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mx974717 · Feb 10, 2007, 11:18 PM

Ok so here's my dilemma... I have about 50Gb's of photos on an external HD and I'd like to have them all linked to my iPhoto library on my MBP but I don't want it to be taking up that much space on my laptop, space is limited enough already as is. I was hoping that there was a way to add photos to the iPhoto library and just having a shortcut linking them back to their rightful place on my external HD. I know there's a way to do this in Aperture, but I can't seem to figure this out for iPhoto....

Does anyone have any ideas? Is it even possible in iPhoto?

Thanks,

Max

Cold Warrior · Feb 11, 2007, 12:29 PM

You can tell iPhoto not to import them - to leave them in their original location. This would keep them off your laptop and on the external HD.

mx974717 · Feb 11, 2007, 03:05 PM

How would you go about doing that? I already unchecked the "Copy files to iPhoto Library folder when adding to library" in the preference menu...

Thank you for the help.

Cold Warrior · Feb 11, 2007, 03:57 PM

That's all you have to do, as far as I know.

Railroader · Feb 11, 2007, 04:04 PM

Just create a new library [hold down the option key when opening iPhoto]. Put the library on the external HD. I probably have 10 different libraries on external HDs.

Cold Warrior · Feb 11, 2007, 04:23 PM

That also works with iTunes. Good solution too.

Railroader · Feb 11, 2007, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

That also works with iTunes. Good solution too.

I use that as well. I keep a "on the road" library that has my essential music and podcasts that I want update while traveling and I keep a library that holds all of the music I own.

molarszbt18 · Feb 11, 2007, 09:33 PM

I used to just create an alias and point it to the folder that holds the photos.

mx974717 · Feb 12, 2007, 09:22 PM

Thanks for all the help so far, but I'm still a bit confused. After clicking the "Copy files to iPhoto Library folder when adding to library" I found that only aliases were being add to the 'original folder' within the iPhoto Library which is exactly what I want, BUT I’m finding that files are still being added to the 'modified folder' within the library (taking up precious HD space).
Now I haven’t edited any of the photos since adding them iPhoto so I don't know why they would be in there... About a quarter of my photos can be found in the modified folder and number seems to be decreasing. Will they eventually all go away? Does any one know why they would be in there?

Thanks,

Max

molarszbt18 · Feb 12, 2007, 10:02 PM

take the iPhoto folder and move that to an external drive, then make an alias of that and place it in the user/pictures folder. iPhoto should pick up on it and show your photos. You should not need to re-import them if you do that you will import duplicates and so forth

Old Toad · Feb 12, 2007, 11:24 PM

Those aliases in the modified folder are those portrait orientated photos taken with a camera that has the auto-rotate capability. It adds a tag telling applications how to display it. iPhoto takes that and automatically creates a rotated version. If you don't want that then turn off auto rotate in the camera and/or rotate the files with the Contextual menu application, Photo Tool, before placing on the external HD and importing into iPhoto. It's has lossless rotate capability.

Also, if you use the alias based library you'll not be able to delete the original file from the external HD from iPhoto. You will only delete the alias, thumbnail and modified (if there is one) file. The original source file will have to be deleted via the Finder.

Using this alias method will let you view the thumbnails and edited versions when not connected to the external HD. You can't do anything that requires moving a thumbnail or using the full sized source file. Also movie files cause iPhoto to hang as iPhoto wants to find them "NOW" instead of being satisfied with the alias file. So if you go that route create a separate library just for video/movie files and use iPhoto Library Manager to easily move between the two libraries. I have some Tutorials about alias based libraries that might give you some additional information.

molarszbt18 · Feb 13, 2007, 12:16 AM

With the alias I have no issue moving pictures or doing anything with it. Mind you my alias is coming from a shared mount point from a server.

Old Toad · Feb 13, 2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by molarszbt18

With the alias I have no issue moving pictures or doing anything with it. Mind you my alias is coming from a shared mount point from a server.

Yes, when the external HD is mounted you can. But I was referring to when the external HD with the source files is not mounted. Like when Max takes his laptop on the road. He'll still have minimal use of the library, adding keywords with the Info/Keyword pane, etc. With the single alias file method, once the HD is dismounted, you can't access the library in any manner.

molarszbt18 · Feb 13, 2007, 01:56 PM

ohh wow good point. So let me get what your saying correct. If you dismout the drive with the pictures using the alias method he can still see his pictures? I thought the thumbnail was stored in the folder with the pictures?

Old Toad · Feb 13, 2007, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by molarszbt18

ohh wow good point. So let me get what your saying correct. If you dismout the drive with the pictures using the alias method he can still see his pictures? I thought the thumbnail was stored in the folder with the pictures?

No. With the Alias method the thumbnails, edited versions and the alias files are stored with the library. Only the "source" files are stored where ever you choose. The downside to this is if you delete a photo from the library you'll need to find it in the Finder and delete manually from the source files. Not to bad if it one or two as you can use the Show Original menu option to find the original and delete it before deleting from within the library.

So when on the road the user can view the thumbnails and edited photos. The thumbnails can be zoomed in size until you get the "can't find original" message and a blank space. Then zoom back a bit and that will be the max size you can use.

I suggest you create a test alias library and import a couple of folders from the external HD. Then experiment with what you can and cannot do when the HD is dismounted. The trick to adding keywords is to use the Info/Keyword window (Command-I) instead of trying to drag them to a keyword which is not allowed.