Roman_CH
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Keep local iPhoto Library in sync over NAS

Hi every one

 

Here's my usecase: I want use ONE iPhoto Library with 3 Mac's and 2 Useraccounts. Why ONE library? Because i want work on Albums etc. on my stationary iMac in Room1, and finish it on my MacBook pro while sitting on my sofa :-) It also can be, that my wife will work on the same Album too. Of course not at the same time, but i don't want to tell her if the Library is available at the moment, or if I've already opended iPhoto on another Mac. It has to be automatically "locked" if someone is using it. Easy, just put the whole thing on a NAS and you got this effect automatically. Correct, but the speed isn't really nice. Why buying an i7 iMac with Fusion drive and using a NAS as source while working on photos...? Got it?  (sorry for my poor english, i'm swiss but doing my best :-) )

 

Here's my solution approach I would like to have: (sorry a little confuse...)

 

My i7 iMac has a local iPhoto library. A "sync software" keeps the iPhoto library in sync with a mirrored version on a NAS, (wich can be a Timecapsule as well as any other NAS). when I open iPhoto on my iMac, it has to lock the whole iPhoto library on my NAS as well, so my wife can't open the library on my NAS while I'm using it local on my iMac. After i close my iPhoto on my iMac, the mirrored Library is available on my NAS where i can use it with my MacBook Pro directly from my NAS. The "sync software" has to lock the file in the other direction, so i can't open my local Library on my iMac at this time. When i close iPhoto on my macBook Pro it will be unlocked and the sync software on my iMac will update my local copy automatically the next time that i start my iMac and (surprise surprise) my local version is up to date!

 

You see my point? The clou is to lock the library on another place while using it's mirrored version. That helps preventing any corrupt iPhoto Librarys becaus of two user at the same time and you don't have any performance inconvenience.

 

Advanced version would be to habe many Mac's with local iPhoto librarys. It would still be the same: If it's not possible to use a Library at the same time, you wan't have any problemes with de database... right? There would be one problem: If you work on a local iPhoto library while you're not connected with your nas, you wan't have informations about the "lock" status... but that's another story-

 

I tried "synk pro" which keeps folders and documents "realtime" in sync. But it works really bad with NAS and my problem with the "lock" is still there.

 

Folks: Any ideas to share with me?  I just wan't to have a SAVE iPhoto library to work on it with my wife an our 3 Mac's ;-)

 

Many thanks

 

Roman

iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Jan 2, 2013 4:32 AM

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Roman_CH

Q: Keep local iPhoto Library in sync over NAS

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  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jan 2, 2013 4:40 AM in response to Roman_CH
    Level 10 (139,597 points)
    iLife
    Jan 2, 2013 4:40 AM in response to Roman_CH

    iPhoto needs to have the Library sitting on disk formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Users with the Library sitting on disks otherwise formatted regularly report issues including, but not limited to, importing, saving edits and sharing the photos.

     

    This is particularly the case now that iPhoto uses the same library as Aperture:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3252

     

    Note:

     

    it is strongly recommended that the Aperture library be stored on a locally mounted hard drive. Storing the Aperture library on a network share can also lead to poor performance, data corruption, or data loss.

     

    What do you mean by "Sync".

     

    The general term means when two Libraries (A and B) are compared and files in Library A are copied to Library B, while files in Library B are also copied to Library A so that both Libraries are identical.

     

    This is bi-directional copying and you cannot do this automatically with iPhoto. No Syncing software is capable of parsing the iPhoto Library in this manner. One or both of your Libraries will be damaged if you try this.

     

    You can have uni-directional copying - files in Library A are copied to Library B - this is essentially backing up. Obviously you can also copy from Library B to Library A.

     

    The nearest you can get to syncing is to use iPhoto Library Manager to move files/Albums/Events plus associated metadata between Libraries. This process cannot be automated.

  • by Roman_CH,

    Roman_CH Roman_CH Jan 2, 2013 5:03 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2013 5:03 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    Hi Terence,

     

    Thanks for your helf, I'm not sure, if this will solve my problem, because:

     

    User A (iMac) works on his local iPhoto library, this library will be automaticall incrementel stored (mirrored) on a NAS (i already tried. it works with "sync pro"...

     

    User B (MBP) opens the mirrored Library on the NAS and makes any changes on the library.

     

    User A (iMac) starts his iMac, it automatically sync's the local iphoto library with the library on my NAS (because User B made some changes..) Now i will open iPhoto and voila: i use the newest iphoto Library available local!

     

    But here's the problem: If User B will open the iPhoto library on NAS while User A is using his local Library on his iMac, both librarys will be corrput in minutes because there are many changes ob both Librarys at the same time. Thats why i?m asking: How can i "lock" the mirrored Library on my NAS, while I'm workung in my local library.

     

    Do you see my challenge? Maybe there is no "good" solution for my issue, but I'm still dreaming on a multiple machine,multiple user solution whis is FAST and SAVE at the same time... :-) Maybe i'm on a wrong solution approach...??

     

    Roman

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jan 2, 2013 6:00 AM in response to Roman_CH
    Level 10 (139,597 points)
    iLife
    Jan 2, 2013 6:00 AM in response to Roman_CH

    1. There is no solution because you can't sync libraries

     

    2. You will have issues with a Library on a NAS.

  • by Roman_CH,

    Roman_CH Roman_CH Jan 2, 2013 6:14 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 2, 2013 6:14 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    Hi Terence

     

    Thanks but why?

     

    Is there a reason, why libraries can't be sync? If i can copy the whole thing to another place and it still works, why shouldn't that works incrementel? (and that's my understanding of having a synced library: replace changed files...). maybe i'm thinking to simple, but my "beta" test worked fine...

     

    Roman

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jan 2, 2013 7:10 AM in response to Roman_CH
    Level 10 (139,597 points)
    iLife
    Jan 2, 2013 7:10 AM in response to Roman_CH

    Se my first reply:

     

    No Syncing software is capable of parsing the iPhoto Library in this manner. One or both of your Libraries will be damaged if you try this.

     

    When you edit a shot in iPhoto think of what happens:

     

    The SQL database is edited with the changes you make, the old thumbnail and previews are destroyed and new ones created and the sharing system is updated.

     

    The problem is that syncing apps can't edit the SQL db.

     

    They can copy it, but cannot edit it.