How can I make the screensaver use the photos from my iPhoto library when the library is only on my external hard drive?

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How can I make the screensaver use the photos from my iPhoto library when the library is only on my external hard drive?

I have a MacBook running Leopard. My iPhoto library is on my internal hard drive and also on my external hard drive. I want to delete it from my internal hard drive to free up space. BUT I love seeing the photos from my iPhoto library come up in the "slide show" screen saver which uses images from the PICTURES folder on my internal hard drive. How can tell the Screensaver to use the photos from my iPhoto library on the external hard drive?

MacBook, Leopard

Posted on Feb 16, 2013 3:58 PM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,272 points

Feb 17, 2013 12:06 AM in response to smokie21

If you move the Library correctly, then things will work as always.

Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

1. Quit iPhoto

2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.

3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.

4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.

Regards

TD

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Answer 2

smokie21 Author

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Feb 17, 2013 12:51 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks, Terence!

I have successfully copied my iPhoto Library to the External Hard Drive as per your advice.

A couple of questions:

1. If I delete the iPhoto Library from my internal hard drive, how do I get it back if I need it?

2. If my iPhoto library is on my external hard drive, can I add to it?

3. I have now also tried connecting my external hard drive to the USB storage port on my wireless modem/router. I can save Word files to it wirelessly, and retrieve them but I cannot see my IPhoto Library. Nor can I copy the iPhoto library to it as per your instructions above. The perfect situation for me is if I could just plug my external hard drive into the wireless modem/router and not directly into my MacBook with no loss of iPhoto or screensaver function. Can it be done?

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,272 points

Feb 17, 2013 12:57 AM in response to smokie21

1. By copying it back from the external? By restoring from your back up?

2. Using the Library on the external is exactly the same as on the internal. So just use it.

3. No, you should not use a wireless connection to the disk with the iPhoto Library. A strong warning: If you're trying to edit the Library (that is, make albums, move photos around, keyword, make books or slideshows etc.) or edit individual photos in it via Wireless be very careful. Dropouts are a common fact of wireless networking, and should one occur while the app is writing to the database then your Library will be damaged. Simply, I would not do this with my Libraries.

Further, if you cannot copy to the disk, are you sure it's the corrct format?

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Answer 4

smokie21 Author

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Feb 17, 2013 1:18 AM in response to Yer_Man

Terence,

Thanks for your prompt reply.

1. By copying it back from the external. How's it done?

2. Great!

3. I take your point about the dropouts. I erased my external last night and noted that it is Mac OS Extended (journaled) and as I say, I have been able to save a file from WORD and retrieve it but there is no sign of my iPhoto Library which is certainly there and usuable upon connecting the external directly to the MacBook.

The MacBook is running 10.5.8 (Leopard)

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Answer 5

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,272 points

Feb 17, 2013 2:29 AM in response to smokie21

1. Same way as copying it to the external

3. You mean you can't see the iPhoto Library icon when you view the external with the Finder?

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Answer 6

smokie21 Author

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Feb 17, 2013 2:38 AM in response to Yer_Man

Correct! I can't see the iPhoto in the list when I view the external with Finder. I do, however, see the WORD file I saved.

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Answer 7

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,272 points

Feb 17, 2013 2:51 AM in response to smokie21

Select any photo in the iPhoto Window and right click on it. From the resulting menu select 'Show File (or 'Show Original File' if that's available). A Finder Window should open with the file selected. Switch to Column View in the Finder and you'll be able to track back to the actual location of the Library.

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Answer 8

smokie21 Author

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Feb 17, 2013 3:10 AM in response to Yer_Man

Yes, done. I can see that iPhoto is using the external, which is currently connected by USB to the MacBook. If I connect the external to the USB storage port on the wireless modem/router I can't see any evidence of the iPhoto library. All I see is the WORD file I saved as a trial.

Summary:

Finder shows me that the iPhoto Library is there on the external - when connected directly to the MacBook, but when the external is connected to the router/modem it doesn't show the iPhoto library.

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