iPhoto/Mountain Lion Desktop Settings

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iPhoto/Mountain Lion Desktop Settings

Hey there,

This is kind of a simple but convoluted question: I'm running the latest Mountain Lion on a MacBook Pro (I'd give more info but I don't think it's relevant in this case):

I'm running the latest iPhoto and I have several databases/libraries. IE: Portfolio, Random Desktops, Textures (for 3D work), etc....

I have several desktops and my "default" library is my photo backgrounds library.

When I'm working in another library, is it going to mess up using the "default" library desktops for the background? Basically, do I have to always revert/switch to "default" library before quitting iPhoto for it to keep pulling up random desktop images every few minutes, the way that I have it set? I haven't been able to tell if it works completely as it often has problems even setting the desktop via iPhoto on some of the desktops I have up for some reason. I'm not sure why, but it seems a little buggy.

Any tips/info would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. 🙂

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7), Time Machine, External Drive

Posted on Nov 23, 2012 1:53 PM

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Answer 1

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Yer_Man

Level 10

162,254 points

Nov 23, 2012 1:56 PM in response to Nat Harari

When I'm working in another library, is it going to mess up using the "default" library desktops for the background?

iPhoto - or whatever - will draw from the most recently opened Library for those desktop images.

Regards

TD

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Answer 2

Nat Harari Author

Level 1

19 points

Nov 23, 2012 2:00 PM in response to Yer_Man

So basically I have to switch libraries in iphoto before quitting if I want my desktops to keep refreshing/randomizing?

Thanks for the answer, by the way.

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,254 points

Nov 23, 2012 2:01 PM in response to Nat Harari

Correct.

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Answer 4

Nat Harari Author

Level 1

19 points

Nov 23, 2012 2:03 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks. Very appreciated. 🙂

I wish they could "fix" that... It'd be nice to see the functionality of that upgraded in the next OS X. 🙂

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Answer 5

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,254 points

Nov 23, 2012 2:09 PM in response to Nat Harari

There is a very simple solution - don't have multiple libraries, instead have one Library, use keywords to categorise the shots for their various uses - portfolio/backgrounds etc - and then Smart Albums to separate them out. Then point the desktop photo changer to the Smart Album rather than a whole Library.

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Answer 6

Nat Harari Author

Level 1

19 points

Nov 23, 2012 2:12 PM in response to Yer_Man

That's a problem because I literally have tens of thousands of pictures from my personal portfolio sequences, my 3D graphic work, and thousands of thousands of pictures for textures in 3D work. It would become incredibly huge and unweildy. I'm not sure how I'd go about categorizing everything with events, etc... I do have aperture, and I do use it, but even with Aperture, it's hard to organize that many different kinds/sets of photos when they're so drastically different. If you have any tips on how to do it, and if I can know in advance that such a database wouldn't take 20 minutes to open in iPhoto, then I might be tempted to try that.

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Answer 7

Nat Harari Author

Level 1

19 points

Nov 23, 2012 2:17 PM in response to Yer_Man

This is odd: I have iPhoto open on my portfolio right now and it is pulling up random pictures from my Desktops library as it should be doing...not sure if they were cached or not. Is that possible?

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Answer 8

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,254 points

Nov 23, 2012 3:38 PM in response to Nat Harari

It's possible they are cached.

iPhoto and Aperture are both capable of handling 1,000,000 images. Keywording is the way to go.

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Answer 9

Nat Harari Author

Level 1

19 points

Nov 24, 2012 12:04 AM in response to Yer_Man

Wow, I had no idea they could handle that many. Will it take a ton of RAM to deal with? Does RAM usage change if I have a library open with 10,000 as opposed to 100,000 images? If not, then I'll definitely merge them in Aperture.

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