iPhoto backup and web access to the backups

OK, here is the situation.May be a bit long winded, will be as brief as possible

We have two home machines;a PC(girlfriends)and a Ubuntu box(mine). Also two FreeNAS (FreeBSD based) NAS boxes in the attic. One is a backup box (2TB) and the other is a ftpserver(750Gb)

Every night the PC and Ubuntu box do an automated backup to the ftpserver. All data (photos/music/docs etc) in exactly the same folder structure as on the source machine. This is done using Rsync/Deltacopy. Once complete the Backup box powers up from BIOS and a daily snapshot is taken. Once a week an rsync backup is also taken over the net to a remote site.

Why backup to the ftpserver you may ask...well it means that where ever we are we have easy access to all our files. The backups are exact file for file incremental copies not a compressed archive of any sort. So we have access to everything. via ftp where ever we are in the world

One of the things that sold us on getting a Mac was iPhoto and the way you can organise photos with events/albums etc...and now faces/places. Unfortunately iPhoto Library does not seem to fit into the current structure and the way we access our files when away from home...I am a pilot so this is very frequently. Mac collegues at work tell me how easy it is to do stuff in iPhoto (another reason to switch), at present I use about 3 different tools in Windows to edit and correct EXIF data, rename, sort etc so at least now with iPhoto I should be able to do it all in one app.


I want to use iPhoto to organise photso when at home, and also keep photos in a structured folder heirachy so i can still back them up to the ftpserver using rsync (built in to OS X) (or rsyncx).

I do not have the Mac yet

I have been reading loads of other postings and have yet to find a solution to the following questions.

1)
Is there a way to setup iPhoto up so that it does not store photos internally? so it uses an external library.
From what I have read it appears I will have to duplicate all the files (folder structure and iPhoto Library). Is this correct? or am I mis reading. I am buying a Mac Pro so HDD capacity is not going to be a problem if I have to duplicate everything.

2)
Is it possible to control the way iPhoto produces the folder/file structure within its own library, so I maintain my current structure within iPhoto Library.

3)
Or using Automate get iPhoto to export every night to a structured Files/Folder setup either internall or to the ftpserver.

Yes, I could carry a laptop or portable HDD, but choose not to due to work . I do most of my stuff when away form home with Portable applications on a USB stick.

Sorry to add this negative bit on the end, and apologies to those who are (hopefully )going to help me out,
But to those of you who are going to tell me to "Stick to Linux / Windows if you don't like the way Mac does things".....dont bother....I have heard it all before...I am sure there will be a solution and I will enjoy the challenge of finding it

I don't have specific answers for you a couple things came to mind while reading through you post.

iPhoto can store the library externally, mine is on and external hard drive. The thing that may not work for you is that you have to use iPhoto to organize and edit you photos. If you start messing with the file system and photos outside iPhoto, iPhoto will no longer recognize the photos and you have reimport them. Since you will be using a macpro and not a laptop that means you will most likely not using iphoto while away which will make it more difficult to accomplish what you want. You didn't say what you want to do with the photos while away, only that you want to organize them while at home. It would seem to me that if you are only wanting to view the photos while away the easiest thing to do would be to use an online album.

Those are just some of my thoughts off the top of my head. I sure am not the most advanced mac user so maybe someone else has some better answers for you.

Good to know that it can store the data externally,so that does give other possibilities.

Well, I do use a few online albums, and have a webserver here at home as well as the ftp server.
I generally do not do any work on photos while away, it is often just to view them, or download them for someone. At present having them accessible from a file tree as in Filezilla FTP client is all that I need, navigate the dir tree, Photos/2007/holidays/uganda/aid and drag and drop the relevant folder to the local computer. Often the folders contain other data as well, docs, pdf, spreadsheets etc. No real need image browsing, though to have it via online album is great, and certain projects do get put on galleries, although publishing all of them would be a bit of a chore, maybe it will be easier in iPhoto and that is the way to go.

I have also bought a copy of Aperture so have that avenue to explore as well.
Thanks for taking the time to reply
Neil