Initial iPhoto Setup

[rwskemer]

I am a recent switcher to Mac from the PC and so far I've found everything on the Mac to be a breeze. My question is if I set up my iPhoto library the correct way.

I copied my gigs of .JPGs from my PC to my MacBook. I added them into iPhoto. It seems now that I have my all my pictures on my MacBook hard drive in two locations, within iPhoto and in the directory I copied it to in the Pictures directory. Is this the way it should be done? Should the iPhoto directory autoupdate whenever images are copied to it?

 

[quadgirl]

iPhoto, like iTunes on the Mac, copies the files you add and stores/organizes it in it's chosen directory. You don't need to keep the folder you added as it's now been copied into iPhoto.

 

[rwskemer]

iPhoto, like iTunes on the Mac, copies the files you add and stores/organizes it in it's chosen directory. You don't need to keep the folder you added as it's now been copied into iPhoto.

The iTunes music folder was more straight forward. I copied all my music into the iTunes music folder and iTunes picked it up. I only have a single copy of my music.

The iPhoto directory doesn't seem to work the same way. I can't open the iPhoto directly through Finder...

 

[richard.mac]

its just like iTunes. iPhoto copies photos to its library when you drag them in. this is the best way to do it.

delete your photos in the pictures folder and Time Machine will take care of backups in the iPhoto library. to restore from a backup you click enter Time Machine within iPhoto. i wish iTunes did this.

 

[richard.mac]

The iTunes music folder was more straight forward. I copied all my music into the iTunes music folder and iTunes picked it up. I only have a single copy of my music.

The iPhoto directory doesn't seem to work the same way. I can't open the iPhoto directly through Finder...

you can open the iPhoto library within the Finder for advanced uses by right clicking and choosing "Show package contents". but i would advise against this as the library is a little complicated and deleting photos in modified will remove any editing you have done and deleting photos in the data folder will most will show an exclamation mark for that photo. so just organise your photos in iPhoto.

 

[rwskemer]

So what I seem to have done in iTunes is that I haven't added any of my .MP3 files into the iTunes Library, but rather a separate directory. I then dragged those .MP3 files from that separate directory into iTunes. While adding my pictures into iPhoto, it automatically added them to the iPhoto Library. I guess it's the old PC user in me that is doing things the old way.

You kinda mentioned this in your post, but say I wanted to delete a song from iTunes, or copy that .MP3 file to a disc. When the files are in the iPhoto or iTunes library, can I still access them? You said there's a way but it's compicated to find anything. I only ask this because say I downloaded a song that I wanted to use on my other Mac, could I just find that file and copy it to a thumb drive with ease?

What's funny is the 120 GB hard drive on my MacBook is running low. I didn't realize I have my pictures on here twice and my music on here in a way that's not as Mac friendly as it should be. I should get back some space...

 

[skybolt]

In the case of both iTunes and iPhoto -- stay out of the library in finder! Go ahead and delete the duplicates in your music and pictures folders (not the iTunes nor iPhoto folders), but stay out of the iTunes and iPhoto libraries there. Let the apps organize for you and do your own organizing from within the apps themselves. Mucking about in the libraries in finder will create havoc.

The export button is your friend. If you want to share an mp3, export it to your desktop from within iTunes. If you want to share or upload a photo (myspace, etc.), export it to the desktop from within iPhoto. You can simply drag either to your desktop, but you will have more options (size, etc.) if you export.

Do your organizing within the iPhoto app -- use folders, albums, smart albums, etc to organize. Do not do anything to/with your photos in the library in finder.

 

[rwskemer]

In the case of both iTunes and iPhoto -- stay out of the library in finder! Go ahead and delete the duplicates in your music and pictures folders (not the iTunes nor iPhoto folders), but stay out of the iTunes and iPhoto libraries there. Let the apps organize for you and do your own organizing from within the apps themselves. Mucking about in the libraries in finder will create havoc.

The export button is your friend. If you want to share an mp3, export it to your desktop from within iTunes. If you want to share or upload a photo (myspace, etc.), export it to the desktop from within iPhoto. You can simply drag either to your desktop, but you will have more options (size, etc.) if you export.

Do your organizing within the iPhoto app -- use folders, albums, smart albums, etc to organize. Do not do anything to/with your photos in the library in finder.

I'm assuming that by keeping music and photos in their designed iTunes & iPhoto libraries, everything is more organized. I do use Photoshop and Lightroom, so I may need access to my digital images more often, I'm not sure if I should only have my images within iPhoto...

 

[skybolt]

I'm assuming that by keeping music and photos in their designed iTunes & iPhoto libraries, everything is more organized. I do use Photoshop and Lightroom, so I may need access to my digital images more often, I'm not sure if I should only have my images within iPhoto...

In preferences in iPhoto app, you can set Photoshop or Lightroom to be your external photo editor. Then when you are in iPhoto and want to edit, double clicking on a photo will bring up that external editor. Edit away, and when you save, the photo will be put right back where it was, maintaining the organization.

 

[rwskemer]

In preferences in iPhoto app, you can set Photoshop or Lightroom to be your external photo editor. Then when you are in iPhoto and want to edit, double clicking on a photo will bring up that external editor. Edit away, and when you save, the photo will be put right back where it was, maintaining the organization.

I keep loving this Mac more and more each day. Were Mac's always this good or was the jump to OS X such a a huge jump? Again, thanks for all your help!

 

[Bunker]

My current iPhoto set up is *not copy* photos into the iPhoto library.

I had kept my photos in the file structure I stored on my PC before migrating to Mac.

Having done so always allow me flexible access to my original files, while manage them using iPhoto.

I can always regenerate iPhoto library with the original files and their structure.