Kiwal

Q: How to setup photo structure after switch from Windows?

Hi Colleagues,

 

Have changed all computers at home from Windows into Mac. As a result have new Air and Pro Retina plus NAS system by Qnap.

WIth windows was having a regular photo file structure that was stored on NAS. This "library" has approximately 100GB and is manually structured in folders that represent events. So far was downloading pics to Win computer, making some adjustments, cleaning and only then moving them to NAS.

 

Now what is the best practice to organize such files with Mac and iPhoto provided that I would like to have access to this database from both MAC's. How to go forward with current taken pics? Where to import them, store, etc?

 

Look forward for your advices.

 

Adam

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Feb 22, 2014 8:33 AM

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Q: How to setup photo structure after switch from Windows?

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  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Feb 22, 2014 8:59 AM in response to Kiwal
    Level 10 (108,438 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 22, 2014 8:59 AM in response to Kiwal

    Adam,

    iPhoto is avery good way to organize photos and to store them for retrieval, but it will encapsulate your photos into a database  package, called the iPhoto database. You access it using iPhoto or the Mac's Media Browser.

     

    iPhoto has been designed for single-user access, and network access to an iPhoto library is not supported.  So, if you want to use iPhoto, don't store the iPhoto library on a NAS, that can cause database corruption and data loss.

     

    If you want to use an iPhoto library from two different macs, store it on a portable drive and plug it into the mac you are currently working with.

     

    See this document:  iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users

     

    Any drive you are using with iPhoto needs to be formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled), see: 

       Format external drives to Mac OS Extended before using with Aperture

     

     

    Léonie

     

     

    You may want to have  a look at  these User Tips:

                     How to Access Files in iPhoto

     

                     iPhoto and File Management

     

                     Exporting From iPhoto

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Feb 22, 2014 9:07 AM in response to Kiwal
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 22, 2014 9:07 AM in response to Kiwal

    I'd like to add a little "twist" to léonie's suggtestion of having the library on a portable drive and moving the drive between Macs when it's needed.  That would be to have a smaller library on each Mac with just the photos needed for whatever you're working on at the time. Albums and/or Events can easily be copied between libraries with the paid version of  iPhoto Library Manager.

     

    This way each Mac has access to your "main" library while having its own "working" library.

     

    OT

  • by Kiwal,

    Kiwal Kiwal Feb 22, 2014 9:22 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 22, 2014 9:22 AM in response to léonie

    Hi Leonie,

     

    Thank you for comment. Then I understand that there is no way @ MAC to have the library shared. Only solution is to leave the structure as-is meaning file structure @ NAS and use it as file database with pics.

    Then for any new photos taken, import to iPhoto, rework them and export to NAS into the file structure.

     

    Pity that it's not managed better...

     

    Adam

  • by Kiwal,

    Kiwal Kiwal Feb 22, 2014 9:26 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 22, 2014 9:26 AM in response to Old Toad

    Hi Toad,

     

    All the pics are for private use, so I do not work with them for a number of days, weeks, but mainly import, rework, and store. Then as you may suppose would like to have access to them ...

     

    Regarding external drive - I will not use it as I have purchased NAS to increase security of one disc drive - I have the RAID setup there with mirroring discs.

     

    Adam

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Feb 22, 2014 10:28 AM in response to Kiwal
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 22, 2014 10:28 AM in response to Kiwal

    Be aware that backing up an iPhoto library to a non OS X Extended (journaled) formatted driver will not be foolproof and is likely to not be able to restore a working library. 

     

    Maybe a DAM (digital asset management) application such as Media Pro 1 might fit your needs better than iPhoto.  Or even Aperture as it can run a "referenced" library with the source files on a server whereas iPhoto can't.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Feb 22, 2014 10:39 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 10 (108,438 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 22, 2014 10:39 AM in response to Old Toad

    Or even Aperture as it can run a "referenced" library with the source files on a server whereas iPhoto can't.

    And even Aperture will have problems, if the file system is not  MacOS Extended (Journaled) - that can cause broken refrenced files.

     

    If Adaam want to do the file management himself, how about Picasa? I do not know, if there is a Mavericks compatible version, but previous versions worked well.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Feb 22, 2014 10:48 AM in response to léonie
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 22, 2014 10:48 AM in response to léonie

    And even Aperture will have problems, if the file system is not  MacOS Extended (Journaled) - that can cause broken refrenced files.

    It's my understanding, ie. from Terence's posts, that Aperture can run a reference library with the source files on a server as long as the library is on the Mac and a OS X Extended (journaled) hard drive.  Correct me if I've misunderstood those posts.

  • by Kiwal,

    Kiwal Kiwal Feb 23, 2014 9:53 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 23, 2014 9:53 AM in response to léonie

    Picasa - you mean the google app and storage?

    Was using it for sharing pics, but it had limited space.

    NAS gave me same options so was not utilizing picasa for a long time.

     

    Regarding file structure need to explore if I can change it on NAS.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Feb 23, 2014 10:07 AM in response to Kiwal
    Level 10 (85,414 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 23, 2014 10:07 AM in response to Kiwal

    Picasa - you mean the google app and storage?

    Was using it for sharing pics, but it had limited space.

     

     

    There is a Picasa photo manager for the Mac - it is from Google but it is not th eonline version (although it integrates to that) - it is local to your mac - You will have to seperately research its abilities and if it will meed your needs

     

    NAS gave me same options so was not utilizing picasa for a long time.

     

    OK - but you can not use your NAS for their iPhoto library so people are suggesting alternatives

     

    Regarding file structure need to explore if I can change it on NAS.

    You can not - a NAS is not a disk drive - it is a headless computer and it has its own file system that can not be changed -

     

    You either need to change what you want to do and use iPhoto the way it works or change the software you use to a system that will work with your NAS

     

    Once again  You can not use either iPhoto nor Aperture with their libraries on a NAS

     

    You could use Aperture in a referenced mode with the original photos on the NAS and all of the edits, changes, etc on your mac

     

     

    You can use other programs - Picassa is a potential - and a Digital Asset Manager (DAM) discussion site will have others - there are soem that work fine with a NAS

     

    LN

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Feb 23, 2014 10:14 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 10 (108,438 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 23, 2014 10:14 AM in response to Old Toad
    It's my understanding, ie. from Terence's posts, that Aperture can run a reference library with the source files on a server as long as the library is on the Mac and a OS X Extended (journaled) hard drive.  Correct me if I've misunderstood those posts.

     

    There are no Apple documents saying, what will happen, when the file system on the drive with the referenced originals is not MacOS Extended (Journaled).

    The only recommendation for Aperture is the document  "Use locally mounted Mac OS X Extended volumes for your Aperture library", afaik.

     

    I see no reason, why this should be different for the referenced originals. I made some experiments and relocated originals to a server on our university network. There was repeated trouble with broken references, i.e. with very long filenames and ethnic characters in the filenames, and it is slow, very slow.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Feb 23, 2014 10:17 AM in response to léonie
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 23, 2014 10:17 AM in response to léonie

    There was repeated trouble with broken references, i.e. with very long filenames and ethnic characters in the filenames, and it is slow, very slow.

    Yes, that is a problem with servers. I won't even use an OS X Extended (journaled) case sensitive EHD as some apps will change the case of the extension when editing and that will cause problems.

  • by Kiwal,

    Kiwal Kiwal Feb 23, 2014 11:42 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 23, 2014 11:42 AM in response to Old Toad

    And how it may look with TC?

    Can i store there an iPhoto library and have managed approach for photos?

    Of course as I'm a home user I dot need access to it constantly, but from time to time basis.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Feb 23, 2014 11:50 AM in response to Kiwal
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 23, 2014 11:50 AM in response to Kiwal

    If you're using a Time Capsure for Time Machine you shouldn't try running any sort of library from it as TM will slowly squeeze out all available free space for its own use.  If you use the Time Capsure just as an external HD you can copy your managed library to it and run it from there without any issues.

  • by Kiwal,

    Kiwal Kiwal Feb 23, 2014 12:01 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 23, 2014 12:01 PM in response to Old Toad

    Toad, you are saying that TimeMachine will absorbe more than 0.5TB; 1TB?

    How that comes for computers with SSD od 256GB?

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