How to "refresh" metadata (dates, keywords)?

How are you making these changes? You can not ever make any changes of any sort to the contents o fthe iPhoto library using programs other than iPhoto - it is a SQL database and there is no supported way to make changes other than using iPhoto. If you changed the photos inside of the iPhoto database it will not work and could have damaged the iPhoto library --- in order to make changes you must either do it prior to importing into iPhoto or use iPhoto

LN

What is " the source folder."? if this is outside of iPhoto then once you have improted the photos iPhoto does not ever reference them again - hyou can do what you want with them

I guess I was asking if there is a way, e.g. Refresh Metadata..., and then the iPhoto database could update and reconcile any changes with the original (uncopied) photo.

no

It does not seem to be a stretch or completely unusual that a source photo might be changed by its owner. Especially when the photo is not copied into the iPhoto Library and is just referenced as an alias anyway with just iPhoto metadata in its database instead of the actual picture. I can understand that a copied photo, and not just a reference to a photo could not be changed with a third-party app.

Maybe it is not a streach - but that is not the way iPhoto works -- if you are using a refererenced library be aware that this is not recommended - with 9.3 if you own Aperature 3.3 it is better - but strictly with iPhoto it is a reciepe for disaster. Referenced or managed iPhoto does not update the database from the originals once they are imported - from then on only changes made using supported methods (iPhoto or Aperature) are reflected

I wonder if rebuilding the database on startup would "refresh" the edited pictures? (what's the combination? Apple-Option???)

Possibly - but I doubt it

Back up your iPhoto library, Depress the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - rebuild your iPhoto library -- post back if it works

but why not make these changes to the metadate prior to importing? And seriously consider the problems you are facing using a referenced library with no advantages at all

LN

Create a test library and import some of the source photos that you've added keywords to. Then check the photo's info to see if iPhoto can read those metadata additions. This is to make sure ScanFotoFXR is adding the keywords and dates to the correct fields that iPhoto can read. Not all apps use the same fields so before you go to a lot of trouble make sure iPhoto can see these items.

If you've already done this than we will disavow all knowledge of you and this post will self erase/destruct in 10, 9, 8, ......seconds

OT

I probably should be using something other than iPhoto. The iPhoto Library file can become unmanageable in size if all the photos are copied when imported. Mine is already at 20gb and I don't copy hardly anything (although iPhoto copies EVERY edited photo anyway). I don't think Picasa actually copies every picture into a HUGE library file (but I don't remember).

Zero size difference - the original is the same size inside the iPhoto library and outside of it - leaving them outside creates p[roblems and has absolutely no space savings

No Picasa does not copy the originals and does not have lossless editing as iPhoto does and does not intregrate into other applications as iPhoto does and does not allow reverting to the original as iPhoto does - it is a different program - many people like it but you give up a lot over iPhoto

That is true - but so what - that is not the way you backup yoru iPhoto library - it is a SQL database and you treat it as a single entity which it is

Can't backup without taking hours.

Incorrect - I run Time Machine wich backus every change I make within an hour in teh background and then do a daily clone which agaion only copies the changed things so takes very little time

I use Image Capture to download photos from cameras into carefully labeled folders and I can share and swap photos much easier with others.

you can do that and drag the "carefully labled" folders to the iPhoto window creating events matching them - and I have no idea what hyou are speaking of about swaping photos - your method only gives you access to the originals - no access to the edits or other modifications you have made so it is harder and less successful - and every upload/attach/open window gives you access to the current edited versions of your iPhoto photos without opening iPhoto

And it is a such a pain getting out a couple of pictures for others (i.e. have to open iPhoto and then export them or share them from WITHIN the app vs. just drag and drop from the Finder to wherever)

Again incorrect - again every upload/attach/open window gives you access to the current edited versions of your iPhoto photos without opening iPhoto

LN

<Edited by Host>

Correct. As I originally said but why not make these changes to the metadate prior to importing?

LN

Zero size difference - the original is the same size inside the iPhoto library and outside of it - leaving them outside creates p[roblems and has absolutely no space savings

, that doesn't seem to be correct in my testing (iPhoto '11, v9.3). I created a test library, imported ten photos into it (with the copy option NOT selected in Advanced Preferences). The original size of the folder holding the photos was 12.3mb. The test library with just those photos was 15.3mb. Then I created a new library, imported the same photos but with the copy option selected, and the test2 library was 26.5mb. Almost a 100% penalty for importing with copy.

The test library size represented the original photos, thumbnails, database files and other overhead files. Add the first test library, 15.3 and the source files, 12.3 and you will get 27.6. That nearly the same as the size of the second (managed) library.

The original photo in an managed library is exactly the same size as it was outside of the library. To proove it import a photo from the desktop into a managed library. Select the photo in the iPhoto window and use the File ➙ Reveal in Finder ➙ Original menu option. Check the size of the file that you are taken to by iPhoto. Then compare it to the file size of the souce file on the desktop. It will be the same. When copying image files into the library iPhoto does a bit by bit copy.

In this test example, for imported photos that were copied, the total disk storage on my computer was 26.5 + 12.3 = 38.8mb vs

The usual workflow is to delete the source files (12.3 MB) after they have been copied into the iPhoto library. There's no reason to keep the source files on the hard drive once they are in the library. Then you have the same disk storage space being used as the referenced library.

In you want some redundancy then keep the source file on another hard drive as a backup, not on the same drive as your managed library.