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Password protect and work with multiple iPhoto Libraries Apps
This little trick gives you the ability to do two things:
  1. To easily switch between iPhoto libraries.
  2. To password protect your libraries.
This has been tested under Jaguar. Here's what to do:
  1. Open the Disk Copy utility
  2. Open the folder that contains your iPhoto library
  3. Drag your iPhoto library folder onto the Disk Copy window to create a disk image from the folder.
  4. In the Image Folder dialogue box that pops up, navigate to whatever directory you would like your disk image to be temporarily stored in (we will move the disk image later). Make sure to keep the library name that is default for the disk image you are saving: "iPhoto Library" (which will make "iPhoto Library.dmg")
  5. Set Image Format to read/write and Encryption AES-128.
  6. The next dialogue box will ask for a password. Enter a password here and make sure to de-select the option to store password in your keychain (otherwise anyone happening by your computer could access the disk image, and then what would be the point?)
  7. You can now close the Disk Copy utility.
  8. Navigate to a place where you would like to store your iPhoto libraries (I use my home directory and then "Pictures").
  9. Create a folder for this library with an appropriate name.
  10. Drag (move) the disk image you just created into the folder.
  11. Delete your original iPhoto Library folder (the one that you dragged into the Disk Copy window).
  12. Mount your new disk image by double clicking it and entering your password.
  13. Open iPhoto. Because you deleted the original library, it will tell you that your iPhoto Library was not found. Choose "Find Library" and navigate to the mounted disk image (found under your computer in the same place that your physical and network disks are mounted).
You will now be able to use iPhoto like normal. When you wish to protect your photos, simply eject your mounted disk image. When you open iPhoto without the image mounted, it will give the 'Library Not Found' error.

Read the rest of the hint for information on how to use this trick to keep multiple libraries...

Using the same method, you can keep multiple libraries. For example, to create a new library, open iPhoto without the mounted image and select "Create Library" when the Not Found error pops up. Then you can create another Library just like you would normally. Follow the steps above to create another disk image.

IMPORTANT NOTE:When working with multiple libraries, it is important that all the disk images be named the same. That way, iPhoto will automatically detect whatever library you have mounted without having to point to the library each time. That is why I recommend putting each disk image in its own appropriately named folder.

Each time you create a new library and go through the steps listed above to encrypt it, you will have to point iPhoto to the mounted disk again. The reason for this is that when you create a new library, iPhoto will use that directory as default. When you delete the default directory in the steps listed above, iPhoto won't find it, and you will have to point to the disk image again. Once you have created all necessary libraries, however, you shouldn't have to point to the disk image any more. iPhoto will simply use whatever library is mounted at the time. Remember to unmount a library before you mount another.

[robg adds: I haven't tested this, but it seems to make sense given what iPhoto does when it can't find a Library.]
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Password protect and work with multiple iPhoto Libraries | 2 comments | Create New Account
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Password protect and work with multiple iPhoto Libraries
Authored by: fletcherpenney on Apr 17, '03 01:23:58PM

I currently have multiple libraries, using iPhotoLibraryManager, but have also put some on disc images before. I love being able to separate my photos. However, I would like to point out that this is exactly the sort of thing that Keychain was created for. The statement that anyone happening by can access your disk image is incorrect. They can only do so if your keychain is unlocked.

If you are concerned about security, and to some extent we all should be, then you can set your keychain to automatically lock after some period of inactivity, and/or every time your computer goes to sleep. This requires you to re-enter your keychain password in order to use i.

The main advantage of this is that it allows you to use different passwords for your email, your secure disk images, web pages, etc, WITHOUT having to remember ALL of them. You just need to remember one good password for your keychain. Then you can use lots of passwords like "sdjksa87fiusdf3sd;1" for your "actual" passwords. I don't know about you, but I can only remember a couple of really good passwords. The rest aren't as strong as a string of random digits.

It's easier to maintain good physical security for your keychain since it will be located on your computer, and you can force it to time out every x minutes, and every time your computer sleeps. I am not a security expert, but to me it makes more sense than using the same password for everything on my computer.

IMHO. ;)



[ Reply to This | # ]
Password protecting disk images from yourself...
Authored by: quo on Apr 18, '03 09:33:10AM
If you are anything like me, using "type once" passwords on disk images might strike back after the next upgrade or reinstall.

I'd feel very uncomfortable knowing that my own access to my carefully backed up disk images depends on some preference file that I might have remembered to back up in time or not.

We're talking Apple here, so at least the format of the preference file becoming unusable for future keychain releases shouldn't be a major concern. Or maybe it should, as any time you trust something to another layer of software between your data and you.

Those who still keep their precious backup 1/2" tape media, 8" floppies, MFM or RLL disks, 5.1/4" floppies and other low- density media of the past around can probably relate to this. Especially if by now they lack a working device to read the media with, or if the interface this device used to be connected to has long since become obsoleted by product managers and newer, faster, higher volume standards.

After all, a single puny floppy disk was able to hold the result of several months worth of (own) work.

But I'm digressing to alt.folklore.computers ;)

[ Reply to This | # ]