What is the library, What are managed images and referenced images – Apple Aperture User Manual
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What Is the Library?
The Aperture Library tracks every project, album, master file, and version no matter
whether the images are stored in the Aperture Library file or in other hard disk
locations. Aperture automatically creates a Library file in your Pictures folder the first
time you open Aperture. You can choose to import images into your Library or have
Aperture access them from other locations on different hard disks. The Library tracks all
your images and the information recorded about them, as well as information about
where backup files are stored. You can access images in the Library by clicking Library
at the top of the Projects panel.
You can change the location of the Library file to a different folder or a different disk.
You can specify where the Library should be located using the Preferences window. For
more information about working with multiple Library files in Aperture, see “
Projects that you transfer from other Aperture systems to your Aperture system are also
added to the Library. And when you back up your digital master files to your vaults on
external FireWire drives, those actions are tracked by the Aperture Library as well.
What Are Managed Images and Referenced Images?
Aperture lets you choose how you organize your photos on disk. You can store your
photos in the Aperture Library, or you can import images by simply linking to the
image files in their current locations, without placing them in the Library.
Images whose digital master files are stored in the Aperture Library are called managed
images. These master files are stored in the Library exactly as they were in previous
versions of Aperture. Aperture manages master image files in the Library, keeping them
always accessible, and provides benefits such as one-click backup of digital master files
to vaults.
Imported images whose digital master files haven’t been placed in the Library are
called referenced images. Using referenced images in your Aperture system can provide
a number of substantial benefits to your photography workflow. You can incorporate
your existing portfolio of images into Aperture without changing the current location
of the files. Importing images by reference does not result in a duplication of your
image files in the Aperture Library, thus saving hard disk space. You can also connect
and disconnect hard disks holding your referenced images’ master files as you need
them. This allows you to keep master files for less-used images offline or to make
specific types of images available for editing or adjustments as needed. Using
referenced images in your Aperture system provides a means of building a flexible
image management system customized to your work style.