I have just invested in a new Mac and Aperture from a PC background and I'm having a few problems getting my head round the different terms and workflow.
In my PC days I would copy all the RAW files from my CF card onto a folder on the desktop, copy this onto an external drive, then open the desktop folder in Photoshop, sort through and rate the keepers then rename the RAW files, these would then be copied onto the external hard drive and the original folder deleted (after checking the new folder was okay). I would then work on the desktop RAW folder images in Bridge until finally converting them to JPEGs. When there were enough, I'd burn the RAW folders from the external hard drive onto a DVD for archiving, so I always had two copies. Now - how do I do a similar workflow with Aperture?
If I store the RAW files on the computer hard drive library what happens when it fills up?
If I store the library on an external hard drive, does that mean I have to switch it on every time if I let Aperture manage the files and again, what happens when the external drive fills up.
Finally, does the vault need to be on the computers hard drive, if not where should it be?
I'm sure Aperture is a good programme but at the moment it's all very strange to me.
Any advice will be greatly welcomed.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Aperture can have the files inside its library, but also outside of the library. In the latter situation, it keeps links to those files so it doesn't really matter where they are. That means if one disk is full, you just start using a second disk and keep the old files on the first disk. There is no reason why all the files should be on one and the same disk.
The only small problem with this approach is that Apertures Vault system doesn't work with 'referenced' files (files outside of the library), so you have to use another backup program for them.
Aperture will make sense eventually Kevin. Sometimes coming from a PC background (as i did 3 years ago) can be confusing.
The trick with Mac's is to accept an intuitive approach. In my PC days i had to really think through what was what. Today, with a Mac i accept that Apple has already percieved my next wish and made the pathway in advance. I found that if i relaxed & let it happen then things just work ;-)
For Aperture;
- plugin your CF card - Aperture opens it's import dialog box
- choose where you want to store the masters (either in the Aperture libarary or on another drive. I go to an external as my main machine is a MBP)
- add your metadata etc
- hit copy
- once complete you can eject & erase or eject no erase (I don't erase until later)
- I then take the folder if it's a referenced one & place it on another back up drive
- then i run an Automator script to back up a DVD (google this)
- now i have 3 copies + the CF card ;-)
And off we go sorting etc.
My vault is an external drive that goes to my other office (off site)
Look at itunes for the Inside Aperture podcast (free)
The DVD leason's included in your software package (there's hours of it that you get)
Online at lynda.com for lesson's (paid)
One note: Aperture is very slow to start with. It's writing thumbnails of your library etc. Be patient, let it work through. Once done it's pretty quick.
Hope that helps.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Thanks for the replies. So am I correct in thinking that I can change the Library from the default which is on the computers hard drive to an external one and then have the vault located on a second external hard drive - does this vault drive keep a backup of the master files or just the versions?
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
You can change the library from within the Aperture Preferences, and have the library wherever you like. You have to restart Aperture to have it take effect. You can also have multiple libraries (eg I have one on an external raid array attached to my Mac Pro, and one on my laptop which I will work on from my Mac Pro with the MacBook Pro in target disk mode). You can chose which one to work with by starting Aperture with a double clickm on the library you want to work with.
Vaults, contain copies of everything in the library (except remotely referenced master files) so that includes all your masters and all the instructions to make all the versions you have done.
Vaults are specific to Libraries, so you can have a vault (or vaults, I like to keep at least two as a sort of rotating backup) for each library that you have.
David.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Thanks for the replies. So am I correct in thinking that I can change the Library from the default which is on the computers hard drive to an external one and then have the vault located on a second external hard drive - does this vault drive keep a backup of the master files or just the versions?
A vault only contains everything that is inside the library. If you import your RAW files into the library, a vault will contain the raw files too. If you work with 'referenced' files (i.e. the files are outside of the library, so the library only contains a reference to that file, not the file itself), then your RAW files are not backed up in a vault.
Linear Mode
