PHOTOS MASTER

nope - you should not be going into th Photos library at all - it is a SQLite database (with very complex file interactions) and is NOT designed or intended for human access

Just like other databases (mail, contacts, etc) you use the application to access the data not the finder or direct access - and for Photos the EXH must meet narrow requirements - Where is it safe to store a Photos Library? Requirements for the external drive

Use the Photos Application as intended and stop messing around with things that are not intended for you to mess with and you do not understand - you will only mess things up if you misuse the database

As to file names, they are not important since you do not ever directly access them and you can easily export them keeping the original anytime - internally is you use iCloud Photo Library with optimized photos you may find different file names and the same is probably true with other uses too

Bottom line is simple, use the Photos Application and do not directly access the library contents - if you want to directly access photos use a different management program tat offers support for that, not Photo which does not support that

LN

Is the Masters folder completely empty in your Photos Library?

• Then you are either using iCloud Photo Library with "Optimize Storage" enabled and the full resolution photos are stored in iCloud and not on your Mac. Check the Photos > Preferences > iCloud: Is iCloud Photo Library enabled?
• Or you are not importing the originals to your Photos Library (check, if the Photos > Preferences > General > Importing: Copy Items to the Photos Library" is still enabled as it should be. If you disabled it, your original image files are stored outside the Photos Library and you have to be very careful not to disable them accidentally.

The folder Resources/Proxies just contains the thumbnails or previews of your edited photos and does not contain the full resolution photos.

Check the Photos preferences to find out, what type of Photos Library you are using, and how Photos is storing your photos. Are you using iCloud Photo Library? Or is "Copy Items to the Photos Library" disabled?

Thanks for your prompt and somewhat blunt response though.

You missed "and factual"

anyway you are welcome - it sounds to me like you are simply using the wrong software to manager your photos - if you choose to manage files rather than photos that is a valid choice - but demanding that a program used by tens of millions of people to do exactly what you want is a bit over the top - Blunt so to say

Photos should not be used if you want to directly access your photos files - you can always export them which is the supported way to have the files as you want them - while photos is being used you simply need to stay out of its database and let it do its job

Have a great week

LN

Having suffered the pain of losing all my file names and sequencing when moving from iPhoto to Photos

That's very easily rectified. Go ito the View ➙ Metadata menu option and check all of the metadata options available.

Next download one of these user created AppleScript:

Script: Batch Changing the Titles to the Filename w/Extension

Script: Changing the Title to the Filename without Extension

Note: You can download compiled versions of the scripts as an applications from this tutorial site: P01 - Applescripts from Photos’ User Tips Compiled as Applications

Select the thumbnails the you want to put the file names under and run the script/applicasation.

There are many more scripts that have been offered by users that greatly enhance the Photos use experience. They are listed here: Thematic Index to Photos for Mac Related User Tips: