iphoto 6 to iphoto 11 HELP

Start over.

Never import one Library to another. Every version and thumbnail is imported like a distinct photo, you lose all your Albums, Keywords etc., the link between Original and Previews is destroyed, the non-destructive editing feature is ruined and so on. In summary: it's mess.

To move an iPhoto Library to a new machine:

Link the two Macs together: there are several ways to do this: Wireless Network,Firewire Target Disk Mode, Ethernet, or even just copy the Library to an external HD and then on to the new machine...

But however you do choose to link the two machines...

Simply copy the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder on the old Machine to the Pictures Folder on the new Machine.

Then launch iPhoto. That's it.

This moves photos, events, albums, books, keywords, slideshows and everything else.

Sorry but this answer is correct, is what you did and is the only way to upgrade and convert

Simply copy the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder on the old Machine to the Pictures Folder on the new Machine.

Then launch iPhoto. That's it.

This moves photos, events, albums, books, keywords, slideshows and everything else.

LN

Follow-up on this year-old thread. Much appreciate the help around here, but it's interesting how self-assured (even smug) responders can be to those who post questions!

I just made the transition from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion. Followed what was so *categorically* asserted as the way of doing the photo transfer (supposedly simply copy over the iPhoto Library to the new computer).

Well, guess what? I now have two iPhoto libraries-- and it still opens up the Mountain Lion new one that has in intitial photo I saved the other day. I think that you helpful souls are ignoring the many compounding variables!

For example, copying the library doesn't automatically replace one with the other (smart, actually!) and when it opens it doesn't simply use the old. Nor did it give me a prompt as to which one I wanted to use!

So, I thought a ste-by-step guide by someone who went through this would help other users in the same situation (as opposed to smart, helpful, yet glib, responses 🙂). (Sorry, but it's a pet peeve of mine that informed, smart people are all too often wrong, making sweeping statements, and even, not here, put down the questioners. At the same time, I much appreciate the posts in this thread as they provided the general approach of what to do.)

You have to:

1. Move the current iPhoto library OUT of the Pictures folder and to the desktop.

2. Put the old iPhoto library into the Pictures folder.

3. Launch iPhoto.

4. it will then prompt you as to which library you want to use.

It's a confusing dialog box as you're being asked to choose between two files both of which are titled "iPhoto Library". However, it does show the path to the file, so choose the one that's in the Pictures folder and NOT on the desktop.

5. It will then give you an alert that your old iPhoto Library was created by a different version of iPhoto and ask if you want to upgrade the library.

I clicked OK.

I'm now timing it. The dialog box says, "Now writing new iPhoto library data." It's a 29 gb library, so it'll be interesting to see just how long this takes...

-----

Wow! Done in two minutes!

Note: I moved the ML's installed library to the desktop, but I'll wager renaming it or deleting it would work as well-- don't do that, though, unless you are sure that it has no photos in it or none that you want to save.

Of course, now I have to search for information on reducing the size of an iPhoto library! In normal use, I believe it's best to choose the option "Keep originals" or whatever it is now and copy the photos into the library.

But 29 gb??!!!😮

You are correct - we can possibly guess at what errors users may make - we can only work with what they tell us and explain the correct way to do things

If you make errors, do not tell us everything, or random thing go wrong (and they do) then we need to be told bout the specific unique and unsual circumstansis involved

Like for example you are not moving to a new system as the OP was - you are moving to an existing system with an existing iPhoto library - a totally different situation

For example, copying the library doesn't automatically replace one with the other

In fact by default it asks if you want to replace the existing file/filder/package with the new one and you make the choice

4. it will then prompt you as to which library you want to use.

Not normally - if there is a valid iPhoto library at the location iPhoto is expecting (ie the user has not changed the default location in iPhoto) which is the pictures folder then it will open it converting as needed - no selection required

Of course, now I have to search for information on reducing the size of an iPhoto library! In normal use, I believe it's best to choose the option "Keep originals" or whatever it is now and copy the photos into the library.

But 29 gb??!!!😮

Unless you have a large iPhone cache there is no way - there are not other items in the iPhoto library that can be reduced without danaging the library - and yes it is extremely strongly recommended that you keep the default managed library - changing that does not reduce storage requirements and has no advantages and many disadvantages

And 29GB is not large - my iPhoto library is over 200 GB

You can reduce the size by shooting lower resolution photos and by deleting poor or unwanted photos - you can not reduce the size without losing capabilities and data

LN

PS your post my be correct for you (although it exhibits a lack of understanding of how iPhoto functions) but it is not a correct set of step for a general user