Is it possible to copy photo library to external disk?

Question

Level 1

4 points

Is it possible to copy photo library to external disk?

I would like to copy my personal photographs from Aperture by dragging and dropping. It appears to work but when I try to open it I get a message stating "there was an error opening the database for the library "volumes/disk/mylibraryoriginal.ap library because the file system of the library's volume is unsupported" My Aperture application consists of an

Aperture folder and below this

My Library(original)which is 7GB and is really the only section I want to copy

APTS Aperture3 Library

Folder APTS Aperture book files

Folder Lessond

Folder APTS iPhoto Libray

anf finally

Aperture3 Sample Library.aplibrary

Originally I tried to just copy My Library(original) which is all I want to have backed up BUT got the message mentioned above SO I tried again to drag the complete list but got exactly the same message.

I am using OS X 10.8.2 on my MacBook Pro. Can someone help?

Posted on Jan 31, 2013 9:08 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jan 31, 2013 9:32 AM in response to fenrother

What is the file system of the external drive? If it is not Mac OS X extended then you will get this error.

BTW while you might think that font and color changes in your post are conveying added information that plain text wouldn't that's not the case. Your post is very distracting as it is and will cause a good number of people to ignore it.

One other thing you cannot copy out bits and pieces of the library. Aperture needs the whole thing. If you copy only bits then Aperture will not open the library.

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Answer 2

Jan 31, 2013 11:04 AM in response to fenrother

Are you copying your Library (as you say in your subject line) or are you copying "photographs" (as in the first line of your post)?

What is the format of the external drive?

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Answer 3

fenrother Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2013 11:09 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

I am trying to copy the library.

The format is MS-Dos(FAT32)

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Answer 4

Jan 31, 2013 11:12 AM in response to fenrother

Which is why you are getting that message. You can't put an Aperture library on it. If you want to you will need to re-format it correctly.

If there is any data on the drive make sure you back it up first as formatting will erase all data on the drive.

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Answer 5

fenrother Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2013 11:14 AM in response to Frank Caggiano

Thank you --I will not make the mistake of using colours in future.

It is MS-DOS(FAT32).

I tried to copy the whole Apertue application including my own photos and all the lessons and samples from the Apple Pro Training Series after failing just to copy MyLibrary.

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Answer 6

Jan 31, 2013 11:17 AM in response to fenrother

Right as I've written you can;t put an Aperture library on a DOS partitioned volume. You will need to re-format the drive it you want to put the library on it.

But make sure you backup any data that is on the drive that you want to keep before formatting it as formatting will erase the drive.

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Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

194,653 points

Jan 31, 2013 11:18 AM in response to fenrother

The Aperture Library needs to be on a volume formatted Mac OS X Extended (Journaled). Aperture cannot work with a library on a MS-DOS(FAT32) drive and will prevent you from opening a library there.

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Answer 8

fenrother Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 31, 2013 11:23 AM in response to léonie

Thank you. I will try this tomorrow and let you know how I get on.

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