What does it mean to "Consolidate" photos?

Question

Level 1

89 points

What does it mean to "Consolidate" photos?

I'm just starting to use the Photos app on my desktop Mac and I see a menu item called Consolidate. There is no reference to this in the Help file (thank you very much Apple. If you're going to make an app write a good manual for it!) What does it mean in the context of the Photos app to Consolidate and how does one use this menu item.

Also, I see a few iPhoto Events in the sidebar in Photos. I never liked Events in iPhoto and would periodically Merge them. Is there a way to merge these events in Photos?

Thanks.

Posted on Dec 2, 2015 4:45 PM

Reply

Answer 1

LarryHN

Level 10

106,232 points

Dec 2, 2015 11:11 PM in response to Russ G

Consolidate is used to convert a referenced library to a managed library

when you n=migrate fro iPhoto your iPhoto events are made into albums in Photos and are stored in a folder names iPhoto events - they are regular albums adn you can merge, delete, etc the same as any other album

LN

Reply

Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

202,337 points

Dec 2, 2015 11:05 PM in response to Russ G

I never liked Events in iPhoto and would periodically Merge them. Is there a way to merge these events in Photos?

If you did not like the events in iPhoto, just delete the event albums in Photos (but don't delete the photos within the albums). It is not necessary to keep the event albums.

Reply

Answer 3

LarryHN

Level 10

106,232 points

Dec 3, 2015 6:35 AM in response to Russ G

There is not merge command - show the side bar (view menu ==> show sidebar) and open the source album and drag the photos to the destination album - the remove those photos form the source album (or simply delete the album)

LN

Reply

Answer 4

dslice

Level 1

8 points

Jan 11, 2017 5:56 AM in response to LarryHN

In your answer, you reference two types of libraries, managed and reference. It might be obvious to others but I think it would be useful to define what you mean by these two library types.

Reply

Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

202,337 points

Jan 11, 2017 7:38 AM in response to dslice

The difference between managed library and referenced library is explained in the Photos Help:

Reply

Answer 6

Russ G Author

Level 1

89 points

Dec 2, 2015 10:43 PM in response to LarryHN

Thanks. I'm still unclear on merging, however. I don't see any Merge menu item. It looks like I can copy the photos in one album to another and then delete the first album and its contents, but Merge... I don't see that anywhere. Am I missing it?

Reply

Answer 7

Yer_Man

Level 10

166,414 points

Dec 2, 2015 10:48 PM in response to Russ G

No there is no specific merge command.

Reply

Answer 8

Russ G Author

Level 1

89 points

Dec 2, 2015 10:49 PM in response to Yer_Man

OK. Thank you.

Reply

Answer 9

Yer_Man

Level 10

166,414 points

Jan 11, 2017 7:57 AM in response to dslice

A Managed Library, is the default setting, and Photos copies files into the Photos Library when Importing. The files are then stored in the Library package

A Referenced Library is when Photos is NOT copying the files into the iPhoto Library when importing because you made a change at the Photos Preferences. (You unchecked the option to copy files into the Library on import) The files are then stored where ever you put them and not in the Library package. In this scenario you are responsible for the File Management.

With Photos, this means you cannot use the iCloud Library. It's also inherently unreliable as Photos lacks the tools to fix itself should you make an error and chamge the path to the files.

Reply

Answer 10

dslice

Level 1

8 points

Jan 11, 2017 9:42 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks a lot for the clear explanation.

Reply