Importing from iPhoto

[MichaelStano]

I have searched the Forum, and I found discussions of iPhoto, but none addresses my question.  I have also looked through the PM manual without finding an answer.  Forgive me if the answer is in either place and I have missed it. 

I am using iPhoto 6, and I wish to switch to PM.  My iPhoto Library is organized into "Film Rolls," which have titles.  To get my photos into PM, I believe I just drop the folders containing my pictures on to PM, and a Contact Sheet with the photos will appear.  Is this correct?  Can I drop my whole iPhoto Library onto PM at one time?  Will my Film Roll labels and general organizational scheme be apparent once the transfer occurs?  (I know that iPhoto star ratings won't be imported.)

TIA for any answers.  Even before I download a trial version of PM, I would like to know what problems I might encounter.

Mike

[Kirk Baker]

Mike,

I have searched the Forum, and I found discussions of iPhoto, but none addresses my question.  I have also looked through the PM manual without finding an answer.  Forgive me if the answer is in either place and I have missed it. 

I am using iPhoto 6, and I wish to switch to PM.  My iPhoto Library is organized into "Film Rolls," which have titles.  To get my photos into PM, I believe I just drop the folders containing my pictures on to PM, and a Contact Sheet with the photos will appear.  Is this correct?  Can I drop my whole iPhoto Library onto PM at one time?  Will my Film Roll labels and general organizational scheme be apparent once the transfer occurs?  (I know that iPhoto star ratings won't be imported.)

TIA for any answers.  Even before I download a trial version of PM, I would like to know what problems I might encounter.

Photo Mechanic is a browser so it is not necessary to import anything unless you want to make browsing easier.  You can simply open folders containing photos in a variety of methods (File->Open, browse with the Navigator panel, use the Favorites panel after you've added the parent folder of your iPhoto library to it, or just drag and drop folders from the Finder onto Photo Mechanic's application icon.

If you want to have PM flatten your directory structure and create a new folder structure, you can use the Ingest dialog with the 'Ingest Folders' radio button set and then choose the iPhoto library folder as a folder to Ingest.  You can have PM create a new folder structure by having PM ignore the Source Directory Structure, or if you want to keep the film roll titles (I'm assuming that the titles are the names of the folders containing the images) you can choose to 'keep separate source folder names only'.  If you let me know what you want to accomplish as far as your directory structure, I can help by providing a list of Ingest settings that will accomplish your goal.

HTH,

-Kirk

[MichaelStano]

Kirk,

Thanks for the helpful and informative reply!  I believe I understand, and you have resolved some of my dissonance.  I will download the trial, and get back with questions, should I have any.

Mike

[Jo Chopra]

Kirk, I'm not finding it so easy to click and drag files from iphoto. When I try, nothing happens. I'm sure I am missing something totally obvious, but could you explain it step-by-step? I don't know what parent files are or how to find them, just for starters!

[Kirk Baker]

Kirk, I'm not finding it so easy to click and drag files from iphoto. When I try, nothing happens. I'm sure I am missing something totally obvious, but could you explain it step-by-step? I don't know what parent files are or how to find them, just for starters!

You'll need to find out where iPhoto has stored your images.  I don't have iPhoto so I can't direct you.  It is likely that they're stored in your Pictures folder.

Once you know where your photos are stored, you can browse them directly (no importing necessary) with Photo Mechanic.  I suggest making a Favorite in Photo Mechanic by dragging and dropping the parent folder onto the Favorites pane in Photo Mechanic.  Then you can do your browsing directly in Photo Mechanic from your favorite.

HTH,

-Kirk

[Sven]

iPhoto has 2 options to store the images: It can import them into the library or just link them. You can find the setting in the preferences => Advanced.

For the imported images you have to find your iPhoto-Library, option-click it, select "show content" and then a browse to the Masters folder. The images are stored by the date added.
A drag&drop out of iPhoto does work from iPhoto to the finder. It does NOT work to PM.




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[mszig]

Total Newbie here and don't really understand the technical lingo, just want to use Photo Mechanic labeling with Iphoto.  So does this mean I can use Photo Mechanic to sort Iphoto or not?  And how do I do that step by step.....

Really wish I understood this stuff more....Grandma with 15 grandchildren trying to sort through her bazillion photos.
Thanks for any help for the aged and still curious.