What is the best way to delete files from Aperture (version master)?

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Level 1

21 points

What is the best way to delete files from Aperture (version master)?

I have noticed an inconsistent behavior by Aperture while trying to delete files. Or probably I haven't got a hang of how Aperture treats files to be deleted. By delete, I mean, permanently removing a version and its master image from my hard disk. (I store my images in my hard disk outside of Aperture i.e. use the referenced file approach). Over the past few months, I identified 100s of images as 'Rejected' by selecting 9 as their rating, and then deleting all these files by selecting 'Delete Master Image and all Versions' from the File menu. And then emptying my Trash, both in Aperture and on my system. However, later on when I visited their respective folders on my hard disk where the masters are stored, all of them were still present.

However, when I individual delete a file by selecting 'Delete Master Image and all Versions' (as against rating them as x and then collectively deleting all rejected files), and then go ahead to empty my Trash, I notice that the master file has been deleted.

Can someone help explain/ resolve this?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.1), Intel Core i7, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD

Posted on Jan 19, 2012 4:08 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Frank Caggiano

Level 7

25,969 points

Jan 19, 2012 6:22 AM in response to hibhaven

When you delete a referenced master and then empty the Aperture trash the confirmation window Aperture presents will ask you if you also want to move any referenced masters to the trash. You need to select this in order to delete the master from your HD. If you do not select this option the referenced master is left where it is in the HD

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Answer 2

hibhaven Author

Level 1

21 points

Jan 20, 2012 2:49 AM in response to hibhaven

Thanks Frank. I realized this too. But then, isnt that funny. If we are already selecting 'Delete Master file and all versions' from the drop down menu, it should delete all Master files by default too. The option to move referenced masters to the trash is very misleading.

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Answer 3

Jan 20, 2012 5:43 AM in response to hibhaven

I believe the reason for this is as follows;

Because referenced masters are outside of the Aperture library and the user has chosen to do this there is a chance that the user is using the masters in another application in addition to Aperture so it's a good thing that Aperture doesn;t just assume that you want to delete the masters in this case.

With managed masters the files are in the Aperture library and there is no way for another program to access them so in this case it's safe to delete them.

regards

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Answer 4

Jul 13, 2012 1:15 AM in response to hibhaven

I did a different approach, as I have all my photos on a NAS and the dialog will not allow me to delete files on the remote machine (only local referenced files will works as the marked solution):

1. Go through your shoot and mark the ones to reject.

2. Go to the RECENT-leftmenu: Rejected, Select all

3. File --> Relocate Originals... move them to a new folder on the NAS (or anywhere you like).

4. Delete in Aperture

5. Empty Aperture Trash

6. Manually delete the referenced files moved in step 3.

Now you do not need to worry about all those rejected files still taking up storage space on your drive.

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Answer 5

Jul 12, 2014 12:30 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

I believe the described procedure is not valid any longer, at least not with Aperture 3.5.1.

In the online help I find:

"When you delete a referenced original from Aperture, you can specify whether the photo’s version is placed in the Aperture Trash. When you empty the Aperture Trash, the link to the original is deleted, but the original remains in its current location in the Finder."

That is independent from whatever option you choose when emptying the Aperture Trash bin.

A substantial drawback with Aperture when using referenced masters, as it leaves you with double-work to get rid of photos.

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