Q: Photos will not open my library file on server
My System Photo Library resides on a Mac Mini server "mini" it's about 48GB. No problem to use "mini" to open the library and use it. I have a MBPro laptop "laptop" which uses "mini" as the main source for many files, e.g. Lightroom raw photos, etc..... I have a new problem that when I start Photos on "laptop" it will not open the Photos library on "mini". I get the message "The library could not be opened. Photos has attempted to repair the library “filename” but is unable to open it.". Previously this was not a problem, I was able to open, import, edit the library file on "mini". No problem seeing the library file through "laptop". No problem opening all other files on "mini" from Laptop (e.g. Quickbooks can open it's main file on "mini". Previously I have had a 'locked' message when (by mistake) I had the library open with Photos running on "mini". As soon as I quit Photos on "mini" Photos on "laptop" would be able to open the library file. Not any more.
Photos on "laptop" will open a local 'test' library with a few photos in it. I have run permissions repair on "mini"
What to do?
Posted on Sep 18, 2015 5:27 AM
Thanks again for looking at this. I have done more investigation including trying ethernet vs wifi for the laptop connection, no difference. I've narrowed the problem down to the point where I have a workable solution.
It turns out that Photos seems to be more restrictive about the 'System Library' versus other libraries. I opened Photos on "mini", created a new test library with one photo, closed Photos. I could then open this library with Photos on "laptop" on the shared volume over the network. I then opened Photos on "mini" and made the new test library the "System Library", closed Photos. Photos could than open the main library on "mini" with no problem (it was no longer the "System Library"). However it could not open the test library ("it was now mini's "System Library"). So I have a workable solution, not to make the main photos library on "mini" the "System Library" for the period it is available for use by other systems on the network. It looks as if the "System Library" for a particular computer is only available to be opened by the computer on a local drive, not via a shared volume. The error message could be a lot better, Apple.
Can someone tell me what features I lose when not designating the library a "System Library"?
C
Posted on Sep 18, 2015 6:35 AM
