Photos - import from external disk -

Question

Photos - import from external disk -

Hi everybody,

I have a mbpro 2017 with an internal disk of 250Gb (180Gb available space). On my external disk, I have 200Gb of pictures that I'd to see in the Photo application as "referenced files" (?), so that I don't need to import all the pictures. Even if "paste the elements in Photos" in the preference panel is deselected, each time I have a pop up telling me that there is not enough internal space...snif.

Would you have any ideas how to solve this problem ?

Thanks !!

Best regards

Thomas

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, 2 TBT3), macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Mar 16, 2018 4:25 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,761 points

Mar 16, 2018 4:42 AM in response to Thomas UnivParis1

Thomas,

the Photos > Preferences > General "Importing: Copy items into the Photos Library" will only apply to items you import new. Not to items you already imported to the library.

To import new photos as referenced, this option needs to be disabled.
To turn older photos into referenced files, you need to export them from Photos, delete them from the library, then reimport them referenced.

But a referenced library does not really save much storage, because Photos will create previews for the Media Browser, and if you edit the photos in external editors, Photos will add large quasi-master files to the library, that will require plenty of additional storage.

How large is your photos library currently? Do you still have an older Aperture Library or iPhoto library on your system drive?

léonie

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Answer 2

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Mar 16, 2018 9:49 AM in response to Thomas UnivParis1

And referenced photos are really not a good idea in Photos as it does not handle them well and does not have the tools to manage moving them or upgrading hardware - :Disadvantages of a Referenced Library in Photos - you probably should reconsider this decision

LN

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,761 points

Mar 16, 2018 10:25 AM in response to Thomas UnivParis1

(180Gb available space).

Thomas, could you tell us, if this storage is free or or if the Finder > File > Get Info is showing Available and in parentheses "purgeable... ".

You would need to subtract the purgelbe amount to see what is really free and can be used for your photos.

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Answer 4

Mar 17, 2018 10:49 AM in response to Thomas UnivParis1

Hi guys,

Thank you very much for your answers ! Since 10 years, I've had 2 iPhones and 2 Sony XPeria so : I have 2 iPhoto library + many separated folders including my pictures, on my external disk (total amount : 200Gb). On my new mbpro, I backup 2 iPhones since 1 year.

So, my idea was to create something like a "home NAS" to store in it all my pictures, the old and the coming ones. Photo app doesn't seem to be the right answer, even with the "referenced files", snif.

So I need to find another app for OSX to do this, google is my best friend !

Thomas

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,761 points

Mar 17, 2018 1:06 PM in response to Thomas UnivParis1

Photos needs th library on a locally mounted drive. You could use a server for your home network. For example, if you get yourself a Mac mini and connect the drives with the Photos libraries to the Mac mini, then you can run Photos on the Mac mini from all your other devices using screen sharing.

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Photos - import from external disk -

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