Aperture w/ 2 computers

[tdmac]

I am trying to figure out if there is a way that I can use the same aperture library with two machines. I currently have an imac at home. I plan on purchasing a macbook for portability.

I have tons of digital photos that are on my NAS that are in all sorts of folders. This was/is the storage dump for all of our family photos etc. Seemed like the logical thing at the time under windows. This all has to be cleaned up (duplicates, wrong stuff in the wrong folders) and I want to tag all of the photos with metadata. So a project that will take alot of time and thus don't want to be tethered to just the desktop. Thus would be easier to do this on the laptop around the house etc. But any editing I would probably due on the imac. Unless I am on vacation and can just import the pics at that time and edit on the fly.

Can this be done? What are my options if any?

 

[wheelhot]

Yup! That is how Aperture is meant to work, it even has 2 licenses and I think one is for desktop and one for notebook.

How do it work? Well I'm not that familiar since I only own a MBP but from my recent questions, if I recall correctly, it has something to do with copying and external hard disk , I think it has something to do about the projects. And the Aperture Library itself, can't confirm bout this one.

Can't wait for the replies cause I got the same..sort of question too.

 

[CPPhoto]

nope..

there is really no easy way to do it, or efficient for that matter..

The biggest problem is bandwith..even on an NAS any sort of uploading, work etc would be terribly difficult and SLOW.. I have for a couple years tried to figure out a way every once in a while, and there really just isn't an easy way.

The best thing to do is use aperture on the laptop when you need it, and then when you are ready, export the project to the main computer.

 

[NoNameBrand]

As above, I use Aperture on my MacBook when on the road, and export those projects when I get home, transfer to the desktop and import. It's completely painless.

 

[tdmac]

So for performance I will want to keep my library and photo's on the Imac's hard drive right?

Then if I want to do do something on my laptop I can export it from the iMAC to the laptop?

I do not have aperture in front of me now and I am new to it but when you talk about project this is not the library but the group/folder of related photos within the library?

If the Imac is the master and I want to make a backup, to my NAS (not via time machine), is this where the vault comes into play?

So in my case where I now need to import tons of pics and first categorize them into "projects", should I first do this on my laptop, since I want to do this mobile, then export to the Imac once organized?

 

[tdmac]

As above, I use Aperture on my MacBook when on the road, and export those projects when I get home, transfer to the desktop and import. It's completely painless.

How are you transferring? via firewire?

 

[joro]

How are you transferring? via firewire?

I was using an NAS server for various things including storing a copy of my aperture library which is over 40gb now. I switched to a lacie external hd with Firewire 800 and it’s worked like a champ. During the initial backup it took about 5 minutes to transfer all 40gb plus the other libraries which were around 24-28gb if memory serves me correctly.

 

[OreoCookie]

So for performance I will want to keep my library and photo's on the Imac's hard drive right?

Yes. But you can use your iMac as a file server: simply activate file sharing in the Sharing prefs and then double click the Aperture Library on your ProBook.

To work with projects away from home, simply export the project and presto.

 

[tdmac]

As above, I use Aperture on my MacBook when on the road, and export those projects when I get home, transfer to the desktop and import. It's completely painless.

I do have a question about this after reading a post in regard to iphoto. If I spend time tagging photo's on the laptop, will all of that info transfer if I do an export in aperture on the laptop and import to aperture on the imac?

I got my macbook pro setup now so I want to start working on this over the weekend but don't want to tag everything to find out that this info does not come over. This seems to be the case under iphoto.

 

[bgd]

You've probably already found the answer to this if you played over the weekend.

Any changes you make to a project go with that project when exported. Metadata changes made on your macbook will end up on your desktop when you export the project.

 

[tdmac]

You've probably already found the answer to this if you played over the weekend.

Any changes you make to a project go with that project when exported. Metadata changes made on your macbook will end up on your desktop when you export the project.

No I didn't get to play with this yet but I figured as much. I have been busy importing all of my pics from various folders on my NAS to begin the tagging and organizing of tons of photo's.

I did see the whole thing in the manual in regard to sharing a library on multiple machines and the importing and exporting. I guess if I practiced RTFM I would have figured this out .

One other question that I did not see is how to eliminate the project out of my library on the macbook pro after I am done and I export it and import it on imac. Am I correct that I do an option + delete to erase the masters to remove them from the library? or is there another way.

 

[bgd]

One other question that I did not see is how to eliminate the project out of my library on the macbook pro after I am done and I export it and import it on imac. Am I correct that I do an option + delete to erase the masters to remove them from the library? or is there another way.

Yep that will do it. Think it does get you to confirm that it is about to delete everything.

While playing with the trial I was adding and deleting projects frequently to try and get the best workflow for bringing in my iPhoto library (which is in a complete mess). Finally concluded that importing my library is going to take me a lot of effort. Will all be worth it in the end.