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I know that at some point I will be forced to use it, and at that point its library will be (hopefully) several years out of date.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

léonie

Level 10

200,645 points

Jun 27, 2015 11:47 AM in response to familiedunn

The problem I am having is that I used the Events in iPhoto to create things. I kept my events organized very specifically and then created new ones to group special photos from a variety of sources. Now I can't do any of that in Photo. I have partially finished projects in iPhoto and no idea how I can actually complete them in Photo.

In Photos you have only albums and folders to structure your library. Try to select the photos you would previously move to a new event and add them to an album. And then create your projects from the albums. Only, you cannot be sure, that each photo will only be in one album.

Jun 27, 2015 12:03 PM in response to léonie

Thanks. I finally got one project transferred that way and will simply try starting my next in the new program and keep my fingers crossed. I don't mind having the photos in more than one place. I keep them in the original Event when they were taken and had been creating copies so I could put them into another Event that I was using to create my project. This will work just fine.

Jun 28, 2015 10:04 PM in response to toulouse

the way to let Apple know about anything you're unhappy with or anything that needs fixing/improving is to go to apple.com/feedback, look for the applicable hardware/software/etc., and tell them exactly what is wrong.

brad0319

Level 1

6 points

Jul 7, 2015 10:36 AM in response to toulouse

Here is where you can send feedback to APPLE about Photos. . https://www.apple.com/feedback/photos.html

Unfortunately, their arrogance will ensure that we do not get what we want, as they have demonstrated over the years (iTunes), but might be worth the time to tell them how much Photos really *****.

brad0319

Level 1

6 points

Jul 7, 2015 10:39 AM in response to chipsfortea

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for to avoid the piece of **** Photos that Apple is so happy to burden us with.

brad0319

Level 1

6 points

Jul 7, 2015 10:41 AM in response to missmick1

Here is where you can provide Apple with feedback about their ****** Photos. https://www.apple.com/feedback/photos.html

petermac87

Level 5

7,453 points

Jul 7, 2015 12:56 PM in response to brad0319

If it is making you so miserable then keep using iPhoto.

Pete

brad0319

Level 1

6 points

Jul 8, 2015 11:11 AM in response to petermac87

I am using iPhoto but thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, at some point in the future I will be forced to use Photos.

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,978 points

Jul 8, 2015 2:58 PM in response to brad0319

Unfortunately, at some point in the future I will be forced to use Photos.

You will never be forced to use Photos or any other app.

If at some point in the future iPhoto fails, then you can use any other app you like the manage your Photos - for instance... Picasa, Lightroom, Adobe Bridge, The Finder and there's about 10 more that you can google.

Terrible

Level 1

4 points

Jul 10, 2015 3:16 PM in response to mystwillow

've got over 20,000 photos separated into bunch of albums. Upgraded initially, I'm with the rest I can't believe Apple has not left the option to add to albums. I have no use for iCloud storage. Prefer right here. Was able to go back to 10.10.2, restore iPhone and iPad, only about 24hrs of wasted time. The new photos would be ok with me if they allowed adding to albums when you sync new photos or import and put in an album of my choice, instead of a giant collage these tired eyes can't begin to see. Memorys not good so dates don't help. Stupid decision almost good enough for me to do the unthinkable and kiss Apple goodbye. Asinine decision on their part. I'm afraid a little greed has crept into Apple wanting all to buy their iCloud storage. Not working here. Listen to your customers, can you say Nokia!

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,978 points

Jul 10, 2015 3:40 PM in response to Terrible

How about... Can you say Of course you can add to Albums, drag and drop or use the + button. Really?

brad0319

Level 1

6 points

Jul 10, 2015 4:36 PM in response to Yer_Man

The problem with creating "ALBUMS" is that now I will have an even longer list of crap on the side menu, which I do not want. iPhoto was neatly organized and aesthetically pleasing to look at in the main viewing window. Why would I want to change that? I don't and many other people do not as well. Oh wait, but if I create a long list of albums maybe I can hide the list just like I can with Photos events (which only imported the first picture of each event from iPhoto) which is completely stupid. Hide list = lame solution. The old format and viewing of pictures in iPhoto was great. Why mess with it? Oh, I keep forgetting about the social media experience. Figure out how to make them both work without making Photos look like cheap crap created a decade ago. Plain white background with my photos now organized from oldest at the top to newest at the bottom (another stupid change). Please Apple fanboys reply. I am also a fan but losing faith in them slowly each time they take away popular features and continue to ruin iTunes and iPhoto.

Terrible

Level 1

4 points

Jul 10, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Yer_Man

There's no option, at least on my MacBook Pro. I import photos but there's no albums to be seen to drag or drop into. And if I sync or just import they go into last import, how to get from there to various albums.

Terrible

Level 1

4 points

Jul 10, 2015 5:11 PM in response to Yer_Man

Someone needs to do a YouTube video. I get the photos but can't get them into my existing album. I have one say for example of my son, when I put in a bunch of photos, some are of him, but I can't figure out how to get them into his album. No iCloud, that just causes me to create duplicates. Just on my MacBook.

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,978 points

Jul 10, 2015 11:32 PM in response to Terrible

Enable the Side bar in the View Menu. Also, there's a whole forum for the Photos app here.

Photos for Mac

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Reverting to iPhoto after Photos migration