Changing library from referenced (EHD) to managed (internal hard drive)

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Changing library from referenced (EHD) to managed (internal hard drive)

I've been running a referenced Aperture (3.5.1) library that I have located on a large external hard drive due to running out of space on my MacBook's internal drive (running Mavericks 10.9.5). A good portion of my library was from when I was using iPhoto before I switched to Aperture. I just upgraded my internal drive to 1TB so I'd like to now run a managed library off the internal drive and need assistance making sure I move everything correctly from the external drive. Also looking for the quickest, most efficient way to go about this.

From what I understand I need to do this project by project. Correct? If I select all the photos within a project and File > Consolidate Orignal > Move Files > Okay, is that all I need to do?

My library location is listed as:

/Users/myname/Pictures/iPhoto Library copy

When I use a Finder folder to go there I get as far as the iPhoto Library copy Folder. When I open that I get this message in iPhoto:

"The library “iPhoto Library copy” is open in Aperture. To open this library in iPhoto you must quit Aperture."

I close Aperture, click on the iPhoto Library copy Folder which then opens and takes me to iPhoto. I don't think I ever deleted my iPhoto library when I made the switch to Aperture because all my old photos are there. Both my old iPhoto photos and the ones I've added since I started using Aperture - not just the handful I experimented with by Consolidating Originals and Moving Files. When I close iPhoto and re-open Aperture I see that the few photos I Consolidated are no longer referenced. Is this all I need to do? Am I making this more complicated than it is? I plan on making rotating Time Machine backups to 2 4TB external drives. Once I'm secure that everything is okay and I have two backups I'd like to delete the iPhoto library (which I guess is another question for once I take of Consolidating my files).

Just want to make sure I know what I'm doing before potentially making a mess. Thanks for any help.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Dec 16, 2015 2:01 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

léonie

Level 10

194,653 points

Dec 16, 2015 3:38 PM in response to ironchefchris

From what I understand I need to do this project by project. Correct? If I select all the photos within a project and File > Consolidate Orignal > Move Files > Okay, is that all I need to do?

That is correct. Just select the photos you want to consolidate in Aperture and then use the commend "Consolidate Original > Move Files >".

It is not necessary to do it project by project. You can select several projects at once.

My library location is listed as:

/Users/myname/Pictures/iPhoto Library copy

When I use a Finder folder to go there I get as far as the iPhoto Library copy Folder. When I open that I get this message in iPhoto:

"The library “iPhoto Library copy” is open in Aperture. To open this library in iPhoto you must quit Aperture."

That means, that Aperture is currently using the iPhoto Library as the Aperture library. Since Aperture 3.3 the format of Aperture libraries and iPhoto Libraries has been unified. You can open aperture libraries in iPhoto and iPhoto Libraries in Aperture. see this link: Aperture 3.3: Using a unified photo library with iPhoto and Aperture

Once I'm secure that everything is okay and I have two backups I'd like to delete the iPhoto library (which I guess is another question for once I take of Consolidating my files).

Don't delete the iPhoto Library. If it is currently your Aperture library, you will delete the only copy of your photos.

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Answer 2

Dec 17, 2015 11:09 AM in response to léonie

Thanks for the response, the solution, and for warning me about not deleting what I though might be a duplicate copy of my library.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,653 points

Dec 17, 2015 11:12 AM in response to ironchefchris

You're welcome. Good Luck with consolidating your library.

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