Getting inside iPhoto?s file

jmeyerfailjmeyerfail
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I have a pretty big iPhoto image library, about 20,000 photos. Occasionally, I?d like to dig through all my photos in the finder rather than doing so from within iPhoto. I see no obvious way of doing this. So now if I want a single image, I have to go through the long process of exporting the image which I can then see in the finder. There has to be an easier way. Anyone?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,326moderator
    Right-click the library and hit show package contents. The files won't be in an order you expect though. Sometimes programs let you right-click an item and choose reveal in Finder. It also sometimes lets you drag items out of the program onto the Finder to copy them out directly without exporting.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    endymionendymion Posts: 375member
    Yep, as was somewhat mentioned, iPhoto allows you to drag-n-drop the thumbnail to copy the original file or attach it to an email, etc. .... or you can right-click the thumbnail and select "Show File". It's really best to not mess around with the Library files in the Finder otherwise.
  • Reply 3 of 4
    skyboltskybolt Posts: 111member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jmeyerfail View Post


    I have a pretty big iPhoto image library, about 20,000 photos. Occasionally, I?d like to dig through all my photos in the finder rather than doing so from within iPhoto. I see no obvious way of doing this. So now if I want a single image, I have to go through the long process of exporting the image which I can then see in the finder. There has to be an easier way. Anyone?



    If you start messing about in the library in finder, you may well render iPhoto unable to find your photos for you. Apple turned that library into a package so that users would stay out and stop corrupting their database. Users are meant to do anything and everything to/with their photos from within the app itself. If you want a particular photo, simply drag it out of the iPhoto (app) window to your desktop and use from there. Also, most panes (like Mail, etc.) have a "media" choice and you can see your photos there and use them at will. Sites like facebook have uploaders that will work.



    So, just because you CAN see your photos in the finder, does not mean you SHOULD go there and chance corrupting the database. Making ANY kind of change to a photo will render iPhoto unable to find it for you in the app.
  • Reply 4 of 4
    jmeyerfailjmeyerfail Posts: 17member
    Excellent. Thanks for the assistance. Very helpful.
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