Shared Photo Library problems

Question

Level 1

9 points

Shared Photo Library problems

I've recently changed up (?) from iPhoto to Photo's on my Mac Mini (2012) running Yosemite. In iPhoto I had a single library held on a shared drive that all users accessed, added photos etc. When I migrated to Photo, I imported the iPhoto Library, but when I tried to use the new Photo Library as a shared resource, the 2nd user had multiple permissions issues and the software continually crashed. As a result, I've had to create a second Photo Library, imported the old shared iPhoto library, but for the past month we've now had separate libraries, had to import photos twice etc etc.

Questions

- Once Photos has been started, is it possible to merge/link/consolidate libraries without losing anything

- As they are now two separate libraries, I assume they take up twice the space? And twice the space again when I have to back them up.

- Is there an easy way to import photos from one library to another?

All help gratefully received...

Mac Mini + Macbook, Mac OS X (10.5.7), None

Posted on Aug 7, 2015 1:17 PM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,755 points

Aug 7, 2015 1:28 PM in response to markbren

When I migrated to Photo, I imported the iPhoto Library, but when I tried to use the new Photo Library as a shared resource, the 2nd user had multiple permissions issues and the software continually crashed.

Has the Photos library also been on shared drive, with the "ignore Ownership" flag set and formatted as described in this document?

iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users

That should work also with a Photos library.

Questions

- Once Photos has been started, is it possible to merge/link/consolidate libraries without losing anything

- As they are now two separate libraries, I assume they take up twice the space? And twice the space again when I have to back them up.

- Is there an easy way to import photos from one library to another?

No, it is not possible to merge Photos libraries. You can only export from one library and import into the other library.

Yes, your two separate libraries will take up twice the space.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Aug 7, 2015 2:59 PM in response to markbren

In order for a library to be shared between multiple users it must be on a drive formatted as shown in this screenshot:

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Answer 3

markbren Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 9, 2015 11:47 AM in response to markbren

Thanks both for your suggestions. I've moved the library to an external drive that's formatted exactly as described with the sharing and permissions set up as above. I've been able to connect the library to the main profile on the mac mini and set the library up as the system library, but when I've tried to connect to it from the secondary profile I get the error msg in Photo "the library could not be opened. Photos has attempted to repair the library but is unable to open it".

Any suggestions?

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Aug 9, 2015 2:02 PM in response to markbren

From your primary user account try repairing the library according to this Apple document: Repair Your Library. Log into the other user account and try opening the library again with Photos.

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Answer 5

markbren Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 15, 2015 2:18 PM in response to markbren

I am now heartily and utterly sick of Photos. I've followed all the suggestions above, rebuilt the library on an external drive, can access it perfectly well from the Primary account but from the secondary account it will access it once in 5 attempts. The remaining times Photos tells me there are either permissions problems, or it is unable to repair the library. Which when I switch accounts is working fine.

Apple have d*cked around with a piece of software (iPhoto) which was working perfectly well and to all intents and purposes imposed an "upgrade" to a replacement which even when it works looks second rate to its predecessor.

Can someone please help me get this working on multiple accounts before something gets launched from a window.

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Answer 6

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Aug 15, 2015 2:23 PM in response to markbren

Just to make sure we're on the same page: the EHD does have ownership set to be ignored, right?

Some users have reported that it took a couple of repairs of the library before their issue was fixes. You might try it again a couple of times.

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Answer 7

markbren Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 15, 2015 2:29 PM in response to Old Toad

Hi - yes, ownership is set to ignore. Just to see if it makes any difference, I've given the secondary account admin priveldges as that seemed to be scr*wing with the repair process.

I'm no computer illiterate (that's my wife, the 2ndry user!) - having to go through all this for a Primary application is appalling.

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Answer 8

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Aug 15, 2015 2:35 PM in response to markbren

Also make sure that the EHD is not formatted Case Sensitive. If it is that can cause problems.

Also as a test launch Photos with the Option key held down and create a new, test library on the EHD. Import some photos and test to see if the same problem persists. Does it?

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Answer 9

wlindner

Level 1

0 points

Aug 18, 2015 9:44 AM in response to markbren

Though this may not be your issue I'd like you to be aware of it. If you are using multiple users, and you are sharing a library, when it is opened on one user account but not closed and a second user then tries to access that same library it will return a permissions error. This will trip up many users, especially those that fast user switch. Be certain to fully quit photos when you are finished with it in a user account. Again, this may not be your issue, but it does sound similar.

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