[doug b]

Hello all.

It's really simple (or should be). There are two admin accounts on my Macbook Pro. One is mine, and the other is my wifes. She wanted to upload some pictures from her camera and so I initiated the effort (she's not very savvy with this stuff, but she'd be fine if I sat her down a tic) and had iPhoto import them. After it did its thing I realized that I'd want to share those photos between both our accounts. So after digging around a bit, I realized (unless there's another way) that I had to copy the iPhoto Library into the Shared folder in order to access those photos from my account.

So I copied the library, and then when in my account, I then copied the library (imported) from the shared folder over to my account's iPhoto Library. However, I now have 600 MB + sitting in each of those folders, (that's 1800 MB) and this seems like a rather extreme way for iPhoto to handle sharing. I thought that it would be something more like iPhoto being pointed to one common directory, and that would be that. There's got to be a way to do this, without having not only three separate originals folders, but add to that, the modified folder, which adds up to just tons of wasted space.

Should I have done something different from the start to have avoided all of this ? If so, iPhoto doesn't make such applications clear, at all. In iPhoto's preferences, I see that there is a box which you can check for "copying to iPhoto's library" (that might not be the exact thing it says, I don't have it in front of me.. I'm on my Linux box), does that play a role in this ?

So what do I do now ? All I want is that when I upload folders/photos that my wife is able to see them on her end, and visa-versa. Do I have to manually put photos in the shared folder ? And if I do, will iPhoto automatically see those things ? Or will it still work if I drag (or she drags) folders/photos directly into iPhoto and then put those things into the shared folder automatically ?

Also, If I physically delete the photos from everywhere (except for the modified folders of course) except for the shared folders, it should make no difference, right ? And why is it that I even HAVE to have a modified pictures folder ? Can I not have the choice to back my files up on an external HD, and choose to edit all of my original files and not have to have a "modified" folder ? (which just takes up more space) I think that should be a choice left up to the owner of any files, personally speaking.

Lastly, it seems to me that I might run out of space very quickly with the way we both take photos, so I'd like to keep the iPhoto library on an external HD. Would this be easy to do ? I'll probably wind up doing the same thing with Aperture.
Help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Doug

[DarkStarRed]

Hello Doug I don't share my iPhoto library but then I do have MobileMe.
I see you want to put iPhoto on an Ex HD this will be the easiest way, to allow all users to share, edit etc & gives you large space for saving. There are ways of sharing iPhoto between users accounts on the same Mac with the admin give read-write permissions for updating, editing.. but I've seen some say to have both accounts active "running iPhoto" others say to log out, on the same Mac! You need to have fast users switching active.

Here are 2 links that will help more, one using cd terminal for users on the same Mac
Remember that when you edit or delete even rotate a photo it will be duplicated.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread....4&#6308254
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1198
http://forum.maccast.com/index.php?showtopic=14470

[doug b]

Thanks, I'll look into those links. I already have fast user switching enabled, so that's all good. You said that if I delete a photo, it will be duplicated ?! Doesn't that totally defeat the purpose of deleting a photo to begin with ? When I delete photos, I send them to the trash then empty it. This is still duplicating those files ?? If so, I might stop using iPhoto all together, as that is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard of a program doing.

Why are these programs seemingly more annoying and complicated to use vs anything else I've ever used ? (iTunes is THE worst offender thus far, hoping iPhoto isn't as bad) I was assuming that the whole "it's easier on a Mac" thing was because of these programs and their integration into the OS ? The more I use them though, the more it seems that it would only be easier if I were totally ignorant to what an efficient program is supposed to do, and if I didn't care about what my folder structure looked like or how much HD space I was wasting. Ah well, I'll continue to try. I hope I'm able to find a happy middle ground.

Doug

[zombie punk]

There is no good solution to this problem - at some point apple is going to have to address the fact that families have more than one computer and want to have common photo libraries, but it's all hacks right now.

[doug b]

Originally Posted by zombie punk 

There is no good solution to this problem - at some point apple is going to have to address the fact that families have more than one computer and want to have common photo libraries, but it's all hacks right now.

You have to be kidding me, right ? Has everyone that has thus far told me it is possible, just talking out their butts for the sake of making it sound like the mighty OS X is perfect ? I mean, I just can't believe that there's no way of doing this ? I don't understand then, what the "shared" tab is for, as well as what the "shared folder" is for ? And if I'm getting a message saying that the disk is locked, then I'm assuming there's a way to unlock it for access...

I'd hate to make an appointment to go see some mac genius, but if I must, I'll do that, just for some peace of mind. And if I can't get it done, I'll simply return the Macbook on the basis that OS X is nowhere near as easy to use, nor does it "just work" as advertised. Because I know damned well, I can do these things on my free Linux OS. That disturbs me.

doug

Edit: ZP, you do realize that the sharing I wish to do is on the same Macbook Pro, right ? It's just that there are two admin accounts on it. One is mine, and the other belongs to my wife. Do you think that having filevault on may be affecting this ?

[DarkStarRed]

Originally Posted by doug b 

You said that if I delete a photo, it will be duplicated ?! Doesn't that totally defeat the purpose of deleting a photo to begin with ? When I delete photos, I send them to the trash then empty it. This is still duplicating those files ?? If so, I might stop using iPhoto all together, as that is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard of a program doing.

Doug

Sorry to have confused you, I should have made it more clear.. no iPhoto will not duplicate photos if you delete or secure delete them but if all users can edit a photo depending how many times that one or number of photos is changed, iPhoto keeps a backup of the original thus making iPhoto's library larger.

Here's 3 more links one with iPhoto plugins (I have never used them)
the second is an article "blog" on sharing iPhoto libraries on a MacbookAir!
& lastly a 3rd party app to help share & mange iPhoto libraries
http://wheezersociety.blogs.com/iphoto_plugins/
http://www.macworld.com/article/1319...age.html?t=204
http://www.iphotobuddy.com/