Is it possible to have 3 installations of iPhoto?

[krye]

I have three iPhoto libraries. I hop between them using "iPhoto Library Manager". But I find that it is kind of an inconvenience to open the launcher, choose the library I want and then launch iPhoto every time.

Is it possible to duplicate "iPhoto.app" and have "iPhoto.app", "iPhoto2.app", and "iPhoto3.app". Then take my other 2 libraries and in the "Get Info" pane, tell them to open with "iPhoto2" and "iPhoto3"?

Is this possible, or is just duplicating the "iPhoto.app" not enough? Of course, with each iLife/iPhoto update, I'd have to duplicate "iPhoto.app" again, which isn't a big deal. This way I can have the three icons in my dock for each of my three libraries.

Comments?

 

[Mindflux]

I'd imagine since the prefs file name is a single file that this will not be possible?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I don't think this will work, unfortunately. The biggest reason Mindflux already mentioned - the three will only have 1 preference file shared between them.

 

[krye]

I'd imagine since the prefs file name is a single file that this will not be possible?

Bummer.

 

[SailorTom]

But whats in the preference file? If it's just purely the preferences that shouldn't be a problem should it, providing you use the same prefernces in all libraries. if the preferences files contains all the references to events etc then there's a problem. perhaps someone with more experience than me could look into it?

 

[Mindflux]

But whats in the preference file? If it's just purely the preferences that shouldn't be a problem should it, providing you use the same prefernces in all libraries. if the preferences files contains all the references to events etc then there's a problem. perhaps someone with more experience than me could look into it?

The prefs file is going to likely have the location of the library as well.

I suppose the OP could get around this by having a set of automator scripts that copies one of three prefs files over the one in ~/Library/Preferences with the appropriate library path and then launch iPhoto. I don't think they could run more than once instance of iPhoto at a time though.

Since I don't have my iMac in front of me I cannot check the contents of the prefs file right now, perhaps someone else can.