how to find duplicate photo s in i photo

There are two apps, actually one app and one Applescript script, for finding and removing duplicate photos from iPhoto. They are:

Duplicate Annihilator

iPhoto AppleScript to Remove Duplicates

The script is free and only identifies the duplicates by adding "duplicate" to the photo's description field and requires you to determine which of the two duplicate photos you want to keep. DA does the same but will move the duplicate photo to the Trash bin.

OT

I've ported the Aperture Duplicate Detector (ADD) to work with iPhoto. I wrote it for myself, but others have found it useful too. Currently ADD for iPhoto is in beta testing, so I'd appriciate any feedback if you try it. It can be downloaded from ADD iPhoto.

I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

<Edited by Host>

I've found a couple more apps that can do the job:

iPhoto Library Manager,

Duplicate Cleaner for iPhoto - free

Duplicate Annihilator

iPhoto Applescript to Remove Duplicates - free

OT

There's also Duplifinder. It's very simple to use, and compares photos' contents instead of filenames or file sizes.

However, Dupfinder won't work with iPhoto. It can find duplicate image files on a hard drive but the user would have to located those files manually in iPhoto and delete them so as not to damage the library's database file.

Finding and removing image files via the Finder or Terminal doesn't take into the account that all changes must be registered in the iPhoto library's database file.

I think maybe there are 2 apps called Duplifinder out there?

Here's a review of the one I'm talking about: http://www.macgasm.net/2011/02/12/remove-iphoto-duplicates-duplifinder/

It actually only works with iPhoto. It doesn't work with other file types.

That is an entirely different app than the command line one I found. It will detect dups in iPhoto and just move them to the trash, leaving it up to you to apply the final coup de grâce.

Toad

You have always been so helpful to me out there in Temecula. I have this huge issue with duplicates in iPhoto. I've tried to follow the advice you and others have offered here on the boards about Duplicate Annihilator and iPhoto Library Manager. Problem is, they haven't worked. iPhoto Library Manager does seem to be the fastest of the bunch (Duplicate Annihilator ran for days). Problem is, even though it found 10,000 duplicates in one of my libraries, I still have thousands more. Does it only work with the title? I almost never title photos, but as you know, sometimes iPhoto will assign a different name to duplicates, adding -1, or something like that. Thus, even the arbitrary titles often don't match. Does that make a difference?

I'm tearing my hair out. I have entire duplicate events, and one library is 32,000 photos. I am trying to consolidate where I have only one library, and my guess is, truth be known, I only have about 10,000 real photos I want to keep.

Do you have any thoughts?

Phil Rogers

Chicago

I found another application that I've tested on a limited basis:

PhotoSweeper - $9.95 - This app can search by comparing the image's bitmaps or histograms thus finding duplicates with different file names and dates.

One user, tmilwaukee, praised this app very highly in this topic: iphoto has duplicated many photos, how...: Apple Support Communities

It relies on the bitmap and/or histogram of the image itself.

Thanks very much! I will try it and give you a report back. I really appreciate your guidance. Got to do something. I just bought a new iMac and wanted to start fresh.

I will give you a full review, once i try it.

Merry Christmas!

That would be great to get a full review of PS. That way we can more effectively suggest an app for culling out duplicates.

Toad

Merry Christmas and here's the update. I was away when I got your email, so when I got back to Chicago I downloaded it and tried it. On its most basic setting, it found two duplicates. When I had it search the histograms, it found over 6 thousand. This is really a great program, and it is fast! There are some other settings I haven't tried, but for the money, it really outperforms all the others.

By the way, i still think iPhoto library manager may have some great value in consolidating the other libraries, once I take care of the duplicates. My goal is to get this done, and then start a new library January 1, with NO photos in it, so I get a new fresh start!

Many thanks, as always. Hope you had a great holiday, and that you have a very happy new year out there in sunny Southern California. As I've mentioned before, my brother lives in Temecula and he told me he played golf yesterday. It was ONE here yesterday!

All the best,

Phil in Chicago

82 in Laguna Beach today - probably warmer in Temucula

LN

Thank you OT. Your wisdom continues to trickle through the years! 🙂