iphoto picture names are not file names?

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Level 2

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iphoto picture names are not file names?

I have thousands of photos in iPhoto, but only just now noticed that if I drag a photo to my desktop (copy it to my desktop), it arrives there NOT with its iPhoto picture name (Aunt Clara's cat) but with a name like DSCN0369.JPG. So, all this while I thought I was giving my pictures meaningful file names and now it appears that all my file names are merely iPhoto metadata rather than actual file names.

The reason why I wanted to drag photos to desktop was to be able to move them to Picasa on a Windows PC. But if I lose all their file names, it's a catastrophe.

Also, while all my photos are neatly arranged in albums within folders, there doesn't seem to be any way to export this structure, which constitutes another catastrophe.

What am I missing?

PowerBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8), My first OS was CP/M - does anyone remember that?

Posted on May 6, 2015 7:27 AM

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Answer 1

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léonie

Level 10

194,773 points

May 6, 2015 7:48 AM in response to autochthon

Don't drag the photos to the Desktop, but select the photos in the browser window and then use "File > Export".

In the export panel you can select to use the title as the filename.

For example:

iPhoto will always preserve the original file like it is, but when you export the file from iPhoto it will render a new file withe all the changes you added. That ensures a lossless workflow. You can always revert to the original, if you found you made a mistake.

If you select several events at once for exporting, you can create subfolders for each event named like the event.

But the album structure will not be exported.

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Answer 2

autochthon Author

Level 2

157 points

May 6, 2015 7:39 AM in response to léonie

Thanks very much Leonie; that solves issue #1 very nicely. I guess there's no way to also preserve the album/folder structure, but I can live with that.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,773 points

May 6, 2015 7:55 AM in response to autochthon

I guess there's no way to also preserve the album/folder structure, but I can live with that.

No, only partly. if you create an event for each album.

Select all photos in an album, flag them,
then use the command "Events > Create Event from flagged photos":
Select all photos in an album,remove the flag.

Now you will have an event for each album. When you select all photos in a folder and use "File > Export", select the option "Subfolder format: Event name" and export each folder of albums separately to a different folder.

Then your exported photos will reflect your album structure.

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Answer 4

autochthon Author

Level 2

157 points

May 6, 2015 8:52 AM in response to léonie

Thanks again, Leonie; I followed your suggestion, but under File > Export I see no option "Subfolder format: Event name". I'm using iPhoto '09 ver. 8.1.2.

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,773 points

May 6, 2015 9:36 AM in response to autochthon

I'm using iPhoto '09 ver. 8.1.2.

The subfolder option will appear in iPhoto '11, if you select photos from more than one event. I don't remember, if this option has been available in iPhoto 8.1.2, sorry.

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Answer 6

autochthon Author

Level 2

157 points

May 7, 2015 9:30 AM in response to léonie

Leonie, thanks for your continued patience. In retrospect, I'm not sure whether I followed your instructions correctly. 1) I selected all photos in an album, flagged them, and used the command "Create Event from Flagged Photos". I guess an Event was created, but I can't find it...I was never presented with a chance to name the new Event, and when I look thru all my Events, I don't find any of the pictures that supposedly became part of the new Event.

Later, after removing the flag from photos in an album, you are still talking about events and albums, and suddenly you switch to "When you select all photos in a FOLDER"......I thought we were creating events. You lost me.....but i'm easily confused :-)

If i get past this, maybe the Subfolder Format: Event Name command will appear, after all...?

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Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

194,773 points

May 7, 2015 9:36 AM in response to autochthon

when I look thru all my Events, I don't find any of the pictures that supposedly became part of the new Event.

The photos are still in the Flagged album, so select one of the photos there and use "Show event". I am also lost, because I do not remember clearly. what has been possible in iPhoto 8.1.2

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