HT201340: Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries

Learn about Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries
Kim Hill1

Q: Merging iPhoto library into Aperture in the new Aperture 3.3?

Having trouble merging my (one) iPhoto library into Aperture. The idea is to merge both the iPhoto library and the Aperture library into a "single, unified Aperture library" that iPhoto can also read (new feature as of Aperture 3.3 and iPhoto 9.3).

 

The tech note for doing it is here:

 

Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5296

 

Summary

If you have Aperture 3.3 or later and iPhoto 9.3 or later, you can use Aperture to merge multiple iPhoto libraries together to create a single unified library with all your photos. You can then continue to use the unified library in both iPhoto and Aperture.

 

To merge the libraries:

 

  1. Open Aperture 3.3 or later.
  2. Click the File menu and choose Library > Switch to Library > Other/New. Use the library selector to choose one of the iPhoto libraries you'd like to merge.
  3. Choose File > Import > Library
  4. Select one of the remaining iPhoto libraries you wish to merge.
  5. Repeat steps 3-4 for each additional iPhoto library you wish to merge.

 

I've followed steps 1 & 2 (BTW I had already opened the iPhoto library in 9.3 and closed it as recommended), but step 3 - when I "Choose File > Import > Library," I just get a standard open file dialog, and the iPhoto library is grayed out. Not too surprising, considering that this is the library that's already open in Aperture.

 

So, import is not possible.

 

Anybody done this? It appears to me that the documentation is faulty...

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jun 12, 2012 5:23 AM

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Q: Merging iPhoto library into Aperture in the new Aperture 3.3?

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  • by Ernie Stamper,

    Ernie Stamper Ernie Stamper Jun 12, 2012 11:07 AM in response to Frank Caggiano
    Level 8 (37,588 points)
    Video
    Jun 12, 2012 11:07 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

    Frank,

     

    Doing a Show Package on the converted Aperture Library, and the converted iPhoto library does not reveal an exact common structure.  In the package of the Aperture Library there remains a Masters folder (this is Managed Lib), while in the iPhoto Library package there is both an Originals folder, and a Masters folder, with the Originals folder being an alias pointing to the Masters folder.  That was true in the prior iPhoto version.

     

    Ernie

  • by Bernard Harte,

    Bernard Harte Bernard Harte Jun 12, 2012 1:01 PM in response to Kim Hill1
    Level 4 (3,309 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 12, 2012 1:01 PM in response to Kim Hill1

    I found the same problem as you with an iPhoto library being greyed-out after updating with 9.3.

     

    I created a new one from inside iPhoto 9.3 and noted that the library folder should have an extension .photolibrary so that it's recognised as a library and not an ordinary folder.

     

    Try going to your problem library and renaming it with that extension.

     

    Note: I had some problems after this rename with reopening the library in iPhoto.  I had to trash iPhoto prefs and restart iPhoto to get things working again.  You may have more luck!

  • by Dirk Blink,

    Dirk Blink Dirk Blink Jun 13, 2012 5:25 AM in response to Frank Caggiano
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 13, 2012 5:25 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

    Many thanks, Frank. Yes, I have. All photos are there. However, I cannot import those to Aperture.

  • by Bernard Harte,

    Bernard Harte Bernard Harte Jun 13, 2012 5:54 AM in response to Dirk Blink
    Level 4 (3,309 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 13, 2012 5:54 AM in response to Dirk Blink

    Take a look at my response (currently) at the foot of this thread.

  • by Dirk Blink,

    Dirk Blink Dirk Blink Jun 13, 2012 10:22 AM in response to Bernard Harte
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 13, 2012 10:22 AM in response to Bernard Harte

    Many thanks, Bernhard. I deleted and reinstalled both iPhoto and Aperture. After that I used my Time Capsule to reload the photos in iPhoto. After that I imported the same photos from the greyed out iPhoto library into Aperture. Now both programmes show up the same photos under 'Photos'.

     

    Problem solved. Only, I have no idea what made it work.

  • by scfc1905,

    scfc1905 scfc1905 Jul 21, 2012 7:47 AM in response to Kim Hill1
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jul 21, 2012 7:47 AM in response to Kim Hill1

    The article discusses importing multiple iPhoto libraries.

     

    To merge your existing iPhoto librarry into your existing Aperture library:

     

    1. Open Aperture normaly
    2. Choose import, Library
    3. Select iPhoto library
    4. and it will start merging!
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