Moving Aperture library to external hard drive?

[mtbdudex]

Good info in this thread.

We have 2 computers and want to share the Aperture Library among both.
Main 27" iMac with i7 upstairs, next to the AirPort Extreme Base Station.
Wifes 24" iMac in basement craft room, for digital scrapbooking/etc.
(She has a klick-n-kut element)

I simply plug in USB2.0 drive, move the library from managed on the 27" iMac to referenced on the external hard drive, then both computers should have easy access to the aperture library there, correct?

We have hardwired network to both computers, so should be decently fast - I hope.

Back-up solution....
On the 27" iMac using TimeMachine makes that no brainer, how are people performing their back-ups for external drives?
Manually?

 

[rebby]

I simply plug in USB2.0 drive, move the library from managed on the 27" iMac to referenced on the external hard drive, then both computers should have easy access to the aperture library there, correct?

Not exactly. Both computers will have access to the masters but the Library is another thing altogether. Aperture doesn't really support any type of collaboration between users. Think of a Library as a spreadsheet, not a database. Sure, you can both use the same spreadsheet BUT you can't both use it at the same time like you can both simultaneously use a database. If you attempt to use the same spreadsheet at the same time, havoc will ensue and you're file will become corrupt. The same thing will happen with the Aperture Library.

What I always recommend to people when they want multi-user and/or multi-device access to a Library is to have a master Library that houses the vast majority of their images and smaller Libraries for their active work. This way, the vast majority of the times, you'll be working with a small/fast/local Library. Only when you decide to merge your active Library with your archive do you need access to that Library. It should be easy enough to work out a means of collaboration for the brief windows that you will need this Library.

Does this make sense? Hopefully one of things that Aperture 4 will bring to the table is some means of multi-user Library access...

 

[mtbdudex]

rebby - thx for response.

I do understand your post, and good advice.

My Aperture Library is too big as is (like 500GB??), so will use this change to divide it up among some logical groupings, pre 2004 pictures, and every 2-3 years pictures for a few smaller "static" libraries.
Then, have the 27" iMac default active referenced library as "download central" and say 1 year old - newer images.
My wife in her craftroom with 24" iMac, she can access any of those easily.
I will discuss with her the importance to NOT try and access the same library at same time as the other iMac, and importance to exit Aperture when finished with workflow also.

Now, if that does happen, or user tries to access an in-use library, does Aperture give some warning at all??

Also, this should make backing up on the external drive easier, as will only need to back up the "active" library - which will be smaller, as long as no PP/add/deleted done to the older libraries.

Are people then just manually drag/drop for back-up or run some auto script or ??

Yea, if A4 has some scheme for multi-user Library access that will be sweet!