[ed]

I'd like to password-protect my iPhoto library and some albums so they can be hidden from prying eyes. Is there any way to do this within iPhoto, or with another app?
Thanks,
Ed

[Person Man]

Originally posted by ed:
I'd like to password-protect my iPhoto library and some albums so they can be hidden from prying eyes. Is there any way to do this within iPhoto, or with another app?
Thanks,
Ed

So, you wanna hide your pr0n, huh?

Seriously, though, there is no way to do it within iPhoto itself. Anyone with access to the account that the iPhoto Library is in can access any photos within that Library.

The only way to do it (as far as I know) is to set up a separate account for your secret photos and use that instead.

[JHromadka]

Just don't forget to protect it from prying eyes over a shared collection by putting all your porn in an album and not checking it when you share your library.

/wishes he could pw-protect his library too

[ed]

Thanks, Person Man, for response & advice. The world is now a safer place!
Ed

[ed]

Ditto, JHromadka. Cheers, Ed

[Gavin]

Make a new user in the computer just for porn surfing. Name it 'porndude'

Actually you can have multiple iPhoto Library folders. Just hide one. You can switch between them by juggling prefs files.

make a copy of the prefs file ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto.plist , call it com.apple.iPhoto-orig.plist

quit iPhoto
rename your iPhoto Library, something like '~iPhoto Library'

start iPhoto
it will say it can't find the library, click the Create Library button

quit

now you should have 2 library folders, '~iPhoto Library' and 'iPhoto Library'

rename the new one 'secret porn stash' or something and drag it into another folder - 2 folders deep inside ~/library is good, your mom isn't likely to look there.

start iPhoto
this time choose 'find library' and locate your new 'secret porn stash' folder

quit iPhoto

make another copy of ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto.plist , call this one com.apple.iPhoto-hidden.plist

rename your '~iPhoto Library' folder back to 'iPhoto Library'

Now you just swap the prefs files before you start iPhoto to switch between the galleries, voila!

here is a terminal command to do it.

cp ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto-hidden.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto.plist

and this will put it back:

cp ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto-orig.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPhoto.plist

remember to stop iPhoto before you switch the prefs files.

If you're really paranoid you could also archive and encrypt the hidden folder when not in use. with stuffit or tar + PGP.

[ed]

Great, thanks Gavin, that's really helpful.
Ed

[Gavin]

No problem, dude!

[moonmonkey]

Please post samples of the images in the lounge, we can then tell you if they are lockable.

[badtz]

Apple should consider making password protectable albums within iPhoto.


Or maybe do it on a per-photo basis instead of a whole album.


Some photos in some albums are not suitable for all audiences, and sometimes you forget a certain photo is in the album.

in my case, no, it's not porn.

lol

[AKcrab]

iPhoto Library Manager

[Turnpike]

Originally posted by badtz:
in my case, no, it's not porn.

Well I'm curious. What do you have?

[badtz]

Originally posted by Turnpike:
Well I'm curious. What do you have?

pictures of random party/debauchery that I would rather other's not to see.

[Cadaver]

Originally posted by badtz:
pictures of random party/debauchery that I would rather other's not to see.