Merge Iphoto into Aperture and make all referenced on external drive

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Level 1

15 points

Merge Iphoto into Aperture and make all referenced on external drive

I want to MERGE all my iphoto libraries into my Aperture library and then delete the Iphoto libraries. (see why below)

My goals

- merge so I can see all photos at the same time in one Aperture library....not open separate library as you can do now from aperture

- then place all these as referenced photos on an external drive since I'm limited on space with 256G MacAir.

- Then, delete my Iphoto libraries once I have confidence that all were imported and relocated (making sure that Aperture is not just looking at them where they were in the Iphoto area I'm about to delete)

When merging iphoto library into aperture library, I do NOT get the options mentioned in the Aperture guide. It just starts importing after I select the library! (see snapshot below).

Looking for suggestions.

User uploaded file

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Jan 15, 2013 10:40 AM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Jan 15, 2013 10:45 AM in response to stevecook3dw

Import the iphoto Libraries as Managed libraries. That's the merge done.

Then Relocate the Masters.

File -> Relocate Masters.

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Answer 2

stevecook3dw Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 15, 2013 10:52 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks. I dont get to choose MANAGED....so I suppose that is implied. On one of my iphoto libraries with 20,000 pictures, I get a message that NOT ENOUGH SPACE ON HD........thats my problem.

Unless a work around exists, I'm trying to cleanout the HD so I can pull this off.

Thanks.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Jan 15, 2013 12:16 PM in response to stevecook3dw

You could try to relocate all the original image files you already imported into Aperture to your external drive, to make more space on your internal drive. Only then try to import your 20000 images iPhoto library.

Or move your large iPhoto library to the external and import it from there. Then you will not need twice the space for this library on your internal drive.

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Answer 4

stevecook3dw Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 15, 2013 12:54 PM in response to léonie

oh, in case it helps someone else.......if you are trying to figure this out and you run across this help (snap shot below).......note that it is not about merging Iphoto INTO Aperture, but using Aperture to merge Iphoto libraries. Confused me the first few times because my perspective is GETTING RID OF IPHOTO COMPLETELY....so I didnt read it right. (yes, I have read that many will still use both applications)

oh by the way.......is there a way to just PASTE a snapshot into these post rather that having to import it?

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Jan 15, 2013 1:13 PM in response to stevecook3dw

oh by the way.......is there a way to just PASTE a snapshot into these post rather that having to import it?

Only if it is already on the server for the Apple Support Communities. If you posted it previously, you can copy and paste it from your previous post, like this:

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Answer 6

stevecook3dw Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 16, 2013 11:28 AM in response to léonie

.........still having trouble and looking for suggestions/solutions.

I cleaned up my MacAir harddrive the best I could and now when I GET INFO on HD it says 137GB of 250GB available.

I do a GET INFO on the Iphoto Library (CARS) out on my external drive that I'm wanting to MERGE. It shows size of 83GB. fyi there is ~900GB free space on external drive.

First, I tried from Aperture......File/import/library/select CARS on external drive. After some time calculating, it gave message NOT ENOUGH SPACE available. Mystery, but I assume the process takes some extra temporary space maybe.

Next, I tried just copy and past the CARS library from external to the MacAir HD. Got message NOT ENOUGH SPACE. This is a mystery to me!!

Again as noted in the original post, I do want all the pictures in the same library and aware of the ability to open both kinds of libraries in the new format (seems to be a common answer and work for some).

Ideas?

thanks in advance.

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Answer 7

stevecook3dw Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 16, 2013 11:29 AM in response to stevecook3dw

....oh and to the Aperture programmer guys/gals.......it seems like if I could select WHERE I want the merge files to go like on a normal file import, I'd be Golden.....I'd select external HD.

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Answer 8

stevecook3dw Author

Level 1

15 points

Jan 16, 2013 11:53 AM in response to stevecook3dw

>>>>>>UPDATE>>>>>just found in disk utility it says on about 50GB available vs. 135GB in the get info from Macintosh HD in Finder.

any ideas?

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Answer 9

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Jan 16, 2013 1:24 PM in response to stevecook3dw

If there is a discrepancy between the diskspace shown in Finder and in Disk Utility, you may be doing local backups (are you using Time Machine?). Local backups are done, when your TimeMachine volume is not mounted. The Finder does not count the size required by these backups, but Disk Utility does, afaik. See:

Where did my Disk Space go?

Is your external drive correctly formatted? Maybe the error message is misleading. Check, if the drive is formatted MacOS X Extended (Journaled). You cannot store an Aperture library on a volume formatted MS DOS (FAT).

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Answer 10

Aug 20, 2013 5:50 AM in response to léonie

so, in a few sentences, for people wanting to manage large (>40k) photo libraries on a mac with tiny storage space (500Gb SSD) - what is the correct way to go?

-use aperture or iphoto (latest versions) ?

-create separate libraries for older pictures (for instance older than 2010 and newer than 2010) ?

cheers

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Answer 11

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Aug 20, 2013 2:56 PM in response to Ralphidou

You can use either, but in different ways.

If you use iPhoto only, simply put the Library on an external drive.

If you use Aperture then you can do that, or simply reference the masters from an external drive and keep the Library on the internal.

Multiple libraries are possible with either app, but can be inconvenient.

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