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User profile for user: qBallOz
qBallOz Author
User level: Level 1
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How long to import an iPhoto Library? What settings....? Arrrrgh!!

I have now been importing (leaving images in the iPhoto Library) for over 4 hours now.

My iPhoto Lib is 240Gb with 45k photos and an hour or so of Video. I am running an iMac i7 with latest OSx and 4 Gb RAM

Aperture is 'grinding' away and has consumed the available RAM and a lot of the processor.


With this process running the system is almost unusable and at times freezes. I have found that Time Machine (which kicks in every hour) causes a massive lock where the two processes seem to be competing over the same patch of land... Turning this off has helped.


Initially I tried an import "to 'Pictures' " which I left running overnight, however the system settings sent the machine to sleep before it was finished and I had to force quit on resuming this morning. I then tried to 'resume' the import selecting "No Duplicates" however the import was starting from scratch again. This may have only been events/projects but it was simply taking for ever.


An initial import of a folder from "iPhoto Browser" view did not pull through the GPS or faces or other project data - so I decided a full import was required.


My end goal is to work out the best setup of the different import options for me.

What's better and what are the pro's 'n' con's of loading images into the Aperture Library or leaving in the iPhoto Lib? What about in folders in 'My Pictures"?


After reading through some of these forums I have noted that there are a few of the "consumer" functions which Aperture does not have I will still want to use the card/calendar features of iPhoto - what might be the best setup for me?


It's a bit confusing when looking to transition from iPhoto...... I've tried reading through the support pages and watched the How To vids - but I cannot find a Why do it this way or that way....?


Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated


Thanks


qBall

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Jan 1, 2012 7:34 PM

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6 replies
User profile for user: qBallOz
qBallOz Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 21, 2012 4:29 PM in response to qBallOz

So - after a lot of playing around this is what I have sorted out.


  1. Aperture is pretty awsome 😍
  2. Cannot possibly go back to iPhoto now....
  3. ....but will still need iPhoto for some of the 'Grandparent' stuff like cards and calendars! 😁


On the setup/installation side when importing from iPhoto, depending on library size - expect this to take a significant amount of time.


  1. Turn off TimeMachine
  2. Disable 'sleep' in Energy Saver
  3. Set import up and let it run overnight!


I have imported my entire iPhoto library both into Aperture and 'in place' to see what is the best way to make it work/run and performance etc.


Thinking that I would not want to duplicate a massive library file - I wanted to see if there was any performance or other like issues with either method, and if there was any siginificant space savings of doing either.


Here are some stats:

On file sizes:

  1. iPhoto Library 230.36 GB
  2. Aperture 'Leave in current location' Library 26.48 GB
  3. Aperture 'In Aperture' Library 216.27 GB


On Time to import:

  1. Aperture 'Leave in current location' Library 8+ hours (this was before i worked out to turn off timemachine)
  2. Aperture 'In Aperture' Library - overnight..? It just worked this time!


On Opening Aperture: Average time taken until application is fully responsive

  1. Aperture 'Leave in current location' Library -> 2m:35s
  2. Aperture 'In Aperture' Library -> 1m:16s


On Exit with Update to previews: (obviously this has a lot to do with changes in your library)

  1. Aperture 'Leave in current location' Library -> 7m:40s !!!!!
  2. Aperture 'In Aperture' Library -> 2m


Using Aperture

I could not find much difference in creating slide shows, editing images or working with faces/locations etc once Aperture was loaded with either library. The big difference seems to be in the post processing of libraries once imported. With the 'In location' library this seemed to take 'days' as each time I opened this library I had massive lags and delays and became frustrated so went back to the 'In Aperture" library.


Now this processing is complete I also find the Application is running well and not completly hogging all the RAM/Processor available. I am now comfortably able to run Aperture, Web browser and another profile on the iMac without too many performance issues!


Still looking at how 'going back to iPhoto' using the Aperture library combinations might work - aaarrrrggggh - can I really be bothered ????



Summary

For me I am going to use the In Aperture setup. Performance is greater and the library size is smaller.


If looking to import a large iPhoto Library I suggest:

  1. Turn off all background and other programs which could steal any processing power/RAM
  2. Run it overnight
  3. Import with the 'In Aperture' option
  4. Be prepared for the 'post processing' and allow this to complete before you become concerned bout the performance
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User profile for user: William Lloyd
William Lloyd
User level: Level 7
21,311 points

Sep 13, 2013 9:13 AM in response to CNagappa

This information is totally out of date and no longer relevant.


If you are using the latest versions of iPhoto and Aperture there is NO IMPORT NECESSARY. You just go to Apertue and choose "switch to Library" and open the iPhoto library. They use the EXACT same library, and you never import anything or have to wait or do any conversion of any sort.

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User profile for user: CNagappa
CNagappa
User level: Level 1
0 points

Sep 13, 2013 3:57 PM in response to William Lloyd

Thanks for the updated information. This is nice to know.


However, I had already run the import last night and now have a separate iPhoto and Aperture libraries!


Today I tried the "switch to library" to access my iPhoto library ftom Aperture and compare performance with the native Aperture library. It seems both modes are equally fast (after disabling faces in Aperture).


So my conclusion is that the import is not necessary if one already has an iPhoto library.


In general I am impressed how fast Aperture is in comparison to iPhoto.

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How long to import an iPhoto Library? What settings....? Arrrrgh!!

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