Combining iPhoto Libraries

You can add the photos of library A to library B this way:

1 - Command (right) - click on library A and select Show Package contents from the contextual menu.

2 - locate the Originals (iPhoto 8 or earlier) or Masters (iPhoto 9 and later) folder.

3 - launch iPhoto and open Library B.

4 - drag the subfolders from the Originals/Masters folder in Library A into the open window of Library B.

5 - when iPhoto askes about duplicates decline to import them.

This will put only the orignal files of Library A into Library B. However this is not the same as merging the two libraries. Merging would include bringing over the edited versions, keywords, titles, albums, descriptions, places, etc.

OT

I don't want to pay for the merger, and don't think it should be necessary. Does anyone have a suggestion as to how to merge and avoid duplicates?

Anyone who is using a mac is probably earning at least 30 bucks an hour, which is the price of iPhotomanager. Believe me, it will it will save you more than an hour! Any you'll have it for the rest of your life with all its useful functions.

Thanks a lot Old Toad.

This solved my question

Old Toad wrote:

You can add the photos of library A to library B this way:

1 - Command (right) - click on library A and select Show Package contents from the contextual menu.

2 - locate the Originals (iPhoto 8 or earlier) or Masters (iPhoto 9 and later) folder.

3 - launch iPhoto and open Library B.

4 - drag the subfolders from the Originals/Masters folder in Library A into the open window of Library B.

5 - when iPhoto askes about duplicates decline to import them.

This will put only the orignal files of Library A into Library B. However this is not the same as merging the two libraries. Merging would include bringing over the edited versions, keywords, titles, albums, descriptions, places, etc.

OT

iPhoto Library Manager is available as free download. Merge your libraries and delete duplicates for free, then, if happy with results, re-visit the question of paying a fair price.

jg

The merge and copying of events/albums between libraries features are not available with the free version. It's only activated with the paid version.

Thank you so much, Old Toad! I had the same problem, and this is exactly the solution I needed. I was so disappointed to learn that iPhoto Library Manager was not free at all! Thanks again!

Thanks! Worked like a charm!

Thank you so much! 5,175 pics in my iPhoto library now :-)

Create an album folder on desktop the same name as in your iPhoto. Open album and drag all the photos to the album on desktop. Drag that album on desktop to external hard drive that is already erased and partition in two blocks, one for time machine one for photos backups (this is your option or just one partition) .Make sure that you erase and partition the hard drive in extended journal format.

Now, open iPhoto in your new mac. Plug that external hard drive in new Mac. Reverse the order, drag the album from external hard drive to the desk top. Drag the album on desktop to new Mac iPhoto. Just do a test on a test album with two photos inside first, practice a few times to get a hang of the process and do a big one. Cheers.

1. What on earth has this to do with merging Libraries. That's how to move versions of your photos from one machine to another. As a method of doing that it is poor as it involves considerable dataloss.

To move an iPhoto Library to a new machine:

Link the two Macs together: there are several ways to do this: Wireless Network,Firewire Target Disk Mode, Ethernet, or even just copy the Library to an external HD and then on to the new machine...

But however you do choose to link the two machines...

Simply copy the iPhoto Library from the Pictures Folder on the old Machine to the Pictures Folder on the new Machine.

Then launch iPhoto. That's it.

This moves photos, events, albums, books, keywords, slideshows and everything else.

You talk too much but I don't know if you'd ever done any of these. I just transferred my iPhoto albums from old to new Mac last night and didn't miss a file.

1. The question in this thread is about merging or combining iPhoto Libraries. No one is asking about moving iphoto Libraries to new machines.

2. I may talk too much but at least I have a clue as to what I'm talking about. You, patently, don't. When you did this:

Create an album folder on desktop the same name as in your iPhoto. Open album and drag all the photos to the album on desktop.

You only got the Preview versions of any edited photos at best. At worst, if you were using an older version of iPhoto, you only got previews of unedited photos too. These previews are lower quality and missing metadata. If there were any videos in there you may well have missed those too, and only got the icon that represents them in the iPhoto Window.

That's dataloss.

Then by dragging the images out of iPhoto you also destroyed the non-destructive editing feature as well.

That's dataloss.

So, you're not answering the question asked, and the suggestion you make involves significant dataloss. You should warn people of your "solution" does damage so they can be fully aware of the implications of the decisions they make.

Moving the Library using the method I posed above means no dataloss at all.

And yes, I've moved libraries between machines on many, many occasions.

Have a nice day now.