iPhoto/Aperture 1.5 Integration questions

[1] Should I just set preference in iPhoto to
not "Copy files to iPhoto Library Folder" and
import the entire Aperture library?
[2] Will it copy the albums from Aperture intact?

This will work if your Aperture library's masters are stored by reference. However, it will only copy the masters, not an album structure. It won't copy your adjustments either. Just the masters.

[3] How much additional disk space (if any) will this
use up?

iPhoto will build JPEGs for each master image, so you will use some disk space.

[4] What is the signifcance of setting up previews in
Aperture (which I have done)?

Previews will allow you to browse your Aperture library in iPhoto. You can decide what images are made available to iPhoto. These are the versions, not the masters, so adjustments made in Aperture will be seen by iPhoto (as opposed to importing the masters).

[5] In iPhoto I see that there is File>Show Aperture
Library... where I can see thumbnails of my Aperture
pictures. What else is this used for? (i.e. can I
import pictures using this feature?)

You can drag images from that window into iPhoto, which will import the JPEG previews so you can use them in slideshows, etc.

[6] If, subsequent to import, I add to the Aperture
libary, will that automatically synchronize with the
iPhoto library, or do I have to iPhoto-import the
entire Aperture library every time new photos are
added to the Aperture library?

There isn't any automatic synchronization, but I think the following is a good approach:

1) When importing your masters into Aperture, don't have Aperture copy them from the CF card into the library. Instead give it a folder to copy them to. In addition, specify a sub folder that is "Project Name". By doing that, your import will be separate from other imports.
2) Make sure iPhoto is set to reference images not copy them into the library.
3) Then, when you want to synchronize with iPhoto, just drag the directories containing the projects that you want synchronized directly to iPhoto.

--SLS

How do I browse my Aperture library in iPhoto? I'm using iPhoto 6.0.5 and Aperture 1.5 and don't see how to do it. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Aperture libraries show up in the media browser in iWeb and other iLife applications; just not in iPhoto.

Then if you want to see full sized pictures (instead of just thumbnails) in >iPhoto, drag the Aperture library/project/album into iPhoto.

if you do this and tell iPhoto not to import in the prefs I take it this reads from the aperture library all the time.. and updates if you change masters?

does this import stacks/versions?

I'm curious about doing the opposite. I've imported my iPhoto library, but letting Aperture reference back to the images in the iPhoto library.

My question is... how do I update the aperture library when new additions have been made to the iPhoto library? It doesn't seem to happen automatically and reimporting the iPhoto library doesn't seem to be the answer (but perhaps I'm wrong). Any suggestions?

M

I'm trying to figure out this workflow myself - I'm not ready to totally ditch my 5 year old iphoto library until I'm sure I really want to go with Aperture for everything (yes I'm one of those over-researching analytical types)

What I'm going to look into is an automator action that takes the images from the "Last Roll" album in photo and imports the reference to them in Aperture. this means I would have to remember to do this each time I import. Would be nice if it could do an "if does not exist in aperture library" type of thing.

I keep checking this forum every day hoping someone discovers a better solution.

I'm curious about doing the opposite. I've imported
my iPhoto library, but letting Aperture reference
back to the images in the iPhoto library.

My question is... how do I update the aperture
library when new additions have been made to the
iPhoto library? It doesn't seem to happen
automatically and reimporting the iPhoto library
doesn't seem to be the answer (but perhaps I'm
wrong). Any suggestions?

M

I'm not ready to ditch my iPhoto library either - but I'm doing it the other way around. Aperture is a wonderful import point. It lets me browse, select, tag, stack etc. images BEFORE they take up precious hard disk space. Once imported I can adjust, publish, and share with iLife (via drag and drop previews which I create as needed).

I won't be storing or viewing images in Aperture - instead I'll be using it as the tool to do everything else.

Same problem here ... I want iPhoto to be our family repository. My wife wants no part of Aperture. But I want the iPhoto Referenced library to be dynamic and auto update as images are added to iPhoto.

Maybe we need to start this as its own topic so its not lost in here.