iPhoto Library Conversion

ben huebscherben huebscher
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I would like to convert my entire library to JPEG format. It now contains a mix of JPEG, PSD, and GIF files. Is there a program that does this? Can iPhoto do this? Should I just wait for Automater and will it be able to it?



Thanks!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    It doesn't look like iPhoto can do this. Why are you converting them all to JPEG? You could use automator and preview in Tiger.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    mslifkinmslifkin Posts: 66member
    Graphic Converter should be able to do it. Look in your Applications folder, it should be in there.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    photoshop can automate this operation.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    mr skillsmr skills Posts: 144member
    If you convert them outside iPhoto, will iPhoto still recognise them?
  • Reply 5 of 8
    ben huebscherben huebscher Posts: 43member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mr Skills

    If you convert them outside iPhoto, will iPhoto still recognise them?



    Yea, that's my secound question. I would really hate to corupt my library.



    The reason I want to convert them all is so I can back-up my library in less space. The ones that are photoshop files I scaned in and forgot to "save as" JPEGs ... there are a bunch of them of them so it really inflates the size of my library.



    Personally I would like to see a feature in the next version of iPhoto that could do this much like the "convert to AAC/MP3" feature works in iTunes. Then I could just select my whole library and convert it to "JPEG" in one click.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    mslifkinmslifkin Posts: 66member
    This is going to be tricky. If you do the conversion outside of iPhoto, then iPhoto won't know about it, and the library will get messed up. You can have iPhoto launch either Photoshop or GraphicConverter when you double click on an image, convert and save it, and your iPhoto library will be updated. Also, iPhoto will make a backup copy of the image and put it in an Originals folder, if you hadn't edited the image yet. The problem with doing it this was is you can't batch it; you essentially have to go image by image. Another alternative would be to export the images involved to another folder, then delete them from iPhoto. Do your conversion, then re-import them into iPhoto. The problem with this approach is you will lose any keywords and ratings you might have set, and you'll change the date on the file as well, so your iPhoto calendar view will be messed up.



    I would suggest trying either or both, but on only 1 or 2 images, see if the result is what you want, then go for it. Good luck!



    Marc
  • Reply 7 of 8
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ben Huebscher

    I would like to convert my entire library to JPEG format. It now contains a mix of JPEG, PSD, and GIF files. Is there a program that does this? Can iPhoto do this? Should I just wait for Automater and will it be able to it?



    Thanks!



    in iPhoto 4, i can click on the "entire photo library" in the list on the left, then click on File, Export... i can then export to JPG... you can also choose the size of the images you are exporting... you can also choose the file naming format for the JPGs, since i don't think it puts it in album folders, but it can name the files according to what album it is categorized as...



    i backed up my iPhoto library this way, because dragging the whole iPhoto library folder to burn doesn't fit on 1 cd. so i just exported all as JPGs, at a decent-enough resolution as a backup... fits on 1 cd...



    i think it should work alright even if your photo library is a mix of image formats...
  • Reply 8 of 8
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mslifkin

    ... Also, iPhoto will make a backup copy of the image and put it in an Originals folder, ...





    Btw, this is one thing that bugs me really hard. The iPhoto library is

    growing with every pic you alter. Say if you alter 100 pics á 1 meg, the

    iPhoto library grows 100 meg. Actually you get a 2 gig library with

    1 gig originals, that you'll never want to use. Bad.



    At least there should be a "clean up" or "compress" command, that

    will eliminate the "originals".



    My question is: is ist safe to trash the "original" folder without

    messing up the entire "iphoto library" folder?



    best
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