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Can't import/merge libraries

I have been having this problem for a long time and I am just about to give up on trying to solve it!

Ultimately - I can't merge two libraries. The process gets underway but only ever seems to get to about 80 or 90% (according to the status bar) and then goes no further.

Some more detail - My ideal workflow is to have multiple identical aperture libraries in different locations. One library (approx 16,000 managed images, 50GB) on a portable hard disk, then several others (identical) on different machines (Mac Pro at work, iMac and Mac Mini at home etc). I would then download new photos in to any of my libraries, and then import (File > Import > Library/Project > Merge) that whole library in to the others so that I maintain identical libraries. Sounds simple, and according to what Aperture should be able to do (as I understand it) it should be simple. But when I set the import process going, it just doesn't work.

For example - I recently added 60 new photos in 3 separate projects to my library on my portable disk. No problems. I then try to import that library in to any of my other libraries - The process begins and I can see the 3 new events are created (imported) in to the library, but the process never finishes. I have left it running overnight or longer (close to 24 hours) and the progress bar says 'Merging Library…' but doesn't get past about 80 or 90%. Aperture does not hang - so I am able to quit (not force quit). When I relaunch it, the 3 new projects are there but are empty - there is no sign of the 60 new photos anywhere. Funnily though, when I delete the 3 empty projects, it says there are now 60 items in the trash - but no sign of anything in there.

I'm assuming there is a 'glitch' somewhere in the database that is causing this… I have done a repair/rebuild on each my libraries multiple times but without success.

Notes

  • all of my libraries are created as new (ie File > Switch to library > other/new > create new) or created by exporting all projects/folders/albums etc in entire existing library to a new library.
  • I have tried importing/merging on several different machines (Mac Pro, iMac, Mac Mini, Macbook Pro) but have had the same (failed) results regardless.
  • If I export new items as a separate library (eg the 60 photos in three projects from my previous example), I can then import them successfully in to the other libraries - but this is not ideal as I often make changes to the rest of my library (eg adjustments, keywords etc) which I would like to keep in sync over my multiple libraries.


Perhaps I just need to start over with a brand new library, but if that is the case, how do I get all of my projects/albums/masters/versions along with faces/places/metadata/adjustments/keywords etc etc in to a new library without copying across the 'glitch' in the database of my existing library as well?


Apologies for the long and rambling nature of this post, but I've tried to get all necessary info in here!


I am running the latest versions of Aperture and Snow Leopard

Aperture 3, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Nov 27, 2011 7:41 PM

Reply
6 replies

Dec 1, 2011 4:50 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

@Tony I can (and for the most part do) just use the one portable drive... but I like to keep multiple duplicate libraries so that I don't have to rely on always having my portable HDD on me. I also like the idea of having backups in different physical locations.

Yes I have run disk utility


@Frank My portable drive is USB2. I generally always keep the Activity window open but find it very unhelpful when importing/merging libraries as it doesn't report that any activity is happening (there is a seperate dialog box which doesn't give any details... just says "merging libraries...")


It definately seems to be an issue with my library, not my hardware. I think I may have solved it (sort of): I exported my entire library on my portable HDD to a brand new library (so I now have two libraries on my portable), then used that new library to import in to other libraries on my other computers. I have tried importing/merging it in to two of my other libraries so far and it has worked once and failed once... I think I might export the 'good' library again (to my other computers) and then try importing/merging sometime down the track when I have some new projects/photos to test with.

It all seems to be getting quite complex for what hoped would be a reasonably easy workflow! 🙂

Dec 1, 2011 5:54 PM in response to Richard Lef

Richard Lef wrote:

It all seems to be getting quite complex for what hoped would be a reasonably easy workflow! 🙂

It's an "easy" idea -- have four Libraries on four machines and keep them in sync -- but a very hard practice, both technically and behaviorally.


I agree with Tony Gay -- I would find it _much_ less fuss to keep my Library on a dedicated FW800 drive (7200 rpm, large cache) and keep it with me, than to remember where I worked last and which machine/location has the most recent Versions and which machine/locations have which other Versions, worked on when and where ... .


Another alternative -- not inexpensive -- is to dedicate a laptop to Aperture. I work regularly in three locations, and keep good big second monitors at two of them.


If you insist on keeping your general set-up, you might try making a large more-or-less "archive" Library and cloning it to each location, and also making a much smaller "working" Library of current work. You could sync this smaller Library the way you currently are, and then periodically merge it back to the "archive" Library at each location. Fwiw, I still don't think this is a work-able long-term set-up.

Can't import/merge libraries

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