Copy Files to iPhoto Library -- convert to alias possible?

Question

Copy Files to iPhoto Library -- convert to alias possible?

Two part question:

Question One: Recently, I made sure that the "Copy Files to iPhoto Library" was NOT CHECKED. However, subsequent "Imports" still seem to copy the entire file, rather than create an alias (which is what I thought ws the behavior of this feature, when turned off).

I'm guessing I shouldn't be dragging photos onto albums from the Finder (as I've always done)?

Question Two: I started with iPhoto at the first version, so of course I have "copies" that iPhoto has made -- even of unmodified JPEGs, in addition to my "master" library of Finder folders of JPEGS. Obviously, a gigantic waste of space, and in theory no longer necessary if one doesn;t select the "Copy Files to iPhoto Library".

So, for LEGACY albums -- is there any automated (or semi-automated) method of converting an EXISTING iPhoto library or album to use aliases for non-modified images? Or do I need to go it manually for each album?

Sephen

PowerBook G4 17 2GB, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jun 25, 2006 12:40 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

207,409 points

Jun 25, 2006 1:43 PM in response to Stephen Greenfield1

Stephen:

Where are you checking to see the full sized files? I just tried importing one file under the alias mode (by dragging it into the open iPhoto window) and it did import correctly. The library was originally of the normal persuasion.

Go into iPhoto and find the roll that the supposedly alias import is in and then check the originals folder for a folder of the same name as the roll. Check the files inside.

I've created some Tutorials to help users convert over to the alias based system. You can retain the keywords and roll structure but that's about all. Even the dates on the rolls will probably be different (sometimes the latest modified date in the roll is used) but those can be changed in iPhoto. There may be something in there that might be of help to you.

Do you Twango?

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Answer 2

Jun 25, 2006 4:21 PM in response to Old Toad

Where are you checking to see the full sized files?
I just tried importing one file under the alias mode
(by dragging it into the open iPhoto window) and it
did import correctly. The library was originally of
the normal persuasion.

OK -- I see what's going on.

All the files that iPhoto has "decided" are modified are VERTICAL format shots -- ones I "rotated" in he IMAGE CAPTURE utility.

Perhaps this is why Apple made rotating in Image Capture so difficult? It used to have a nice CMD+Left Arrow, CMD+RIGHT Arrow key combination, but now there seems to be no command key for rotation.

So there's something I probably still shouldn't be doing -- or is this "normal" behavior now for iPhoto?

I'll check out your tutorial, for sure!

Stephen

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

207,409 points

Jun 25, 2006 4:28 PM in response to Stephen Greenfield1

Ah yes. The auto-rotate capability of your camera. If you turn it off the files will be imported in the default landscape mode. I preview them before importing and rotate with a 3rd party application before importing. Just one possibility for reducing the size of the library. If there are not that many portrait, don't worry about it. They won't take up that much space. Good luck.

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Answer 4

Jun 25, 2006 4:37 PM in response to Old Toad

Ah yes. The auto-rotate capability of your camera.
If you turn it off the files will be imported in the
default landscape mode.

Well, I'm not doing any auto-rotating in the camera. I used to do manual rotation in my Canon D60, but Image Capture didn't respect that, so I've been rotating in Image Capture. I did NOT rotate in iPhoto.

But I'm getting the gist of the issue -- I'll see if I try to bring them in again if they'll 1) be correctly rotated, and 2) be copies or aliases.

Stephen

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

207,409 points

Jun 25, 2006 4:42 PM in response to Stephen Greenfield1

Image Capture may just write a tag telling it and other applications that can read that tag to rotate when displaying. A simple check is to drag one into a Safari window. Safari does not read those tags and will show the file's actual physical orientation. I use the contextual menu plugin "QuickImage" to quickly view and rotate files.

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