Help with iPhoto!?!

[theimp]

Hey, I am very new to Macs (just got my 24" 3 weeks ago). I just put all of my photos into iPhoto, but am still confused. Is there anyway to reorganize the library? It goes by some random order, I think it thinks it is by date, but the date on my camera must have been messed up. How do I change this?

Also, I used the Auto-Enhance feature on a bunch of my photos, I noticed that in the iPhoto folder, it stored both versions of the picture. I don't want it to do this anymore, would it be ok if I deleted the folder that said Originals? Is there some way to turn off whatever option saves two copies?

(Oh and this is off topic, but how do you uninstall something, I installed AIM but decided to use Adium instead, do I just go delete the entire folder or is there some kind of Add/Remove Program thing)

 

[paradillon]

You are a mac user now, let iPhoto work for you, just deal with your photo's through the iPhoto software.
Leave the iPhoto library folder alone and forget it's there, it will take care of itself.

iPhoto keeps the originals so as you may have seen you can "revert to original".

iPhoto > view > sort gives you all sorts of options.

You can also "batch change..." and give appropriate dates to groups of pictures so the date sort will give you a relevant sort.

 

[theimp]

Thanks for the info, the batch change is what I was looking for. The only reason I asked about the two folders is because I have a LOT of pictures and don't want to take up so much room! I mean right now I guess I don't notice it on this huge hard drive, but still.

 

[Super Macho Man]

iPhoto is supposed to "take over" for all of your photo management - i.e. you're not supposed to even touch your files from the Finder anymore. Instead you organize your photos within iPhoto using keywords, albums, and smart albums, and if you have to get at them directly from now on, you do a File -> Export (or just drag them out of iPhoto). You will have to sort of change your thinking away from the "files-folders" paradigm if you want to get any sort of benefit out of iPhoto. Try creating a keyword like "mom" and assign that to all your photos that have mom in them. Then create a smart album that retrieves all photos with keyword "mom". You will then begin to see the power of the iPhoto model. This is something folders on a hard drive alone just can't do.

Also I would recommend against deleting the originals unless you are VERY strapped for disk space. Once you alter a photo (such as enhancing it) the photo gets decompressed and then recompressed, which causes quality loss. If you keep the original around, you will always have a "master copy."

As far as uninstalling software, there is no central Add/Remove Programs in the OS. Some apps have their own uninstallers, but most smaller ones don't. With these you can simply drag their app icons to the trash. This will leave behind the app's preferences files and any other residual stuff, but this is harmless and uses very little space. If you want to get rid of this, too, try doing a spotlight search for the name of your app, or go into Library/Preferences and Library/Application Support inside your home folder and poke around.

 

[paradillon]

The only reason I asked about the two folders is because I have a LOT of pictures and don't want to take up so much room! I mean right now I guess I don't notice it on this huge hard drive, but still.

I understand, it's just that it can be messy if you corrupt the iPhoto library folder, I feel better just letting it do it's thing. Consider an external drive for more room, and developing a good back up routine.

 

[theimp]

Okey dokey, didn't know about the quality loss, I am glad I didn't go on a deleting frenzy!