In 'Finder' what is "All Images" folder?

[Saladsamurai]

What is this? It seems like a compilation of every image I have ever taken and random images too. Like these:

Does OS X somehow compile all of the images in all of the different places on my computer into one location? And is so, are they copies? Or just 'links'?

I guess what I want to know is, what will happen if i erase them? I am trying to free up space on my HD and I can't seem to figure out where all of it is being used up. This folder itself is 20GB.

 

[celticpride678]

It is a "smart search". Mac OS X searches for all the images on the hard drive and then compiles them into one large folder. No, they are not copies of the original images.

 

[mac2x]

Those are smart folders/smart searches that group files that have common attributes. I've got gads of images from my Finale 2009 install.

 

[Saladsamurai]

Hmmm...so I probably shouldn't delete them. Maybe it is time for a HD upgrade

Back in '06, 120GB seemed like a lot.

Thanks by the way!

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Hmmm...so I probably shouldn't delete them. Maybe it is time for a HD upgrade

There is another thread running about someone who did delete them all (see my recent messages to find it). Ooops. partially hosed his system, though there was enough left to be able to reinstall. So yes, get some more disk space

I've unticked these display items in finder preferences, it does seem like an accident waiting to happen, especially as you see many times someone posting here along the lines of "I saw these files and didn't know what they did so thought I'd delete them to make some space. Now my system doesn't work."

Best to remove the temptation and definitely not the files

 

[BlueRevolution]

Yeah, the smart folders should really only match stuff in "safe" places like ~/Documents and ~/Pictures.

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Yeah, the smart folders should really only match stuff in "safe" places like ~/Documents and ~/Pictures.

Agreed, its hard to even think of one reason you might want to see every single image file including system ones, ones associated with applications etc, plus there are going to be so many, whats the point of it? Its almost as if it was done "because they could" rather than because there was a good use for it.