iPhoto09 | Point iphoto to pictures folder on External Hard Drive

[rjnjc]

1st time poster here./
1st time user of a Mac (MacBookPro) and loving the smooth ride - many learning curves but much simpler than PC, no doubt.

iphoto: (another learning curve - having used Picasa on PC as well as initially on the mac - but found it too clunky so going iPhoto all the way)

At this time, I had been taking my images off the camera and saving to my pictures folder on my HP WHS

'whs' > photos > 2009 > dated folders of pix

when i first started using iphoto, i simply did a 'import to library' and viewed, edited, albumed, mobileme'd from iphoto. I found this workflow cumbersome.

So, finally (excuse the long drawn post, please) my question:

How do I tell iPhoto to get images from the WHS photo folder. I dont want to move the existing iphoto library on the MacBookPro HDD. But have iPhoto grab images from WHS. So that, (like in Picasa) anytime I add new images to the WHS folder, it automatically gets updated in iPhoto.

Hope I make sense here

Thanks!

rjnjc

 

[BlueRevolution]

The short answer is, you can't. iPhoto has its own library and works within that.

The long answer is, you might be able to. You could look into setting up a folder action on the folder in question to import new files into iPhoto. It might make a good intro to AppleScript/Mac automation if you're technically inclined. If not, I'd suggest just doing it manually.

Oh, and welcome to Mac and MacRumors.

 

[rjnjc]

The short answer is, you can't. iPhoto has its own library and works within that.

The long answer is, you might be able to. You could look into setting up a folder action on the folder in question to import new files into iPhoto. It might make a good intro to AppleScript/Mac automation if you're technically inclined. If not, I'd suggest just doing it manually.

Oh, and welcome to Mac and MacRumors.

So, essentially I would need to have my photos folder (or import into library) in WHS to be inside the a new 'iphoto library' on the WHS?

Leading on from that, would this be a possible scenario:

1. create a new iphoto library in WHS -- eg 'iphoto WHS'
2. do the click iphoto + Option and then have iphoto use 'iphoto WHS'
3. now all my photos should appear in iPhoto
4. if I add any more photos on the WHS - within the folders under 'iphoto WHS' they will automatically show in iPhoto?

Another question:
By importing my WHS photos into the 'iphoto WHS' library, will I be duplicating the images and thereby use twice the hard disk space?

The whole purpose of this query is not to use my MacBookPro HDD for files that are already stored on an external drive.

Thanks for your help.

 

[BlueRevolution]

So, essentially I would need to have my photos folder (or import into library) in WHS to be inside the a new 'iphoto library' on the WHS?

Leading on from that, would this be a possible scenario:

1. create a new iphoto library in WHS -- eg 'iphoto WHS'
2. do the click iphoto + Option and then have iphoto use 'iphoto WHS'
3. now all my photos should appear in iPhoto
4. if I add any more photos on the WHS - within the folders under 'iphoto WHS' they will automatically show in iPhoto?

No. iPhoto's library is a package, which is a special kind of folder that Mac OS X treats as a single file. (Most applications are a different sort of package.) The library has its own index and folder structure, which means that you can't just plop a file inside and expect it to work. You have to import files through iPhoto. That's something you could do with AppleScript, but not with some trick of Finder.

Another question:
By importing my WHS photos into the 'iphoto WHS' library, will I be duplicating the images and thereby use twice the hard disk space?

The whole purpose of this query is not to use my MacBookPro HDD for files that are already stored on an external drive.

Thanks for your help.

Nope, I'm afraid it can't be done. When files are imported to iPhoto, even from the same drive, they're copied to the iPhoto library.

 

[rjnjc]

Thanks!
Looks like i will have to live with duplicated 'storage' of my images. Picasa is good in those terms. Point to location and keeps scanning for new files added.

Q: Not using iPhoto would practically negate the convenience of iMovie and iDVD> - since the images files are would not be in an iPhoto library?

Also -

Q: in iphoto is there a way to separate events (my events are titled yyyymmdd <description> ) into 'sections' on like 2001, 2002, 2003 etc..

(possible consequence of having an OCD!!)

 

[BlueRevolution]

Q: Not using iPhoto would practically negate the convenience of iMovie and iDVD> - since the images files are would not be in an iPhoto library?

Why would your use of iPhoto affect iMovie or iDVD? You can import photos from your iPhoto library it's true, but you can also just import them from your hard drive as far as I know. It certainly has no bearing on your ability to edit video clips.

Q: in iphoto is there a way to separate events (my events are titled yyyymmdd <description> ) into 'sections' on like 2001, 2002, 2003 etc..

I think you can add new folders to the library and put events into those. I use Aperture rather than iPhoto, so I can't be specific on the how.