How do I transfer my iPhoto library to two separate drives using Aperture

"As your iPhoto library grows, it may become too big to store on your computer’s hard drive. Aperture lets you set up as many external drives as you want and specify where to store each of your photos."

This is referring to turning your Aperture/iPhoto library into a referenced library. Aperture lets you relocate the original image files to a folder outside your photolibrary (this folder may be on external drive) and reference the originals in this location. This way the library itself will be smaller, but if you want to edit or export the referenced images, you need to make sure the external drive is mounted.

Relocating original files is simple: Just select the images you want to relocate in the browser and use the command "File > relocate original file(s)". But after relocating you are responsible for protecting the originals. Do not move, renmae, or edit them in any way. Make sure you have a working backup of your library before you start restructering it.

See this part of the manual for more help: Aperture 3 User Manual: Working with Referenced Images

Just in case Aperture should lose the connection to some referenced originals (this can happen sometimes, if the you need to restore your harddrive) use the command "File > Locate referenced files" to reconnect them.

Regards

Léonie

The easiest way is to use the app iPhoto Library Manager.

Create new library where you want it and add existing library to it.

Takes 5 minutes to set up.

The easiest way is to use the app iPhoto Library Manager.

Create new library where you want it and add existing library to it.

Takes 5 minutes to set up.

But that will split your your library in two libraries. If I understood the question correctly, Atlanna wants to distribute one library about several drives, but keeping it as one library. And that is what Aperture can do easily and is one big advantage compared to iPhoto. iPhoto has no means at all to maintain referenced originals. You can set up a referenced library, but are stuck with it, if the references are broken or you need to relocate the referenced originals. Then you will have to fall back on iPhoto Library Manager, whereas Aperture provided suitable tools to maintain the referenced files.

I prefer referencing the originals to splitting the library. This way I can search all my images at once, without having to switch between libraries and having to remember which images are stored in which library.

Although, with iPhoto Library Manager you can have several libraries in different locations referenced into one complete new library without moving all the files. Then you can point iPhoto to the complete library.

Granted Aperature is a better program all around, iPLM app does make it easy.

IMHO

By the way PowerTunes does he same for iTunes libraries.

I am incorrect. You can only reference the libraries separately not as one single combined library. Unless you actually transfer all the images to one location. My bad.

Thanks for the correction. 😎 .

would there be any danger if I edit the original files I moved to the external drive using Aperture?

That depends; the original files that you moved must not be changed or moved in any way, otherwise your iPhoto library will be broken. But you can always open the iPhoto Library that is referencing these files in Aperture and edit the photos in Aperture using Aperture's advanced brushes and adjustments.

To switch between Aperture and iPhoto simply use the command "File > Open Library in Aperture" from iPhoto's main menu bar and in Aperture "File > Open Library in iPhoto" to switch back to iPhoto. Both programs will see each other's edits of the photos/images.

Regards

Léonie