Transfer the "Faces database" to fresh install of Photos

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Transfer the "Faces database" to fresh install of Photos

Hi! Started freshly anew with a new SSD-disk, backups from iCloud worked like a charm: calendar, contacts, photos, etc...

But no faces data tagged along (pun intended) so i suppose my options are to either merrily click my way through the huuuuuge Photo library again (yeah, thats mum... nah, that aint mum...yeah, thats mum...etc...) , or just copy the right database files and/or folders from my old hard drive.

Anyone got some experience from this?

Cheers

/K

MacBook Pro (13-inch Late 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), 1 TB Samsung EVO SSD, 8gb ram

Posted on Feb 16, 2016 3:01 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 16, 2016 6:01 AM in response to kjonsson

If you have rebuilt your library from iCloud.com, I think that you will find that the data that relates to the faces is still there, it just doesn't put it into the faces structure for you. Do a search for the people you used to have in faces, this may help you to rebuild faces on your new library. I'm not sure I'd recommend going into the libraries hidden files and fiddling.

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Answer 2

kjonsson Author

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Feb 16, 2016 5:41 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks for reply. How do I perform a search for people I used to have in faces? EDIT: Ok, just simply search. Got it..! 🙂

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Answer 3

Feb 16, 2016 6:05 AM in response to kjonsson

Just type their name into the search field.

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Answer 4

kjonsson Author

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Feb 16, 2016 6:00 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Now the problem is though, it seems I can´t add to the old database. When I search for a name, it appears as it used to do (getting, say, 500 hits), and I can bring up all the old pictures that is tagged with that name. When I try to add a new photo to that name, it adds to the old search (now a search gets 501 hits). But under the "faces" tab in "Photos", only the newly added face shows up. I.e, the same name that yields 501 hits in the search box is visible, but clicking on that face only brings up ONE (the newly added) picture.

In other words: No "old" faces turn up in the faces tab, only newly added faces. Old faces - AND new - turns up when performing a search.

Was that understandable at all....? 😕

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Answer 5

Feb 16, 2016 6:10 AM in response to kjonsson

Yes that's understandable. No, it's not ideal but it can help shorten the process of re-tagging everyone. You still have to tag them, it just doesn't take as long to find them and once you get a few photos of the same person tagged it's suggestions start to get better.

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