02-21-2010, 03:41 PM

Hi guys,

I've managed to confuse myself by starting to use iPhoto '09. I was using Picassa but have decided to try more native mac apps.

Picassa stored all my pictures in folders that I specified, when I imported to iPhoto I wanted to keep all the folders easily accessible but didn't want to double the fies up by adding them to the iPhoto Library as well so I unchecked the 'Copy to iPhoto Library' box in Prefs.

Now, I've changed my mind and figured it's easier to have everything in the iPhoto Library and not scattered throughout the Pictures folder. Is there a way I can now copy everything to the iPhoto library and delete the original files without having to re-import all my files?

Thanks in advance,
T

02-23-2010, 03:51 AM

Just drag files from original folders to iPhoto window and delete original files.

02-23-2010, 04:49 AM

What AndyClift Said.

One other note, and this is IMPORTANT when using iPhoto: if you wish to make any changes to your iPhoto Library, *always always always* do so from WITHIN the iPhoto program, and *never never never* use the Finder to muck about with it. iPhoto's database is pretty awesome in many ways but it is EXTREMELY particular about this one caveat.

Keep that in mind and I think you'll find iPhoto to be a very fine program.

02-23-2010, 04:59 AM

program, and *never never never* use the Finder to muck about with it

I use Photoshop to edit and find it is easy to set iPhoto to use Photoshop as the external editor. It is then easy to right click a photo in iPhoto and choose Edit in External Editor. Saving it from Photoshop updates the photo in iPhoto without problems.

If I want to do anything else with a photo I drag a copy from iPhoto to the desktop, use the desktop copy to edit and then drag the edited version back into iPhoto.

Seems long winded but its easier (and as noted safer) than using finder, opening packages and trying to find where the iPhoto package has put the original.

You may have already discovered that one of the nice things about iPhoto is it is very easy to play about with "Events" to sort photos how you want them without resorting to moving the original files in finder.

02-23-2010, 01:09 PM

Thanks guys, I think I've sorted it now, I did a wee test to see if the photos were in the iPhoto library by moving the originals to a flash drive. Turns out they weren't so I just re-imported and deleted the original ones from iPhoto.

Took a little time but thankfully I haven't got that many photos.

On the editing front, I don't tend to do drastic editing, I've not got Photoshop, just GIMP as it's free. I'm quite happy to drag from library to a folder and edit if needs be.