Photostream without iPhoto/Aperture?

Chris H. · Jul 12, 2013

Is this even possible on a Mac? I've seen articles on the net about putting Photostream access in the Finder sidebar on Lion but it appears that isn't working now.

TattooedMac · Jul 12, 2013

Mate, i just got it to work following This article. Quite cool actually, but do read down further for things like just wanting screenshots of your iDevices by searching .png

Very cool indeed. It doesnt look like the images in the article for ML as you put image in the Search bar, hit return, then underneath it, click the + button, then follow the instructions. I now have a Search Cog icon in my Finder bar for my photo stream

Thanks for that

EDIT : You need to have Finder set to Search Current Folder for it to be easy

Chris H. · Jul 13, 2013

TattooedMac said:
Mate, i just got it to work following This article. Quite cool actually, but do read down further for things like just wanting screenshots of your iDevices by searching .png

Very cool indeed. It doesnt look like the images in the article for ML as you put image in the Search bar, hit return, then underneath it, click the + button, then follow the instructions. I now have a Search Cog iCon in my Finder bar for my photo stream

Thanks for that

EDIT : You need to have Finder set to Search Current Folder for it to be easy

Thanks for that.

Demapples · Jul 14, 2013

Double thanks. Handy if it works. Will try.
UPDATE: I did, and it is awesome. Best Mac tip in weeks. Makes it so easy to manage PhotoStream images when I don't have time to open Aperture. Can even right click and email images, or double click to open them in Preview for fast basic edits. Being unfamiliar with saved searches in OSx I fiddled for 45 minutes to get it right: Should have read the comments below the tip article.

skallal · Sep 29, 2013

I also want to access the Photo Stream. But iCloud prompts me to install iPhoto or Aperture. The article referenced above, mentions the path:

~/Library/Application Support/iLifeAssetManagement/assets/sub/

I don't have that folder on my machine. I suspect it is created when iPhoto is installed.

Is there anyway to access Photo Stream without iPhoto or Aperture? I don't want to spend $15 just to activate the feature.

TattooedMac · Sep 30, 2013

skallal said:
I also want to access the Photo Stream. But iCloud prompts me to install iPhoto or Aperture. The article referenced above, mentions the path:

~/Library/Application Support/iLifeAssetManagement/assets/sub/

I don't have that folder on my machine. I suspect it is created when iPhoto is installed.

Is there anyway to access Photo Stream without iPhoto or Aperture? I don't want to spend $15 just to activate the feature.

No you can't. See ^^ in bold iLife being the main word in that path, refers to iPhoto, so without it, to accomplish what you want, you need to have iPhoto, and then have PhotoStream activated in System Preferences. . . .

There is NO other way, apart from Aperture to get Photo Stream onto the Mac, sorry to say.

chas_m · Sep 30, 2013

skallal: your Mac *came* with iPhoto, so if you ever open it you should have the folder (you may need to set up a small test library).

MacHI · Nov 16, 2013

How about w/ Mavericks?

I have tried the suggested procedure under Mavericks with no success. I can save the search but nothing comes up. After manually drilling down through the folders with Finder the image which does exist, and I can see it. When I view my saved search again, the picture I viewed is there!

I can't imagine having to view each image in Finder first is a good approach

Did something change under Mavericks?

TattooedMac · Nov 16, 2013

It does work under Mavericks. I just tried. But when you search and then select "Image" then "Kind" the search defaults to the Folder in Finder you have set in Finder Preferences, so you need to select the "Sub" Folder again and you can then complete the steps. See image . . . .

Exodist · Nov 17, 2013

chas_m said:
skallal: your Mac *came* with iPhoto, so if you ever open it you should have the folder (you may need to set up a small test library).

Seldom does anyone seriously into photography use iPhoto. Don't get it wrong its not bad, but once a person moves past using JPEGs and starts getting serious enough that he or she is using RAW. They either move to Lightroom or Aperture or something similar.

MacHI · Nov 18, 2013

TattooedMac said:
It does work under Mavericks. I just tried. But when you search and then select "Image" then "Kind" the search defaults to the Folder in Finder you have set in Finder Preferences, so you need to select the "Sub" Folder again and you can then complete the steps. See image . . . .

Thanks TattoedMac, but yes, my search setting does specify "Sub" Folder. As mentioned, it works only if I first navigate through the cryptic subfolder structure and view a photo. After that I can then view the image via search. Each view of the photo reveals a new photo in search. Cumbersome to say the least but I am clearly missing a simple setting.

Photostream without iPhoto/Aperture?

Chris H.

TattooedMac

Chris H.

Demapples

skallal

TattooedMac

chas_m

Guest

MacHI

TattooedMac

Exodist

MacHI

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