Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Using an external editor

I jumped from using iPhoto '06 to using iPhoto '11 and now I'm very confused. Before, if I 'Edited in external editor', I would do the changes in Elements, then simply Save there, and my changes were saved back to the Modified folder of my iPhoto Library. Now, I simply don't understand what's happening.

1. When I edit externally, iPhoto seems to create a duplicate of the image. Why? It didn't do this in iPhoto '06.

2. I just edited a picture, and after making changes in Elements, clicked Save. I then clicked back to iPhoto to see the changes, but they didn't show. So I deleted one of the duplicates, quit iPhoto, and relaunched, expecting to see the changes. No, they are still not there. Yet if I go back to Elements and click the most recent file, the changed version loads! Its location is now a folder in iPhoto called - wait for it - b8KWKsN7T22dur56ix0Vvw. Yup. I kid you not.

Can anyone explain

what has happened
why there are unnecessary duplicates
why doesn't iPhoto do the simple 'external editing' thing anymore?

iMac Core i5 4GB RAM-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 17, 2013 9:09 AM

33 replies

Jul 19, 2013 3:52 AM in response to Yer_Man

Done! The changed version now sits side-by-side with the unchanged version, so I guess that's all in accord with how the 'new' iPhoto functions.

Just for information - if the Library now displays both changed and unchanged versions (where externally edited) but changed versions only (where iPhoto used for editing).. where do the originals live for iPhoto edits?

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,320 points

Jul 19, 2013 4:07 AM in response to christopher rigby1

In the Masters folder. You can view the original simply by holding the shift key in Edtit mode.

There's a huge difference between v6 and iPhoto 11 and it's in the area of editing.

With v6 when you edited a shot iPhoto copied the Master, made the edits and saved the image as a new file, in the Modifieds folder. Thereafter, when you viewed/printed/emailed or whatever it was always the modified file that was use unless you specifically chose to use the Original.

With iPhoto 11 when you edit a file your decisions are recorded in the database. When you view the file iPhoto opens the Master and applies your decisions to that file, so you see your edited version. There is no Modified version anymore.

There is some confusion because another file, called the Preview, is created. Some folks think that's just the Modified file under a new name. It's not.

When all your edits are virtual, then the only way to get images out is to export them. However, that's a tedious process in many cases, especially when you want a fast snap to email to Grandma or something to add to a webpage.

To save you the bother of exporting every single time iPhoto automatically creates the Preview. This is a 'good-enough-for-most-things' version of the shot that is missing a lot of metadata - as it would be used in areas where camera details, for instance, might not be required. The Preview is what you get when you drag and drop from the iPhoto Window or use a Media Browser.

The export dialogue gives more options on size, quality, naming and metadata. If these are important then that's the way to go.

This User Tip

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4921

has details of the options in the Export dialogue.

Jul 19, 2013 8:29 AM in response to Yer_Man

That's a handy article. I always thought that iPhoto was just about the easiest iLife app to use ("it does what it says on the tin") except for the Export dialogue which was confusing. You've explained that properly.

Using an external editor