iPhoto blows, what should I use instead?

01/24/2007 01:07:25 PM · #26

Shannon, a question about iPhoto. Mine drops originals in folders by year (in other words, it has created a "2006" folder and a "2007" folder, and within these it has "Originals", "Data", and "Modified", and within each of those one folder corresponding to each download).

What I would like is a base folder by month ("01-2007", "02-2007", and so on), rather than the year base. Can that be done, and how?

Also, for the auto-created folders corresponding to each download, is there a way to preset a default naming scheme (e.g., "JAN07-01", "JAN07-02" and so on)? How (if it can be done)?

01/24/2007 01:18:04 PM · #27

Sort answer: I dunno. I just work with iPhoto's default organization. There may be a 3rd party tool to perform these functions, or they could be part of the impending new version. I'm pretty sure Aperture can do these things, though.

01/24/2007 01:21:18 PM · #28

How much is Aperture, and is it available for, uh.... *cough* download?

01/24/2007 01:24:04 PM · #29

Originally posted by scalvert:

Ah, thank you!

Aperture doesn't have a trial version for download as far as I can tell, so I haven't tried it. Oh well.

01/24/2007 01:27:12 PM · #30

Aperture is $270, but you can try it out free for 30 days. If you shoot a lot of RAW files and have an Intel-based Mac with a video card, Aperture is the best software you'll find. It could be a little sluggish on a MacBook using built-in Intel video, but then that's what the free trial is for. ;-)

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/24/2007 01:29:12 PM · #31

Originally posted by scalvert:

When did they add the 30 day free trial? I looked and looked for it back in the Summer, and didn't find it. Hmmmmm.

Added, or maybe it was there all along, and I just didn't find it. Double hmmmmmm.

Message edited by author 2007-01-24 13:29:38.

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

01/24/2007 01:31:02 PM · #32

Originally posted by ursula:

I don't think you can monkey with iPhoto's default way of storing images on your disk, but you don't have to view them this way in the application itself. I have mine set to default to a "film roll" view, in which each card import becomes a new roll of film, with the newest ones at the top. This is the way that makes the most sense for me, and I never have a need to actually go into the "finder" and look at the actual files themselves. I use iPhoto only as an importer/quick viewer - when I want to work on a photo for printing or a challenge, I pull it into a new folder where I keep all my photoshop "working" files.

The hardest part of getting used to iPhoto (and iTunes for that matter) was giving up my "personal" control over my picture and music files, and letting the iApps do the organizing for me. Once I made that mental leap, I found that I liked using the "database" approach of the apps and just making sure I always back up my data.

01/24/2007 01:42:19 PM · #33

Originally posted by strangeghost:

Originally posted by ursula:
Shannon, a question about iPhoto. Mine drops originals in folders by year (in other words, it has created a "2006" folder and a "2007" folder, and within these it has "Originals", "Data", and "Modified", and within each of those one folder corresponding to each download).

What I would like is a base folder by month ("01-2007", "02-2007", and so on), rather than the year base. Can that be done, and how?

Also, for the auto-created folders corresponding to each download, is there a way to preset a default naming scheme (e.g., "JAN07-01", "JAN07-02" and so on)? How (if it can be done)?

I don't think you can monkey with iPhoto's default way of storing images on your disk, but you don't have to view them this way in the application itself. I have mine set to default to a "film roll" view, in which each card import becomes a new roll of film, with the newest ones at the top. This is the way that makes the most sense for me, and I never have a need to actually go into the "finder" and look at the actual files themselves. I use iPhoto only as an importer/quick viewer - when I want to work on a photo for printing or a challenge, I pull it into a new folder where I keep all my photoshop "working" files.

The hardest part of getting used to iPhoto (and iTunes for that matter) was giving up my "personal" control over my picture and music files, and letting the iApps do the organizing for me. Once I made that mental leap, I found that I liked using the "database" approach of the apps and just making sure I always back up my data.

Yeah, I've gotten used to the virtual organizations and they work fine while files are on the computer.

The problem (it's not really a problem, but an inconvenience): I like to backup my files by month. In other words, I make a DVD (2 actually) for files for each month. It would simply be easier to drop them into the burn folder if they were already in a month folder. That's all :)

But it is conveniences like these that are possible with computers, and, if it can be done, why not? On the other hand, it's not that difficult to do it without the month folders.

01/24/2007 01:53:02 PM · #34

Originally posted by ursula:

It would simply be easier to drop them into the burn folder if they were already in a month folder.

Easy... create a "Smart Album" with whatever date range you like, then click the album and choose Burn from the Share menu.

01/24/2007 01:57:53 PM · #35

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by ursula:
It would simply be easier to drop them into the burn folder if they were already in a month folder.

Easy... create a "Smart Album" with whatever date range you like, then click the album and choose Burn from the Share menu.

Duh! Of course. OK, so can I specify a date range for a smart album?

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/24/2007 02:02:58 PM · #36

I tried the Aperture demo -- it doesn't open on my computer. I double click it, then it opens the icon in the dock, then closes. haha, I wonder why.

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

01/24/2007 02:03:17 PM · #37

Originally posted by ursula:

If I were backing up that way, I'd create a smart album and have it defined by date (the previous month, for instance) and then just burn that folder each month to a DVD. No need to go to the original files on the disk at all. You could also just export the smart album to a burn folder, but I don't even think you'd need that step, just burn right from within iPhoto.

gotta pay attention, Shannon beat me to it.

Message edited by author 2007-01-24 14:04:47.

01/24/2007 02:05:36 PM · #38

Originally posted by bigalpha:

I tried the Aperture demo -- it doesn't open on my computer. I double click it, then it opens the icon in the dock, then closes. haha, I wonder why.

Have you installed it?

01/24/2007 02:06:59 PM · #39

Originally posted by strangeghost:

Originally posted by ursula:

Yeah, I've gotten used to the virtual organizations and they work fine while files are on the computer.

The problem (it's not really a problem, but an inconvenience): I like to backup my files by month. In other words, I make a DVD (2 actually) for files for each month. It would simply be easier to drop them into the burn folder if they were already in a month folder. That's all :)

But it is conveniences like these that are possible with computers, and, if it can be done, why not? On the other hand, it's not that difficult to do it without the month folders.

If I were backing up that way, I'd create a smart album and have it defined by date (the previous month, for instance) and then just burn that folder each month to a DVD. No need to go to the original files on the disk at all. You could also just export the smart album to a burn folder, but I don't even think you'd need that step, just burn right from within iPhoto.

gotta pay attention, Shannon beat me to it.

How do I define by date range? I am missing something - it's allowing me to define by date, but not range. ????

01/24/2007 02:09:18 PM · #40

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by bigalpha:
I tried the Aperture demo -- it doesn't open on my computer. I double click it, then it opens the icon in the dock, then closes. haha, I wonder why.

Have you installed it?

Yep, it did it's thing, and I tried opening it under the apps . no such luck

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/24/2007 02:10:42 PM · #41

Originally posted by bigalpha:

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by bigalpha:
I tried the Aperture demo -- it doesn't open on my computer. I double click it, then it opens the icon in the dock, then closes. haha, I wonder why.

Have you installed it?

Yep, it did it's thing, and I tried opening it under the apps . no such luck

I just downloaded the trial version, installed, and it's opening just fine. Silly question maybe, but are you sure it's not working? It takes a moment to load ....

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

01/24/2007 02:18:49 PM · #42

Originally posted by ursula:

How do I define by date range? I am missing something - it's allowing me to define by date, but not range. ????

Havta wait until I get home, back to my Macs....

01/24/2007 02:21:21 PM · #43

Originally posted by strangeghost:

Originally posted by ursula:

How do I define by date range? I am missing something - it's allowing me to define by date, but not range. ????

Havta wait until I get home, back to my Macs....

Thanks! :)

01/24/2007 02:21:50 PM · #44

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by bigalpha:

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by bigalpha:
I tried the Aperture demo -- it doesn't open on my computer. I double click it, then it opens the icon in the dock, then closes. haha, I wonder why.

Have you installed it?

Yep, it did it's thing, and I tried opening it under the apps . no such luck

I just downloaded the trial version, installed, and it's opening just fine. Silly question maybe, but are you sure it's not working? It takes a moment to load ....

yeah, because it closes itself. lol. What are you running? I have a MacBook.

01/24/2007 02:24:24 PM · #45

Man,, it takes forever for my iPhoto to load.

01/24/2007 02:24:39 PM · #46

Originally posted by ursula:

How do I define by date range?

Create a new Smart Album and you'll see a few "button menus" below the name in the dialog box that pops up. Choose "Date" and "Is within the range," and put in whatever dates you like.

01/24/2007 02:29:05 PM · #47

Originally posted by bigalpha:

Man,, it takes forever for my iPhoto to load.

It certainly shouldn't. Even on my old G4, a library with thousands of RAW files opens pretty quickly. If Aperture won't launch either, something may be screwed up. I would first try repairing permissions on your hard drive with Disk Utility (in Applications> Utilities).

01/24/2007 02:48:44 PM · #48

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by ursula:
How do I define by date range?

Create a new Smart Album and you'll see a few "button menus" below the name in the dialog box that pops up. Choose "Date" and "Is within the range," and put in whatever dates you like.

DUH! Thank you Shannon. Think, Ursula.

01/24/2007 02:50:10 PM · #49

Originally posted by bigalpha:

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by bigalpha:

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by bigalpha:
I tried the Aperture demo -- it doesn't open on my computer. I double click it, then it opens the icon in the dock, then closes. haha, I wonder why.

Have you installed it?

Yep, it did it's thing, and I tried opening it under the apps . no such luck

I just downloaded the trial version, installed, and it's opening just fine. Silly question maybe, but are you sure it's not working? It takes a moment to load ....

yeah, because it closes itself. lol. What are you running? I have a MacBook.

Weird. I don't know. I have an iMac, and it loads really, really fast, but so far I don't like it all that much. Reminds me of that other program by Adobe, LightRoom I think? Something like that.