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Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Tony Still
Some observations for anyone thinking about installing this update:

10.10.3 is a big (>2GB) update and seems to fix a lot of Yosemite's problems. It took a long time to download for me but that was within 24 hours of its release, hopefully it has improved now. It has markedly improved Bluetooth on my MacBook Pro and, apparently, improves WiFi to - I can't comment because I've not had any Yosemite-specific WiFi issues. In summary, this is the first time I've felt that Yosemite was sufficiently good quality for general release. As such, this is a good time to take the plunge.

If you use iPhoto you should note that installing 10.10.3 instantly terminates it. iPhoto will show with a no-entry sign and will refuse to run (it gave me an explanatory message that my version of iPhoto was incompatible with Yosemite and that I should go to the App Store and download the latest version - that's all nonsense and there is no version of any kind on the App Store now but hopefully Apple will have fixed the error message by now).

Instead of iPhoto there is the new Photos app. This looks good to me (disclaimer: I barely use iPhoto and don't expect to use Photos much either). When you start Photos, it offers to import your iPhoto library and then offers views of all your pictures that look a lot like the iPad version (the library seems to be updated in place, not duplicated). It also has editing tools like those on iOS (limited user control but good quality effects and do the basics quickly and efficiently). It includes a (new format, I believe) printed book creation tool.

The iCloud integration of Photos is, in my opinion, very good and resolves all my concerns. You can choose to enable any, all or none of 3 iCloud options:
* Keep all your pictures in iCloud
* Use Photo Stream as it already existed
* Create albums on iCloud for sharing with other people

If you use Aperture, this continues to work normally. I believe you can import an Aperture library into Photos but I haven't tried this. Aperture is on Death Row so you need to start thinking about the future; hopefully Photos will gain some more advanced tools but otherwise there's Lightroom or Affinity Photo, to name but two.

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Douglas Cheney
I found that after updating 10.10.3 I could still use iPhoto , which I did do for a couple of days. I have now gone over to Photos for storing photos, and will use PS Elements as I need to

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Mark Ford
Not sure what has happened for you but my experience with Mac OS10.10.3 is different.
I had iPhoto 9.6.1 before I updated the OS.
I now still have iPhoto and I now have Photos as well.

After testing I now have two versions of the library:

'B & C iPhoto Library.photolibrary' and:
'B & C Photos Library.photoslibrary

[note the i is dropped the plural is used in the second version]
The first opens in iPhoto the second in Photos.
After I first opened the iPhoto library in the new Photos I got this message:

"Your photo library has been migrated to Photos.
You can open it in iPhoto, but any changes such as editing or adding new photos will not appear in the Photos app."

On testing this is also true the other way round i.e. changes made in Photos don't appear in iPhoto.

I guess it is the version of iPhoto that you have is the problem - I have a vague memory that 9.6.1 was released recently and I took it to be a sign that Photos still wasn't ready. It now looks as if it was a preparatory version. Looking around the Apple site I couldn't find any version of iPhoto either but I have made a copy of myiPhoto 9.6.1 and will put it on Dropbox if you would like it.

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Tony Still
Mark,

I have iPhoto 9.6 but I don't recall being offered an update for it (and it certainly isn't there now). Anyhow, your experience sounds more rational than mine so hopefully others will see that too.

You're quite correct about the libraries, now I look again I see I have a Photos Library (.photoslibrary) and my iPhoto Library (.migratedphotolibrary). Had I noticed that my Pictures folder was not sorted by Name I might have found it first time round :-( .

Thanks for the offer of the update but I don't need it thanks: I only used iPhoto for producing photo books and bought Aperture to replace it (it's much more flexible) some time ago.

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Roy Rainford
Thanks for starting the feedback on 10.10.3 Tony and to all other posters. I am teetering on the edge of updating from Mavericks but am still nervous about taking the plunge since things at present are going reasonably well. (touch wood). Lightroom hasn't had a mention yet for Yosemite. That is my main software for image processing and I don't want to upset the workflow from taking to making (in LR5) and finishing briefly in Photoshop CS5.1. Wonder if that would work in 10.10.3? Yes, if not then I could use 'Elements' but prefer PS. Am using iPhoto occasionally mainly for family shots so 'Photos' would be used likewise.

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Tony Still
Roy,

Lightroom has been fine here on Yosemite from 10.10(.0). AIUI, Lightroom was written as a new program with the Mac version as the lead (ie not the Windows version and minimal ancient legacy code) so I believe it's a 'proper' Cocoa program. That means it has a much better chance of avoiding problems when Mac OS is updated.

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Roy Rainford
Thanks Tony for the comments about Lightroom. Am going to give updating to Yosemite serious thought.

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Trevor Hewson
Just to add to the intrigue, after downloading this update, I have both iPhoto and Photos in the dock, whereas Mary (same iMac, different user) has only Photos.

Photos is 'preparing' my library at the moment - 15 minutes in, 12% completed. Watch this space!!

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Roy Rainford
I am watching your space Trevor and wondering how many photos you have in iPhoto to transfer? I have 311 which is probably a small total in comparison. However to find the total I selected all, Cmd-A, then, because to deselect in Photoshop where I use Cmd -D, I did the same and now have 622 images in iPhoto not realising that duplicates!!!!!. Help, is there a quick way of removing the duplicated ones?

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Trevor Hewson
Hello Roy,
Well, it took just over an hour to prepare a library of over 25,000 photos and so far, it all appears to have worked okay. I've done a few searches based on keywords and descriptions that I had entered in iPhoto, and the results look sensible. Also, Photos seems reasonably responsive in spite of the large numbers, although it was rather sluggish for the first few minutes while it was still presumably doing some internal housekeeping.

As for duplicates, I'm afraid I can't help. I've never noticed it being a problem with iPhoto itself but, once you start playing with Photostream etc., the scope for getting duplicates seems endless - well, doubled at least :)

I haven't turned on any iCloud services in Photos yet on the basis that I'd like to be sure I can find my way around it okay first. Meanwhile, I have Photostream turned on on my iPhone and will be interested to see whether photos taken on the phone turn up in iPhoto, Photos or both!

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Mick Burrell
Roy - I know people who have bought ($7.95 - yes, dollars) Duplicate Annihilator which is available Here

Re: Mac OS 0.10.3 and Photos (and iPhoto)

Avatar Roy Rainford
Thanks Mick. Duplicate Annihilator seems specific to either iPhotos, Photos or Aperture. It would certainly be the one for the dupes I have on iPhoto. However I don't see a mention of Lightroom dupes and I could slim down my LR catalogue too by using http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/40634/photosweeper. This was suggested by a member. If anyone has experience of using Photosweeper I would be interested in feedback before I buy.
 
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