Retro-compatibilty of the iPhoto library

Question

Level 1

33 points

Retro-compatibilty of the iPhoto library

Hi everybody, i've a question about the possibility to downgrade iPhoto release from 9.6.1 (with Yosemite) down to 8.1.2 (on Lion).

I'm considering to switch back from Yosemite to Lion (just because iPhoto 8.1.2 is compatible with this MAC OS version), and i was wondering if the actual iPhoto 9.6.1 library could be re-imported once iPhoto 8.1.2 is up and running on the new system or if the new format is just compatible with iPhoto 9.6.1

Does anybody know this?

Posted on Mar 27, 2015 12:57 AM

Reply

Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,767 points

Mar 27, 2015 1:23 AM in response to Benna

Do you still have system installer disks for iPhoto 8.1.2? You cannot download full installers from Apple's site.

iPhoto cannot downgrade the 9.6.1 library to a format compatible with 8.1.2. You can do it with the full version of iPhoto Library Manager, however, if you have it. You can buy it from here: Fat Cat Software – iPhoto Library Manager

To downgrade a library see this Help page: Fat Cat Software - iPhoto Library Manager Help - Downgrading a library to an earlier version of iPhoto

But downgrading cannot preserve the products - books, calendars, cards. If you invested a lot of work in books, I would not do it.

Do you perhaps have an older backup of your iPhoto library from before you upgraded to Yosemite? Then you might consider to restore it and start with this version.

Reply

Answer 2

Benna Author

Level 1

33 points

Mar 27, 2015 1:31 AM in response to léonie

Thanks léonie.

Yes, i do have system DVD booth of Lion and iLife 09.

And yes, i have invested many many hours in books, calendars and cards..... 😟 so upset!

So, iPhoto Library Manager is just a program that moves pictures without projects. The same as manual drag&drop photos from inside iPhoto 9.6.1 to a backup disck and then again manual drag&drop the same photos from the backup hard disk to iphoto 8.1.2, correct?

Reply

Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,314 points

Mar 27, 2015 1:48 AM in response to Benna

So, iPhoto Library Manager is just a program that moves pictures without projects. The same as manual drag&drop photos from inside iPhoto 9.6.1 to a backup disck and then again manual drag&drop the same photos from the backup hard disk to iphoto 8.1.2, correct?

No. It doesn't preserve projects but it does preserve most everything else, including the edit history, Albums, metadata and so on.

Reply

Answer 4

Benna Author

Level 1

33 points

Mar 27, 2015 1:51 AM in response to Yer_Man

Ohhh, ok, then i'll evaluate the software.

Thanks!!

Reply

Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,767 points

Mar 27, 2015 2:03 AM in response to Benna

Is iPhoto the only reason, why you want to downgrade to Lion?

In that case I'd wait a few weeks, until you can explore the new Photos.app, that will come with Yosemite. It might be easier to go forward instead of backward. Apple will no longer develop iPhoto but release Photos instead. It will come for free with Yosemite.

For a preview of the new Photos see this link: Apple - OS X - Photos Preview

If you like Photos more than iPhoto '11 it might be an alternative to downgrading, which will be a lot of work and cut you off from all new apple software releases.

Reply

Answer 6

Benna Author

Level 1

33 points

Mar 27, 2015 2:13 AM in response to léonie

You're totally right, the reason i'm braking my brain is because a person i'm following made a mistake: he's a photographer with many books and projects on iPhoto 8 + Lion.

He decided to upgrade to Yosemite + iPhoto without informing on the possible impact of the whole operation, so now his problem is that with new iPhoto he has lost all of the Themes he was used to use for hits books and works.

So he asked me to revert back to iPhoto 8 (and then the necessity to downgrade also the OS to Lion for compatibility reasons), but here comes a new problem: the new iPhoto Library is no more compatible with the old iPhoto version.

I've also suggested him to wait for Photos, hoping that the new program will brings themes (at least) similar to old themes (eve if i'm not so confident).

Reply

Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

194,767 points

Mar 27, 2015 2:22 AM in response to Benna

I've also suggested him to wait for Photos, hoping that the new program will brings themes (at least) similar to old themes (eve if i'm not so confident).

Only iPhoto 8.1.2 will have the old themes, and to be able to edit the old books you'll need to restore a backup of the iPhoto 8.1.2 library.

Photos will bring new book themes, but it is not clear yet, if you will be able to edit books created in iPhoto in Photos.

Whatever you decide to do, make a full backup of what you are having now - a new Time Machine backup or a bootable clone, so you can restore what you have now easily, if your downgrade should be causing problems.

Revert to a previous OS X version

Reply