I think I did something wrong. I just got back from a trip from China. I created a referenced library in A3 on my Macbook Air. The files were saved on a portable external drive. I did some minor editing on the Macbook Air.
When I got home, I copied all the files from the external portable drive to my Drobo that is connected to my iMac at home (same folder names and structure - I merely dragged all the folders over to the Drobo). ThenI exported the library created in my Macbook Air to the iMac (I merged the library created on the Macbook Air to the library on my iMac).
My plan was to reconnect the referenced files to the copied files that now reside on the Drobo so I don't have to use the portable external any more. I unmounted the portable external drive then attempted to relocate the referenced file. I want to have the new reference file the file that now resides on my Drobo. I get the “Referenced Files in Selection Box” and navigate to the new file but I can't connect it. It seems like A3 is waiting for that external portable drive.
Is there a way to have the “new” reference files the files that reside on the Drobo?
Thanks.
Spartacus,
You’re on the right path, you just got one step crossed at the end.
The command you’re looking for isn’t Relocate Masters. What you want is the Locate Referenced Files… command. Select the photos from your trip (be sure you have all of them; choose Show All from the search menu [screenshot]; the default is “Unrated or Better”, which wouldn’t reveal your rejects), then select Locate Referenced Files… and finally navigate to them on the Drobo. You’ll need to match one file on the top and the bottom half of the Referenced Files manager, and the rest should connect automatically — assuming that you maintained the same file path structure on the Drobo as you had on your external drive.
What you were trying to do would have worked too, but since you already copied the files to the Drobo, the heavy lifting was already done.
So the alternate way to do this would have been to merge your Libraries as you did, then locate the new files in the iMac Library, and with the external drive plugged in, choose the Relocate Masters command. Then Aperture would do the copying for you.
Does that make sense?
That’s a workflow I’ve been meaning to write a tip on. Maybe this will be the inspiration for me to do it :)
-Joseph @ApertureExpert
@PhotoJoseph
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Genius. It worked - it took a bit because I didn’t realize I had to actually select the same file twice in the “Referenced File in Selection” box.
Thanks, Joseph. Your site is preventing me from switching over to Lightroom. ;)
Cheers!
haha thanks Spartacus… now that’s a quote I’m gonna share with my friends at Apple ;-)
-Joseph @ApertureExpert
@PhotoJoseph
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