It files them by deats or picture number, but always keeps track of both. Each time you imports a group of photos into the program, iPhoto creates an event for that group. Organization of your photos as seen from within the application can look like anything you want. (It is easier to keep track of them if you export the Originals, and the modified photos separately, especially if they are both jpeg's. You can always export either your originals, the modified photos, or both, at any time. You not tied into iPhoto forever by using managed files. Anything you can do outside of the programs can be better accomplished and safer done from inside the program. Always access only through the application window. Aperture is even better at this latter task, and can work with iPhoto libraries.Īlthough you can finds the iPhoto files outside of the program itself, actually looking at the file contents is made intentionally difficult by Apple, and is very highly NOT RECOMMENDED, as you will probably permanently damage them by doing so. You can also merge libraries or split old ones into new ones. Just create a new one whenever you wish to do so.

You do not need to have only one iPhoto library, you can have as many as you like. The actual files are of course available (they are kept either in the Pictures folder, or if you desire, anywhere else on either an internal or external hard disk. You can access them ONLY FROM iPHOTO, OR RELATED PROGRAMS. With regard to managed files, and can give some guidance.įirstly, using managed files in iPhoto (or Aperture) definitely changes the way to access those files. My general feeling is that referenced files are more trouble than they are worth, and that there is little advantage to using them. I will leave it to others to hash out the details for you. I have little long term experience with Referenced files and iPhoto.

Change iphoto library