thirdwavehk

Q: how to clean up picture memory

my picture size reads 32GB in the iphoto library.photolibrary file folder and have just 777 photos. Seriously. WT -heck.

MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on May 15, 2014 3:55 AM

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Q: how to clean up picture memory

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  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 15, 2014 4:18 AM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (108,438 points)
    iCloud
    May 15, 2014 4:18 AM in response to thirdwavehk

    What is the format of your photos?  32GB would be o.k. for a photo library, if you are shooting RAW with really large RAW files - each RAW file about 40MB.  Or if you have plenty of videos in your iPhoto library.

  • by Terence Devlin,Helpful

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin May 15, 2014 4:53 AM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (139,582 points)
    iLife
    May 15, 2014 4:53 AM in response to thirdwavehk

    That does sound somewhat large alright.

     

    Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.

     

    Sort it on Size. What's the biggest folder or item? What size is that?

     

    Make no changes within the Library package.

  • by thirdwavehk,

    thirdwavehk thirdwavehk May 15, 2014 6:28 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 15, 2014 6:28 PM in response to léonie

    Nope, I don't even have a 'camera'. All my photos are from my iphone. and I have gone to All My Files and removed the large videos.

     

    'Show Package Contents' -holy mackerel!!! THANK YOU! So now what though? What are these files? Great for back up but... -got a lot to learn here but don't even know where to start. Why, Make no changes within the Library package.  ? How do I clean it up? (will research now that I have better keywords! Thanks Terence Devlin

     

    thirdwavehk

  • by thirdwavehk,

    thirdwavehk thirdwavehk May 15, 2014 6:51 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 15, 2014 6:51 PM in response to Terence Devlin

    So if I shoulld not touch these files, how do I clear out the memory? I have an Airport Time Capsule all ready to dump all these photos into...

     

    -Yes, I have dumped my trash, many times.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN May 15, 2014 8:02 PM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (85,414 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 15, 2014 8:02 PM in response to thirdwavehk

    start by answering TD's questions

     

    Sort it on Size. What's the biggest folder or item? What size is that?

     

    LN

  • by thirdwavehk,

    thirdwavehk thirdwavehk May 15, 2014 8:15 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 15, 2014 8:15 PM in response to LarryHN

    Hi LarryHN, -yeah, The Master is the biggest. This is not the real question though, is it? -they all contain files that I have deleted via iPhoto. Why doesn't iPhoto manage these 'package contents'? If i shouldn't/can't erase them in these folders how does one clear out this memory space?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 15, 2014 9:58 PM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (108,438 points)
    iCloud
    May 15, 2014 9:58 PM in response to thirdwavehk

    Why doesn't iPhoto manage these 'package contents'? If i shouldn't/can't erase them in these folders how does one clear out this memory space?

    When you delete a photo using iPhoto, it will be moved to iPhoto's Trash bin, but kept in the iPhoto library. To remove it permanently, empty iPhoto's Trash. Ctrl-click the trash and use "Empty Trash". Then empty the Trash in the Finder as well.

  • by Terence Devlin,Helpful

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin May 16, 2014 12:23 AM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (139,582 points)
    iLife
    May 16, 2014 12:23 AM in response to thirdwavehk

    The Master is the biggest. This is not the real question though, is it?

     

    Correct. The real question is "What size is that?" 

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN May 16, 2014 7:00 AM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (85,414 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 16, 2014 7:00 AM in response to thirdwavehk

    Well if you would like assistance it is - no one can help if you do not cooperate and provide information - you still have not answered the question now have you?

     

     

     

    Sort it on Size. What's the biggest folder or item? What size is that?

     

    LN

  • by thirdwavehk,

    thirdwavehk thirdwavehk May 16, 2014 11:47 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 16, 2014 11:47 PM in response to léonie

    I know how to use the trash function. I have emptied the trash in both places, both in iphoto and off the desktop.

  • by thirdwavehk,

    thirdwavehk thirdwavehk May 16, 2014 11:56 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 16, 2014 11:56 PM in response to Terence Devlin

    It is 21 GB. What difference does this make? I need to understand how things work as far as this 'package' function goes. I understand you all need details to help me but it can also help if I could learn about how this programming functions. Is there a tutorial somewhere I should watch or something to this effect?

     

    "Make no changes to the library package." Why? I need to change something so that I have more memory space. Deleting didn't change anything, emptying the trash didn't change anything. From my general understanding and experience with computers I would copy all the photos in all thes files and save them on my Airport Time Capsule.

     

    I don't feel like download what ever 'clean my mac' app or whatever cuz I don't feel I should have to make things more complicated.

     

    Thanks for all the fish, but need to learn how to catch them myself here people.

     

    Terence Devlin, your patience -I can see why you are here. A much deserved level 10 (122,570).

  • by thirdwavehk,

    thirdwavehk thirdwavehk May 17, 2014 12:06 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 17, 2014 12:06 AM in response to LarryHN

    HI LARRYhn,

     

    Your tone is negative and I feel you are picking me out of a crowd to be made an example of for your enjoyment. Feeling better about yourself now?

     

    "if I would like assistance" -restating the obvious.

     

    "no one can help you" -a normative generalization.

     

    "do not cooperate" -your persective based on the fact that this learner is more challenging than the sheep you usually deal with.

     

    "provide information" -stresses your desire to be authoritative, in a situation to which is in your advantage.

     

    "you still have not answered the question now have you?' Yeah, if it was just you here, I would have left this discussion for some where else.

     

    Awh Larry... Having a bad day? Flame away...

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin May 17, 2014 12:40 AM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (139,582 points)
    iLife
    May 17, 2014 12:40 AM in response to thirdwavehk

    It is 21 GB. What difference does this make?

     

    Well if you only have 777 items and that folder is 21 gigs that makes for 777 enormous items or something is wrong. That's why this might be important.

     

    I need to understand how things work as far as this 'package' function goes. I understand you all need details to help me but it can also help if I could learn about how this programming functions. Is there a tutorial somewhere I should watch or something to this effect?

     

    No there isn't. Simply, the Masters contain your photos as downloaed from your camera/device. The Previews contain versions for sharing via Media Browsers and the Data folder contains thumbnails. Thereafter you have a lot of database, metadata and versioning files and some caches.

     

    "Make no changes to the library package." Why?

     

    You'll trash your Library if you do. This is a rule that holds in about 99.95% of cases. This will result in dataloss for you.

     

    I need to change something so that I have more memory space. Deleting didn't change anything, emptying the trash didn't change anything.

     

    Yes, but as I said, in about 99.95% of cases you will not need to change anything within here, and doing so will cause you dataloss.

     

    From my general understanding and experience with computers I would copy all the photos in all thes files and save them on my Airport Time Capsule.

     

    And in doing so trash the Library resulting in dataloss as described.

     

    The iPhoto library is not just a bunch of files and folders. It's a complex ecosystem of interlinked databases, folders and files. Breaking those links will cause dataloss. So you need to treat the Library as a unit, not a collection of its parts. One poster on here referred to it being like a car engine. You can just yank bits out and put them in the trunk of the car and expect it to work...

     

    I don't feel like download what ever 'clean my mac' app or whatever cuz I don't feel I should have to make things more complicated.

     

    That's the point. Don't ever donwload these apps. They're a waste of money and - not infrequently - they treat the iPhoto Library like a bundle of files and folders and thereby trash it.

     

    Where next:

     

    I'm guessing there are three possible reasons why 777 items weigh in at 21 gigs.

     

    a: You've got some enormous videos in there.

     

    b: You've had a lot more stuff in there in the past and when deleting it haasn't cleaned up properly

     

    c: Something else is in there that shouldn't be there.

     

     

    So, do you have very long videos?

     

    Within the Masters package there are a bunch of folders. They're named for the date and time of import.

     

    Sort these on size. Again, how large is the biggest? And what's inside it?

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie May 17, 2014 12:49 AM in response to thirdwavehk
    Level 10 (108,438 points)
    iCloud
    May 17, 2014 12:49 AM in response to thirdwavehk

    I know how to use the trash function. I have emptied the trash in both places, both in iphoto and off the desktop.

    No insult intended. We just have to make sure that none of the obvious things have been overlooked, because we cannot look at your screen.

     

    We do not know yet your exact iPhoto version. Earlier iPhoto versions had a bug when emptying your trash. After emptying the trash the content stayed in the Trash and nothing appeared in the system Trash.

     

    Now that we know the size of your Masters folder, we can try to compute, if there are lost original image files inside.  The "Masters" folder is holding all original image files you imported. When you delete a photo, the corresponding original will be deleted automatically as well, if it is the last version of your photo.

     

    21 GB of masters for 777 photos means, that you are storing an average of 30 MB per original image file. How large is the file size of the images you import to iPhoto? And the format of the files? 30 MB is typical for very large RAW files or tiffs. The Info panel will show you the file size and the file extension for selected files.

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