Terminal Syntax - Specifying a file folder with a space

[infinity4ever]

Ok, I'm trying to reassign my iPhoto default folder to my external drive. I nice person on here gave me directions last week and I just got around to trying them out.

The syntax that I was given was
ln -s /Volumes/External/iPhoto\Library ~/Pictures/iPhoto\Library

where External is my external drive name. Ok I tried this and it says No such file or directory. I used an ls command to verify my path name and files. It seems not to like the \ it ignores it and I get ~/Pictures/iPhotoLibrary as part of the error message.

I think this should be easy, but my UNIX skills are weak Help Please

 

[masterapple04]

You need a space after the \. So:

ln -s /Volumes/External/iPhoto\ Library ~/Pictures/iPhoto\ Library

 

[infinity4ever]

Thanks, now I'm a bit confused. I was told to move the second reference, so of course it isn't finding it. Can you tell me in english exactly what this statement is doing?

Thanks!

 

[infinity4ever]

Ok I finally got it to work. I think basically what it is doing is telling iPhoto that the default library is the first location not the second location.

 

[masterapple04]

On second glance, you've got the two folders reversed. Instead of:

ln -s /Volumes/External/iPhoto\ Library ~/Pictures/iPhoto\ Library

you SHOULD have:

ln -s ~/Pictures/iPhoto\ Library /Volumes/External/iPhoto\ Library

Basically, that whole line is making a symbolic link between your original iPhoto folder and the one on your external drive. A sym link basically treats the link like the real thing, but files go to the linked folder.

Also, if you ever need to know what a command in the Terminal does, just type "man" and then the command. So in this case, it would be:

man ln

This opens a manual page for the command where you can see its various switches and properties.

 

[infinity4ever]

Thanks!! That makes sense. I used so many different os's over the years that they all seem to blend together. Thanks for the man command. I'm sure that will come in handy