Move iphoto pics to photo when library on external drive

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Level 1

29 points

Move iphoto pics to photo when library on external drive

Now that iphoto has changed to Photos, Im not sure how to import by library. First of all, I had my iphot library stored on a separate external drive due to size. Apparently leaving the Photos library on an external drive does not allow you to share using icloud. Not sure how this is helpful for people with very large libraries. Anyways, after Photos was installed, I switched it to access my iphoto library on the external drive and it converted it from iphoto to Photos, then dumped all my old events into one album. I then tried to set it back to the system Photos library and then attempted to import the photos from my old iphoto and the newly converted Photos library into the System Photos library but it wont allow me to select it. How do I properly move my old events/photos into the system library for Photos? Should my old events be converted to albums somehow? Will new photos added create a new moment...album or what.

Posted on Apr 28, 2015 5:58 AM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Apr 28, 2015 6:07 AM in response to Cumby

There is no way to import a library.

Apparently leaving the Photos library on an external drive does not allow you to share using icloud.

This is not true. If the Disk is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled), and it's not on a network share, it runs exactly the same as if it's on your internal drive.

I then tried to set it back to the system Photos library

Set what? And how?

You designate a Library as the System Library in the Photos preferences.

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Answer 2

Cumby Author

Level 1

29 points

Apr 28, 2015 6:27 AM in response to Yer_Man

By setting, I mean selecting the library on my external drive.

"This is not true. If the Disk is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled), and it's not on a network share, it runs exactly the same as if it's on your internal drive."

My ED is formatted that way and is not shared on a network. However, when I have the library on my ED selected, it says that sharing is not allowed except from the system library. Could it be an issue with converting the old iphoto library while it was on the ED? In other words, do need to import all photos to the library on my mac and then move that library to my ED after that?

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,260 points

Apr 28, 2015 10:26 AM in response to Cumby

No, you just need to designate the one on the Ed as the System library, which you do in the Photos preferences:

In the screenshot below the option to designate is not available as this is the System Library:

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Answer 4

Cumby Author

Level 1

29 points

Apr 28, 2015 9:16 AM in response to Yer_Man

OK. That makes sense. Ill check that when I get home.

So events are no more? Will all my old pics stay in a separate folder for "events" or is there a way to integrate them into the new app so they are organized with any newly added photos?

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Apr 28, 2015 9:24 AM in response to Cumby

Moments in Photo are the new Events, i.e. groupings of photos sorted by date taken.

When the iPhoto Library was first migrated to Photos there was a folder created in the sidebar titled iPhoto Events and all migrated iPhoto Events (which are now Moments) are represented by an album in that folder. To open the sidebar if it's not already open use the Option+Command+S key combination.

There's a way to simulate events in Photos.

When new photos are imported into the Photos library go to the Last Import smart album, select all the photos and use the File ➙ New Album menu option or use the key combination Command+N. Name it as desired. It will appear just above the iPhoto Events folder where you can drag it into the iPhoto Events folder

When you click on the iPhoto Events folder you'll get a simulated iPhoto Events window.

The downside to the simulation is that the Album/Events can only be sorted automatically by Title. But they can also be sorted manually, either in the sidebar or in the folder's window at the right.

Ask Apple for more sorting options in Photos via https://www.apple.com/feedback/photos.html.

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Answer 6

Cumby Author

Level 1

29 points

Apr 28, 2015 9:36 AM in response to Old Toad

Old Toad wrote:

Moments in Photo are the new Events, i.e. groupings of photos sorted by date taken.

When the iPhoto Library was first migrated to Photos there was a folder created in the sidebar titled iPhoto Events and all migrated iPhoto Events (which are now Moments) are represented by an album in that folder. To open the sidebar if it's not already open use the Option+Command+S key combination.

There's a way to simulate events in Photos.

When new photos are imported into the Photos library go to the Last Import smart album, select all the photos and use the File ➙ New Album menu option or use the key combination Command+N. Name it as desired. It will appear just above the iPhoto Events folder where you can drag it into the iPhoto Events folder

When you click on the iPhoto Events folder you'll get a simulated iPhoto Events window.

The downside to the simulation is that the Album/Events can only be sorted automatically by Title. But they can also be sorted manually, either in the sidebar or in the folder's window at the right.

Ask Apple for more sorting options in Photos via https://www.apple.com/feedback/photos.html.

What about the other way? Can you convert the old events to moments so everything is organized together?

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Answer 7

Old Toad

Level 10

207,367 points

Apr 28, 2015 10:26 AM in response to Cumby

What about the other way? Can you convert the old events to moments so everything is organized together

No, because Events can have photos from multiple dates and Moments are for one date only. However, as I said, each Event is represented by an Album inside the iPhoto Events folder. So you can simulate Events that way and organize your photos via albums and folders.

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