

"So, you've been exporting the Preview (Current setting) thinking it was the edited version. It's not. (You could have got better quality output by exporting using other settings.) "

What settings are better than exporting current version?