Importing to iPhoto

[phenixdragon]

I am a few days new into my first Mac and I have a question about importing into iPhoto. The way I have my configuration setup is I have OS X on one partition, Windows 7 on another, and another partition purely for data, such as for photos, music, etc...I already have my photos organized in one folder called Photos. Inside the photos I have them laid out how I like them. If I import into iPhoto, is it moving any files anywhere or do they stay put?

I am assuming what it is doing when you import is just building the data into the iPhoto Library Folder and the actual files stay put, or am I incorrect?

 

[Tumbleweed666]

I am assuming what it is doing when you import is just building the data into the iPhoto Library Folder and the actual files stay put, or am I incorrect?

Yes. And no.
The default is to copy the photos into a completely new structure.
You can switch that off by going to preferences>advanced and untick 'copy'.
As you already have your own structures thats what I suggest you do.


You'll have to read up for more detail I'm not sure what happens when you add (or delete) folders or photos in your existing folder structure.

 

[phenixdragon]

Hm...I did uncheck that option but it appears that when adding photos and then even editing them from iPhotos, the actual photo on the drive does not change. It appears that iPhotos adds photos (copies) but uses something like it's own database of photos instead of the original file that I added. I want to be able to keep the photos in their own folder and be able to add them to iPhoto but also to be able to edit them directly in iPhoto.

 

[phenixdragon]

Ah okay. It looks like when you change a photo it saves a new photo in a modified folder.

 

[Dave Braine]

It looks like when you change a photo it saves a new photo in a modified folder.

Yes, that is correct. This gives you the option(in the Photos Menu) of reverting back to the original photo at anytime in the future.