Ok, my laptop hard drive is too small for all my digital pictures. We have an external drive connected to our network via our airport. I moved a few years' worth of pictures there and now I can't see them in iPhoto.

Is there a way to access the pictures without moving them back to the laptop hard drive? I'm afraid that if I "import" them, iPhoto will try to move them back to the laptop.

Adrienne

how did you move the image files?

did you just drill down into your "Photos" folder in your home folder and move them from there?

have you since opened iPhoto and did it complain about missing pictures?

I realise it's rude to answer a question with a question, but...

David...

how did you move the image files?

did you just drill down into your "Photos" folder in your home folder and move them from there?

have you since opened iPhoto and did it complain about missing pictures?

I realise it's rude to answer a question with a question, but...

David...

Not rude at all - you need more information to answer effectively.

I moved the files from my iphoto library folder on the desktop.

It didn't complain about missing pictures that I remember. It just shows stitched outlines and image titles where the moved photos should be.

I should add that I'm REALLLLLLLLY unhappy with iphoto right now because it changed how it saves the photos. In the old version, it imported the pictures from the SD card and stored them in folders based on when the pictures were taken - so I could find 2004 - December (12) - and date (24) - tee dah! Christmas Eve pictures!

Now it's saving them as Rolls based on the date that I loaded the pictures from the SD card to the computer. It's STUPID and INSANE and MADDENING. Doc has been trying to figure out a way to make it go back to the other way and he still can't figure it out.

Any ideas on that one? Since you asked questions I'll add another one. (Plus since I have your attention and I know you're really smart about this stuff I figured I'd take advantage of the opportunity to ask.)

Adrienne

I moved the files from my iphoto library folder on the desktop.


which folder did you move? the whole "iphoto" folder from inside the "pictures" folder, or anything below there?


I should add that I'm REALLLLLLLLY unhappy with iphoto right now because it changed how it saves the photos. In the old version, it imported the pictures from the SD card and stored them in folders based on when the pictures were taken - so I could find 2004 - December (12) - and date (24) - tee dah! Christmas Eve pictures!

Now it's saving them as Rolls based on the date that I loaded the pictures from the SD card to the computer. It's STUPID and INSANE and MADDENING. Doc has been trying to figure out a way to make it go back to the other way and he still can't figure it out.

Any ideas on that one? Since you asked questions I'll add another one. (Plus since I have your attention and I know you're really smart about this stuff I figured I'd take advantage of the opportunity to ask.)

Adrienne

... I think that's just how it works "now" - you're using iPhoto 6.0.6, right? (that's the latest release, and you have a newish machine...)

If you just moved the iPhoto folder, you can put it right back. Then we'd need to discuss "backup" and "archive" options...

David...
p.s. I have always shied away from iPhoto because I had my own "system" - I'd download pictures to a folder named (for example) 20070429_mouseadventure and then make a backup of that folder on another hard drive (and backup to DVD periodically)... Only recently have I started to use iPhoto, and while the little book feature is outstanding, and the slide shows look pretty (see MA spring '07 ballroom) it doesn't work the way I want it to...

which folder did you move? the whole "iphoto" folder from inside the "pictures" folder, or anything below there?

The parent folder is "iPhoto Library". Out of that I removed the folders labelled "2004", "2005" and a few others. (All the recent imports are in a separate folder called "Originals" then in sub folders labelled by stupid rolls.)



... I think that's just how it works "now" - you're using iPhoto 6.0.6, right? (that's the latest release, and you have a newish machine...)

If you just moved the iPhoto folder, you can put it right back. Then we'd need to discuss "backup" and "archive" options...

David...
p.s. I have always shied away from iPhoto because I had my own "system" - I'd download pictures to a folder named (for example) 20070429_mouseadventure and then make a backup of that folder on another hard drive (and backup to DVD periodically)... Only recently have I started to use iPhoto, and while the little book feature is outstanding, and the slide shows look pretty (see MA spring '07 ballroom) it doesn't work the way I want it to...

Yep, that's the version I have. I just use it to be able to browse through my pictures. If I want to edit, I open Photoshop Elements (although something's wrong with PE. It regularly "Doesn't respond" and I have to force quit it.)

My husband is trying to get me to just use Aperture but I really don't want to pay that much for software if I don't have to and I'm not convinced that it will do what I want it to any better than iPhoto can.

This is all making my head hurt. (I hope that doesn't sound ungrateful because I am grateful for the help.)

Adrienne

Hey Adrienne,

This should answer your question hopefully. Go to Preferences in iPhoto, then go to the Advanced tab. Uncheck the box next to Importing that says "Copy files to iPhoto Library folder when adding to library". This should allow you to add your photos back into iPhoto without them copying back over to your computer. Hope this helps!

well I officially am changing my strategy.

Buh-bye, iPhoto.

I'm looking into switching completely to the software my company makes, which, oh so ironically, looks like it does everything I want it to do - and the stuff I'm not crazy about, it does better than iphoto. :eek:

:eek: :sigh:

Thank goodness I can at least do it on a Mac.... sort of.

Adrienne

I'm looking into switching completely to the software my company makes, which, oh so ironically, looks like it does everything I want it to do - and the stuff I'm not crazy about, it does better than iphoto. :eek:

That's what I use and I really like it :)

I know you say you've decided to go a different way, but here's another possible workaround. Have you tried using mulltiple iPhoto libraries? I'm not sure if it saves them right back in the Pictures folder though. I've done this but all my pictures are on my hard drive in my pictures folder, I haven't tried doing it somewhere else. I have them backed up, but hmm, maybe I need to experiment some before I start shooting my mouth off ;) Something to tinker with anyway.

That's what I use and I really like it :)

Oh, good. Then I might send you a couple of questions :eek: oooh, the irony! LOL.

Adrienne

iPhoto works fine for me, but I don't have multiple drives.

Try iPhoto Buddy (http://www.iphotobuddy.com/), a free app which lets you switch the location of your iPhoto library. I used to use it before I upgraded my Mac to one with a larger disk drive.

Here's another iPhoto Library manager that was posted to the 37 Signals Blog if you want to be able to manage multiple libraries. I have never used it, but it sounds like something you may be looking for.

http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/