Level 1

18 points

Reverting to iPhoto after Photos migration

Does anyone know if it is ok to delete the new Photos library from the Pictures folder after you've migrated your iPhoto library to Photos? This is the situation I'm in - I migrated my library to Photos but I HATE it. I am very invested in Events and being able to review each new batch of photos before categorizing them into the appropriate events, and with this new app it's like everything is in a giant shoebox, it seems to include all my Photo Stream pictures in my library before I'm ready (I typically delete a lot of dud pictures every time I import, now they are all mixed in automatically and I have to remember how far back I've gone through and culled), and there's no way to tell which pictures haven't been categorized into an event yet. Worst of all, there's no way to hide photos from all views. Not only are hidden albums/events not even a thing anymore, Photos "conveniently" makes a whole new album of all the pictures I didn't want anyone to see. So now instead of me being the only one who would know where to look for hidden photos/Events in my library when they were unhidden, they're all collected in one place at the top level of my albums view. Why anyone would want an automatic, top-level album of all photos in an entire library that were meant not to be see, I don't know. Seems to defeat the entire privacy/security purpose of the Hide feature. Not to mention, anyone can still see all hidden photos when scrolling through the Albums view.

Long story short, I am RUNNING back to iPhoto for as long as Apple allows it to be used. Now, I know that any changes I make to the iPhoto library won't carry over automatically to Photos. I'm fine with that as I don't intend to use Photos until I'm forced to. However, I know that at some point I will be forced to use it, and at that point its library will be (hopefully) several years out of date. Since Photos creates symbolic links to the photo files, I know I could easily have deleted the iPhoto library when I migrated to Photos, but does that work both ways? I guess my question is, can I delete the Photos library I have now, keep working with my iPhoto library until iPhoto is killed completely, and then re-import the entire library back into Photos? Or do my photo files actually now live in the Photos library package instead of the iPhoto library package and deleting the Photos library will delete all my photos?

Any clarification on my options would be appreciated.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on Apr 9, 2015 6:29 PM

480 replies

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Apr 26, 2015 3:35 PM in response to Raychel Potter

If you do not want photos deleted DON'T PUT THEM IN THE TRASH!

Apr 26, 2015 4:04 PM in response to Kappy

Why do they think they have the right to remove something from my computer that I use everyday with thousands of work photos? I have never felt so violated.

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Apr 26, 2015 4:09 PM in response to Raychel Potter

Raychel Potter wrote:

Why do they think they have the right to remove something from my computer that I use everyday with thousands of work photos? I have never felt so violated.

'They' (I assume that you mean Apple) have not removed anything from your computer, you have not been violated at all.

But even if they had it would be within their rights (they can alter OS X when required, you already agreed to it when you accepted the terms of use for OS X)

DeM88

Level 1

0 points

Apr 27, 2015 9:38 AM in response to chipsfortea

I tried. I can not longer open iPhoto as my version needs updating, apparently. But I cannot update as the updated version is not available in Canada!

léonie

Level 10

200,657 points

Apr 27, 2015 9:48 AM in response to DeM88

But I cannot update as the updated version is not available in Canada!

The error message is misleading. The update page of the AppStore does not work, and you cannot purchase the newer version, but if you ever updated iPhoto from the App Store you should be able to reinstall from the Purchases page of the AppStore, see this User Tip:

Usually it will work to reinstall instead of updating:

Get iPhoto 9.6.1 if you didn't update before OS... | Apple Support Communities

The main idea is to move the iPhoto app to the Trash, so Spotlight does not see it as installed, reload the AppStore, and then to try to download again from the App Store - from your Purchases tab, not from the main page, since you can neither buy iPhoto nor update it, but you can reinstall, if your AppleID is associated with it.

Apr 27, 2015 10:10 AM in response to DeM88

I actually migrated my iPhoto (v9.6.1) app from and older, up to date MBA, via a USB thumb drive to a brand new MBA that had an earlier version of iPhoto on it. The trick was to drag the older version to the trash and then drag the USB fully updated version to the Applications folder.

If the App Store continues to fail you, find someone who has 9.6.1 and copy it onto a portable drive.

Good luck

Apr 27, 2015 7:44 PM in response to mystwillow

I couldn't agree more! I hate the new "photos" as opposed to iPhoto.

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Apr 27, 2015 7:50 PM in response to Mary Birdsong

Mary Birdsong wrote:

I couldn't agree more! I hate the new "photos" as opposed to iPhoto.

So very simple - do not use it - use iPhoto instead until some OS upgrade breaks it

Apr 27, 2015 8:33 PM in response to LarryHN

This is sad... almost as bad as the Apple Maps Introduction..if not worse!

Apple should support both Photos and iPhotos and let people decide which app has greater quality. This would also allow those with years of photos to maintain their library.

It will be interesting what decisions are made at the corporate level....

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Apr 27, 2015 8:41 PM in response to Pete Kroner

Pete Kroner wrote:

This is sad... almost as bad as the Apple Maps Introduction..if not worse!

Apple should support both Photos and iPhotos and let people decide which app has greater quality.

Why?

Apr 27, 2015 8:53 PM in response to Csound1

Why not? Probably a courtesy to their users.....

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Apr 27, 2015 9:02 PM in response to Pete Kroner

You can use Photos, iPhoto, Aperture, or anything else you want. You can use one or all. What else is it that you want.?

Apr 27, 2015 9:25 PM in response to Csound1

Yes, but no. Since migrating to photos (as opposed to iPhoto), it's difficult to know which photos are going where. There really are TOO many options. There's photo stream and iCloud photo sharing and aperture and photos and iPhoto and... and... granted, I'm certainly no tech whiz, but come AWWUN!

I just wanna take a picture, and have it upload to all my devices instantly like Apple promised YEARZZZZZZZZZ ago. Remember that? How simple it was gonna be? Pheh. I'm converting to Quakerism. And quake. Quake like it's 1899.

petermac87

Level 5

7,453 points

Apr 27, 2015 9:29 PM in response to Mary Birdsong

Mary Birdsong wrote:

I just wanna take a picture, and have it upload to all my devices instantly like Apple promised YEARZZZZZZZZZ ago. Remember that?

I don't ever recall that statement from Apple. But it does happen with an iPhone and iCloud. Just depends on what Photo App you wish to use as default. iPhotos is still my choice but certainly not a professional editing software. More of a photo album.

Pete

blosc

Level 1

0 points

Apr 28, 2015 8:01 AM in response to mystwillow

Seriously unhappy with the new iPhoto. Was it changed just so somebody could say, "Oh, look we changed it?" Sure seems so. I had everything organized perfectly. This is a mess.

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Reverting to iPhoto after Photos migration