OT: Mac users--Help

[musgravecycles]

We just made the leap to a MacBook and I'm having some photo issues.

I maintain a library of what seems like a couple thousand 'bike' pics (nice bikes, proper proportions, color combination's, other builders stuff, frame building pics, etc, etc). On the pc I've got it all neatly divided into sub-folders--for example all the Pegoretti's are together in a folder, the Sachs' in another, etc.

How do I do this on the Mac? I can't set up all the sub folders in iPhoto and when I made a test folder and tried to use Preview the images are very grainy and I can't scroll from photo to photo. What am I missing?!?!

[thwart]

I think I would import one folder at a time so each is divided nicely in iPhoto.

That said, I'm certainly no Mac expert... ;)

[sbornia]

Check out this thread on Apple's support forum:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8761448

[Don49]

I think what you want to do to is create an "album" for each of what were sub-folders on the pc. So on the iPhoto toolbar it's "File->New Album->Enter Album Name". Then you would transfer the photos into the new albums.

iPhoto shows you the entire contents of any album as thumbnails when you are in the "Organize" mode (button at bottom of screen).

Does that help, or am I misunderstanding what you want to do?

[happycampyer]

Fwiw, I and several people I know have had problems with pictures vanishing in iPhoto. I am a diehard Apple fan, have been using Macs since 1986 and the only thing I can think of to explain this is that someone from Microsoft must have infiltrated the iPhoto development team. My recommendation would be to create folders for the photos on your Mac the same way that you have on the PC, and then import them into iPhoto if you want to use the app but keep separate versions stored on your hard drive. otherwise, back up your library religiously.

[TMB]

I don't even keep all the separate albums.

When I import the photos into iPhoto I spend an extra few minutes giving the photos descriptions and titles.

So for instance every picture I have that has my Pegoretti in it, I put the word Pegoretti into the description field for that photo.

That way I can always search the photo library for the photos, or set up Smart albums that will contain every photo that has "Pegoretti" in the description.

Bear in mind in setting up albums or smart albums - iPhoto just refers to the image file that is stored in your library, it doesn't create new files. That way you can have the same photo in a number of different albums.

[cowerd]

if you're coming from a PC, google has also released a beta of picasa for the mac. you can find it here:
http://picasa.google.com/mac/

otherwise your best bet is to import each folder separately, and then tag each group of photos as needed and organize you photos using smart folders and let iPhoto decide where to put stuff. this way each new imagine tagged as "Pegoretti" or "Sachs" gets 'filed' automagically. iPhoto does take time to generate preview thumbnails, so images will look grainy until iPhoto has completed that task [it's slow].

[r_mutt]

stay away from iphoto. it just sucks!

[musgravecycles]

Thanks, I'll give 'er a go.

P.S. I sure do miss Windows Picture and Fax viewer--Preview sucks atmo...

[William]

Preview is not real helpful. My iPhoto quit working when we installed Leopard. I've been using the Cannon photo editor or Photoshop to work photos. Otherwise I file in a main folder holding titled subfolders from the desktop.



William

[Pete Serotta]

I have had good luck with IPHOTO 08. (also go to Borders or B&N and see about a "instruction" book.


Additionally, I would go to the apple store :genius bar" or sign up for the one on one. (if one is close). If not, try their SUPPORT.


EIther way start with one folder import..... THe store here in RALEIGH has provided excellent help to me.

[jhcakilmer]

Used iPhoto for many years, with no problems, definitely never lost any photos. It's a basic photo program, I don't know what you guys expect. I've been using Aperture 2 for the past 3 months, and love it! But as far as free software goes the Canon Photo editor is the best, IMO.

Apple has iPhoto tutorials on their site, which are helpful. I've watched many of the for Aperture.

You should be able to assign a "keyword" to each photo (individually, or as a group), and than creat a new "Smart Album". This is the same feature I'm using in Aperture....it's a nice feature.

[MRB]

Sorry to digress, but I have a related question:

I like the way the the iPhoto does the panning effect when you are playing a slide show, is there a program besides iPhota that has this feature that runs on a PC / Windows? anybody?

thanks,

[avalonracing]

iPhoto is a good program... Especially for the cost. Sure it doesn't have the image manipulation power of Photoshop ($600) or even the editing power of Aperture ($200) but for $79 or free on a new Mac it can't be beat.

As for the people who hate it or say it sucks... They haven't used it or there were "operator error" issues.

[happycampyer]

As for the people who hate it or say it sucks... They haven't used it or there were "operator error" issues.Just do a simple Google search for "iPhoto vanish" or "iPhoto missing photo" and see what you get. The program has issues with database corruption that are well documented. No doubt in some cases it is operator error, e.g., renaming or moving folders, etc., but in many cases it results from the program crashing or other unknown causes that result in database corruption. There is a fairly recent article about this issue on macfixit:

http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20081210204832747

a number of related Apple support pages:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1995

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iPhoto/7.0/en/6462.html

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2638

and I like the tip from Old Toad at the end of this thread:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3915519

Bottom line, back up your photos.

[jhcakilmer]

Just do a simple Google search for "iPhoto vanish" or "iPhoto missing photo" and see what you get. The program has issues with database corruption that are well documented. No doubt in some cases it is operator error, e.g., renaming or moving folders, etc., but in many cases it results from the program crashing or other unknown causes that result in database corruption. There is a fairly recent article about this issue on macfixit:

http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20081210204832747

a number of related Apple support pages:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1995

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iPhoto/7.0/en/6462.html

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2638

and I like the tip from Old Toad at the end of this thread:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3915519

Bottom line, back up your photos.

I'm not say iPhoto is perfect by any means, but I also can't rule out "user error" for the disappearing photos. This is the first time I'm hearing of this issue, unlike the problems with iMovie, which are well known.