hokiescottyp

Q: Migration prep: "Consolidate" iPhoto images to single Aperture library before migrating to Photos

I have a bunch of iPhoto libraries that are already visible in Aperture but the files are stored inside the iPhoto library managed packages.  I don't remember exactly what I did to make them visible in Aperture, but I'm preparing to move to Photos for OS X and I want a single managed Aperture library to migrate to Photos and iCloud Photo Library.

 

How can I simply "consolidate" the image files in the iPhoto libraries to be physically located inside the managed Aperture library?  I just want to move the files that are already visible in Aperture, NOT re-import (and duplicate) them all.

 

I tried using "Consolidate" feature in Aperture, but that didn't seem to be available for these images.

 

Am I missing something?

Aperture 3, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on May 6, 2015 4:48 PM

Close

Q: Migration prep: "Consolidate" iPhoto images to single Aperture library before migrating to Photos

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by markwmsn,

    markwmsn markwmsn May 7, 2015 11:48 AM in response to hokiescottyp
    Level 5 (5,652 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 7, 2015 11:48 AM in response to hokiescottyp

    "Consolidate" is to move "referenced" images (stored eternal to the Aperture library) inside the Aperture library, making them "managed" images. You are looking for "merge" or "import".

     

    I don't have a handy text about merging Aperture/iPhoto libraries using Aperture, but it can do that. Look in the Aperture help for library management. Maybe somebody with a handy canned script will happen along here to help with that part.

  • by hokiescottyp,

    hokiescottyp hokiescottyp May 7, 2015 12:21 PM in response to markwmsn
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 7, 2015 12:21 PM in response to markwmsn

    Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries - Apple Support

     

    I searched already, and this is only article I found, but the instruction here are talking about an "import" which will duplicate all images.

     

    I understand the difference between referenced and managed libraries quite well, but it's not entirely clear to me how Aperture is treating my iPhoto libraries currently.  The photos are visible in Aperture, but the files are stored in the iPhoto (managed) library package (not in the Aperture managed library package) - which in my mind, should make them "Referenced" images - that I want to "Consolidate".

     

    I really don't want to re-import them into Aperture, since we're talking about 100GB+ here.

     

    Still looking for suggestions.

  • by markwmsn,

    markwmsn markwmsn May 7, 2015 12:51 PM in response to hokiescottyp
    Level 5 (5,652 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 7, 2015 12:51 PM in response to hokiescottyp

    Sorry, I had no way to know how well versed you were with referenced and managed libraries.

     

    Since iPhoto 9.6.1 and Aperture 3.6 use the same library format, there isn't really a distinction between "iPhoto (managed) library package" and "Aperture managed library package" except which particular application you happen to be using to open which library. They can even be set to open the same library package, just not both at once. On each of my machines, I have one main library that I open with Aperture most of the time, but sometimes I open it with iPhoto when I want to do something iPhoto does better (usually auto-split a monthly photo stream event).

     

    How many iPhoto/Aperture libraries do you maintain currently, and which ones do you open with which application? Do they contain disjoint, overlapping, or identical sets of photos? Which ones are you trying to combine into one?

  • by hokiescottyp,

    hokiescottyp hokiescottyp May 7, 2015 1:09 PM in response to markwmsn
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 7, 2015 1:09 PM in response to markwmsn

    Thanks for your time trying to help me think through this!

     

    I used iPhoto for a while and had about 200GB worth of photos and videos in about 1 iPhoto library per year (about 8 libraries), but then I switched over to using Aperture and started using it ONLY.  (I apparently set it up to view (but didn't actually import) my iPhoto libraries into the main Aperture library.)  But they are listed as Projects in my Aperture library when I open it in Aperture.  I basically don't even change the library in Aperture.


    But now, I want to migrate to Photos, since the features of iCloud Photo Library are appealing to me, and I don't use nearly enough of the "pro" Aperture features for it to be a "step back" for me.  In my research about Photos, it was my understanding that only managed images in the main library are accessible via iCloud Photo Library.   Is that true?


    If so, I was planning to merge all my iPhoto libraries into my master Aperture library (even though they are already "there"), so that I can see them all in iCloud, and have a single library to work from.



  • by markwmsn,

    markwmsn markwmsn May 7, 2015 2:43 PM in response to hokiescottyp
    Level 5 (5,652 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 7, 2015 2:43 PM in response to hokiescottyp

    If your annual iPhoto libraries appear as projects in Aperture and you don't change libraries in Aperture, I think you actually used File > Import > Library... to import the iPhoto libraries and their photos into your Aperture library.

     

    I happened to be at a handy place to try an experiment. Starting with a fresh OS X user (never used iPhoto or Aperture), I opened iPhoto to a fresh library and imported a handful of photos. Then I closed iPhoto and opened Aperture to a fresh library and used File > Import > Library... to import the iPhoto library. I wound up with a project named "Apr 25, 2015" (the date of the photos). A search for references files showed none.

     

    Inside the Aperture library contents, the photos I imported into iPhoto were located in [...]/Masters/2015/05/07/20150507-161710 just as if I had imported them directly into Aperture today. Launching Photos for the first time on this user, the four photos were migrated into Photos. They probably won't get up to the cloud until the mid-size test library I uploaded from another system has downloaded (8,600 photos, 205 videos).

     

    hokiescottyp wrote:

     

    I was planning to merge all my iPhoto libraries into my master Aperture library (even though they are already "there"), so that I can see them all in iCloud, and have a single library to work from.

     

    I think may you already be there. If you have already searched for referenced files and found none, you may want to verify that the master files for a few old photos are actually in your Aperture library and declare victory.

  • by hokiescottyp,

    hokiescottyp hokiescottyp May 7, 2015 3:44 PM in response to markwmsn
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 7, 2015 3:44 PM in response to markwmsn

    I think you might be right.   I actually tried to confirm that this was the case.  I pulled up some images in Aperture from some of the allegedly imported iPhoto Libraries.  I copied the filename from the Info panel, and then went to the Finder (since there's no way to get Aperture to reveal the location of a master file in the Finder).  I then opened the Aperture library package and searched for the filename.  I got a hit  on at least one image from each iPhoto library, so I think that you are right, and that maybe I just never trashed the iPhoto Libraries after importing them.

     

    Do you know of any other/better ways to double check this before trashing the iPhoto Libraries?  I was thinking of copying the smallest iPhoto library and then deleting it and seeing if all the images are still accessible in Aperture. 

     

    Thoughts?

  • by markwmsn,

    markwmsn markwmsn May 7, 2015 4:02 PM in response to markwmsn
    Level 5 (5,652 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 7, 2015 4:02 PM in response to markwmsn

    I wrote:

     

    [...] Launching Photos for the first time on this user, the four photos were migrated into Photos. They probably won't get up to the cloud until the mid-size test library I uploaded from another system has downloaded (8,600 photos, 205 videos).

    I paused the download long enough for the four files to upload to iCloud Photo Library and download to my phone.

  • by markwmsn,

    markwmsn markwmsn May 7, 2015 4:10 PM in response to hokiescottyp
    Level 5 (5,652 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 7, 2015 4:10 PM in response to hokiescottyp

    hokiescottyp wrote:

     

    [...] (since there's no way to get Aperture to reveal the location of a master file in the Finder). [...]

    Sure there is -- File > Show in Finder -- but it is active only for referenced files.

     

    [...]  I was thinking of copying the smallest iPhoto library and then deleting it and seeing if all the images are still accessible in Aperture. 

    That should work.