Name & Location of Libraries

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Level 1

2 points

Name & Location of Libraries

iPhoto 11 on an Air

My wife and I used to share an Air when we were traveling. I maintained all of our photos in my profile on the Air without issue. When using iPhoto in her profile, however, we had problems. Anyhow, I now have a Pro so I deleted my profile from the Air leaving only my wife's profile.

I'm trying to get her all set up so she can manage her photos but I've found that there are two photo libraries (I think). Probably something I did screwing around in the past. Anyhow, in searching for iPhoto in Searchlight I find two files iPhoto files - one is named Judy.Photolibrary and the other is named Judy.

My questions are:

1. What is the file name for the default iPhoto library?

2. Where on the drive is the library supposed to be located?

Thanks.

jor

MacBook Air, iOS 4.3.3

Posted on Jan 1, 2013 10:55 AM

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Answer 1

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Jan 1, 2013 11:06 AM in response to jortucson

1 - it is not a file - it is a special folder called a package that contains many, many files - by default the package is named iPhoto library but it can have any name - to select one that does not have the default name depress and hold the option key and launch iPhoto to select library

2 - by default the iPhoto library package is on your boot drive - but it can be anywhere including an external drive - to select one that is not in the default loctaion depress and hold the option key and launch iPhoto to select library -

LN

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Answer 2

jortucson Author

Level 1

2 points

Jan 1, 2013 11:13 AM in response to LarryHN

Thanks. I'm doing it now. When I hold Option I get a "Which library do you want..." It lists only one, judy.photolibrary, HOWEVER, I see from its path that it is located in a temp folder I created this morning when I was trying to assemble all of her photos It's called users/judy/temp/morephotos/judy.photolibrary.What do you recommend so the library package will be in a more appropriate location?

I should mention that both temp and temp/morephotos are full of photos which I have imported into iPhoto.

Thanks. Making progress.

jor

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Answer 3

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Jan 1, 2013 11:27 AM in response to jortucson

The default is names iPhoto library in the pictures folder on your boot drive - that is the best place for it to avoid confusion and potential human errors

LN

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Answer 4

jortucson Author

Level 1

2 points

Jan 1, 2013 11:38 AM in response to LarryHN

Thanks. So far, so good. I moved the joody.photolibrary to username/pictures/ and it seems to work fine. Two last questions.

1. Are the photos I imported from different locations on the drive all contained within the photolibrary package?

2. After importing files to iPhoto, does iPhoto retain any relationship to the photo's original location?

Thanks.

jor

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Answer 5

jortucson Author

Level 1

2 points

Jan 1, 2013 11:57 AM in response to jortucson

I think I answered my own question. I went ahead and moved all of the files to the Trash and all is well. Thanks for your help.

jor

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Answer 6

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Jan 1, 2013 12:08 PM in response to jortucson

1. Are the photos I imported from different locations on the drive all contained within the photolibrary package?

2. After importing files to iPhoto, does iPhoto retain any relationship to the photo's original location?

assuming that the iPhoto prefence to "copy imported items to the iPhoto library" is in its recommended default check state then every thing is in the iPhoto library and it needs nothing outside of the iPhoto library

LN

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Answer 7

jortucson Author

Level 1

2 points

Jan 1, 2013 12:26 PM in response to LarryHN

Just checked, Larry. It's checked and all seems to be well. Thanks for your help.

jor

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