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Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
I have recently migrated from Windows, and have sorted all my photos into individual folders, with no subfolders.

I've read up on iPhoto, and am ready to let go of the Windows Way of having each photo as a discrete file, and am ready to import them all into iPhoto.

Am I right in thinking that if I ever do need the individual files, I can simply export them from iPhoto?

So, I have 81 named folders ready to import. What's the best way of going about this, so that I can retain the photo groupings?

Should I import the folders one at a time to create an event for that folder, or just import the whole lot in one go?

Thanks.
 

Dave Braine

macrumors 68040
Mar 19, 2008
3,983
352
Warrington, UK
I'm only using iPhoto09, so there could be some differences in the latest version.

You can create Folders and Folders within Folders, Albums and Albums within Folders.

With your collection of photos, I would start with your earliest Folders and Import each of your sub folders into iPhoto in turn. Create a Folder and then the sub folders, working through your collection.

If you import all your photos in one go, iPhoto will display them in the main Photos/Library view in day/date order and it will take you ages to re-create your folder structure.

If you are importing from an external drive/USB stick, then ensure that the "Copy Items to The iPhoto Library" option in iPhoto Preferences>Advanced is ticked. If not, you will have to have that external device connected to view the pictures.

Am I right in thinking that if I ever do need the individual files, I can simply export them from iPhoto?
Yes, you can either drag and drop into Finder, or use the Export function in the File Menu. This is handy if you want to Export at a smaller size.
 

James_C

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2002
2,815
1,819
Bristol, UK
I have recently migrated from Windows, and have sorted all my photos into individual folders, with no subfolders.

I've read up on iPhoto, and am ready to let go of the Windows Way of having each photo as a discrete file, and am ready to import them all into iPhoto.

Am I right in thinking that if I ever do need the individual files, I can simply export them from iPhoto?

So, I have 81 named folders ready to import. What's the best way of going about this, so that I can retain the photo groupings?

Should I import the folders one at a time to create an event for that folder, or just import the whole lot in one go?

Thanks.

Yes you can export the photo's any time you want.

iPhoto splits imported photo's into events based on the date and time of the photo, not the import date, so you should be ok to import all the photo's at the same time, not folder by folder.
 

Big Stevie

macrumors 65816
Jun 20, 2012
1,241
676
UK
Im new to iPhoto, but am I right in thinking Spikeywan should transfer individual subfolders one at a time, and not the folders?
 

James_C

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2002
2,815
1,819
Bristol, UK
iPhoto should just ignore the folders and split the library into events based on the date and time that the photos where originally taken. No need to load folder by folder.

Just did a quick test as I don't use iPhoto much these days. Created a Photo folder, with two subfolders each containing photo's taken at different times. Loaded iPhoto and imported photos from the master folder. All photos were imported from the subfolders and correctly split into separate events.

Actually correction - iPhoto will create separate events based on the individual sub folders, but you can get iPhoto to split the photo's into separate events by selecting the event(s) and going to the menu and selecting Events then AutoSplit selected Events.
 
Last edited:

Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
Thanks guys. I think I will import the folders individually then, as I have a feeling that many of them have lost their date stamps during the course of being moved and copied, when I organised them.
 

Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
When I select "File | Import to library...", choose the Pictures folder, and choose the List View, it always sorts in reverse alphabetical order when I sort by name.

For the life of me I can't get the list to be sorted a->z. I know I can do what I want with the reverse sort, but it's become a matter of principle, now! :p

What am I missing?
 

Big Stevie

macrumors 65816
Jun 20, 2012
1,241
676
UK
Just click in the horizontal name bar at the top of the list and you should be able to flick between reverse and normal. In this name bar, you should see a tiny arrow head pointing either up or down?
 

Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
There's nothing to click...

iPhotograb.jpg
 

Big Stevie

macrumors 65816
Jun 20, 2012
1,241
676
UK
When I do File - Import to library - then select the Pictures folder I get this..


ScreenShot2012-12-30at225209.png



with the name bar highlighted in blue. Or have I misread your question?
 

Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
Weird! I can't highlight any of the columns like you can. I can in Finder, but not in any file selection dialogue box for iTunes, iPhoto, Preview, etc.

Most amazingly, it works like yours in Microsoft Office!

I'm on OSX 10.8.2, iPhoto 9.4.2.
 

Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
Phew! Sorted. That was bizarre.

If you open any file import window and set Sort by: to none, then click the arrow to the right of the Name column, so that the files are reverse alphabetical order, then select Sort by: Name, you'll see what was confusing me.
 

Spikeywan

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 11, 2012
252
0
I think this is my last question...

I imported my photos, but didn't realise that I'd got as many as 5 with the same name, so I lost quite a few. During my first attempt at organising them a lot ended up with a date stamp of December 2012. So I gave up, and went back to the originals on my PC.

I just copied them all from my PC onto an external drive, and then copied them onto my mac. I've been through them, and ensured that they all have unique names, there are no duplicates and they all have their original date stamps.

In my first attempt, I put the files into folders. So I had Holiday-2010-Alps, Holiday-2011-Vosges, Holiday-2012-Harz, that kind of thing. This resulted in events with the same names. iPhoto treated each folder as an event, and named it as per the name of the folder.

However, now all the photos have the correct date stamps, should I just put them all into one Import folder, and let iPhoto group them by date? Will that work?

Thanks.
 

James_C

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2002
2,815
1,819
Bristol, UK
I think this is my last question...

However, now all the photos have the correct date stamps, should I just put them all into one Import folder, and let iPhoto group them by date? Will that work?

Thanks.

Initally it will put all the photo's in one Event - named after the name of the import folder. You can split the photo's into separate events by going to the menu and selecting Events then AutoSplit selected Events. It will then split into separate events based on the date in the photo.
 
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