Aperture File storage

[maelstromr]

I have just learned that I'm out of luck safely sharing my Aperture library among several machines, but it seems like I should be able to keep the library on the main editing machine but store the image files on an external drive that could be accessed by other computers with their own libraries. Not super clean, but generally possible. Has anyone done this and can you offer any suggestions for the hardware to do it? Does Aperture play nice with this kind of set-up?

Running macbook pro as main editor, mac mini (with connected external drive, RAID?) as photo home and macbook air as sister computer for access/viewing. Wireless network.

 

[flynz4]

I strongly recommend against it. Aperture libraries are not meant to be shared. I would personally recommend duplicating the library for each machine. With HDDs costing about $40/TB... I consider mass storage to be essentially free.

In my case, my wife wants to be able to see the photos... maybe copy or email a few... but she doesn't edit the library. I periodically clone my library to her machine. My photos are too valuable to be screwing around trying to share a database that is not meant to be shared.

/Jim

 

[maelstromr]

Thanks for your reply. The internet seems to agree with you. I think we'll look into some sort of RAID external drive and store the main library there and sync/merge it with the main editing machine. That will be our security, then my wife can export what she wants and run her own library off of satellite machines.

 

[flynz4]

Thanks for your reply. The internet seems to agree with you. I think we'll look into some sort of RAID external drive and store the main library there and sync/merge it with the main editing machine. That will be our security, then my wife can export what she wants and run her own library off of satellite machines.

You've been warned... but do as you wish. I predict an eventual disappointment.

I strongly recommend storing the "main" library on the editing machine with zero direct sharing... and cloning it over to some shared space. Your editing machine will always have the "main library" captive... and the clone can be shared, and is hence expendable if your sharing corrupts the library.

/Jim