I’m trying to work out the best method of getting a Photostream from a second Apple ID into my Aperture Library. The scenario is quite simple - I maintain a Library that includes my Photostream and I’d like to be able to import my wife’s Photostream as well.
There’s no provision for this in Aperture that I can see, so I’ve developed a (less that brilliant) workflow:
Firstly, I created an account for my wife on the Mac where my Library resides. Then created an Aperture Library in that account with Photostream import tuned on. That associates with her Apple ID and imports her photos. Then I periodically export the Library from within her account to a shared folder, switch back to Aperture in my own account and merge with my master Library.
Because of various permissions issues, accessing the Libraries for import/export does seem to need to be done from within that user’s account.
This works in terms of getting both Photostreams reliably into a single Library, but just wondering if there’s a better way? Of course, the ideal would be to set up multiple iCloud Photostream accounts for automatic import - maybe one day…
Thanks
Ben
Multiple iCloud streams would be ideal, but not sure that will happen any time soon. Have you tried using her account in iPhoto? I’m not even sure if iPhoto syncs with iCloud in the same way as aperture as I never use it, but it’s worth a try.
www.pixbeatphoto.com
Hi Ben,
I’m currently importing two different Photo Streams (mine and my wife’s) into Aperture. I keep the single family library on a non-boot drive with the Ownership preference turned off on that drive so that there’s no permission issues. We each have our own account on the Mac. When she logs in Aperture uses her preferences and links with her Photo Stream. When I log in it links to my Photo Stream. It happens automatically and since there’s only a single library there’s no manual export/import required.
Aperture doesn’t seem to mind two different accounts accessing the same library as long as the permissions are taken care of like I described. But it does seem to take longer to sync all the external connections (Facebook, Smugmug, Flickr, etc) when opening the library in one account after having just opened it in a separate account. You’ll notice Aperture is quite busy when first opened.
Another thing to remember is to always close Aperture when switching accounts. Only one account can access the library at the same time. If you don’t close Aperture you won’t be able to open that library in the other account.
I’ve been running it this way for several years now with no problems.
Thomas
That’s an ingenious workaround you’ve come up with Thomas. And because Aperture keeps you from loging in to the same library if it’s already open in another user, there’s less risk of corrupting the library.
What happens if you share images to an iCloud stream from one account and then switch to another. I’m assuming user A has a different set of shared streams to user B, and they stay separated?
www.pixbeatphoto.com
Chris,
Everything in the Shared section in the Library Inspector gets changed out when each user accesses the same Aperture library from their own account. So I only see my iCloud items and my wife only sees hers. Same for Facebook, Flickr and Smugmug although you could be logged into the same Flickr account for example and it wouldn’t need to switch.
I think that is why it takes extra time to open the library and have it finish background processing when switching user accounts. It needs to switch out all those Shared items. If you switch users often and open Aperture each time, that extra processing can get bothersome. I’m sure it depends on how big all of your Shared services are.
The Photo Stream import works because each user ends up importing their Photo Stream photos into the same monthly Photo Stream project that Aperture automatically creates (if you have automatic import enabled in Aperture preferences).
Thomas
Thanks Thomas. That makes perfect sense. I don’t actually have a need for this system (yet), but my wife may be ditching her MBP for an iPad soon so that may change.
-CB
www.pixbeatphoto.com
Thanks Thomas (and Chris). That sounds ideal and would definitely give me a way to aggregate her Photo Stream with mine within a single Library on my MBP.
The next step would be to give her a way to access certain projects and make changes on her own Mac. I can see two possible ways to do this - either host the Library on an external drive which we can each use in turn, or maintain a master library on my machine and export certain projects as Libraries for my wife to then access. When she’s done, she can then export back to me to be merged back into the main Library. The latter sounds like the most convenient route to me.
With your advice above, I think that would give a complete master Library, with both Photo Streams and the ability to push out certain projects to her as required.
Thanks
Ben
Hi Ben,
What Thomas described above would offer you exactly this. You would be using the same library from an external (non-boot) disk, and all projects, albums, edits etc. stay in tact. The only thing that will change is your connected accounts (iCloud, FB, Flickr). No exporting or merging required.
The only drawback is no simultaneous use.
Good luck,
CB
www.pixbeatphoto.com
Thomas and readers
How does one attempt to run two photostreams separately from the same mac.
I would like to separate my personal and professional life with two photo-streams and preferably from the one macBook Pro. My first thought was two logins might allow two separate icloud accounts, but that appears to be a problem on one Mac.
I can use any combination of tools on the mac including aperture, iphoto, Any better solution come to mind than using another device for the second photo-stream?
MrE
Seeking innovative solutions to create digital collateral for the new rapid media pipelines required
Two different login’s, each with their own iCloud account, is a solution. But you need to store the single library on an external drive with ignore ownership enabled to avoid permissions issues.
When you say “appears to be a problem on one Mac”, what are you referring to? That’s exactly how I’m doing it.
Thomas
Thanks for quick response Thomas
Yes i will need to configure drive as you say which presents its own set of problems, for i currently hold library on my internal drive, as when mobile i need a certain set of photos from the library. Since none of my photos are saved in the library but referenced to the folders i save them to, the library looks for pics all on both external and internal drives and presents those that are available
As to the “Appears comment..” I have not gone down the path far enough but did not that switching icloud or apple id accounts on my primary login did present the “90 day association message.” However i have not explored if i can log into one icloud account with one log in id and another with the second login. And in so doing literally run two separate libraries with two separate photostreams.
If i am not making sense i will rephrase
MrE
Seeking innovative solutions to create digital collateral for the new rapid media pipelines required
I have a similar query but the other way round, since photo stream was launched my wife and I have had a single shared photo stream - under my Apple ID, then she has had a separate iCloud account on her phone for other sync features, calendar, contacts etc… This meant when one of us took photos the other would see them straight away in ‘our own’ streams - however since iOS8 a couple of changes have scuppered this. Under iOS8 the ‘main’ iCloud account on the phone is the only one that can be used for Find my Friends so if we share this then we can’t use that service - apple have also restricted further the elements of iCloud that can be used for any secondary accounts.
Any ideas of an easy automated workflow that can get us back to having a shared stream of all pictures…?
Thanks!