iPhoto '11 TROUBLE

iPhoto does not support working with a library over network protocols e.g. CIFS, AFP. This is as true for iPhoto '09 as it is for iPhoto '11. Apple probably added a check into iPhoto '11 due to receiving complaints from users who found iPhoto didn't work over network protocols.

It'd be simplest to store the iPhoto library on your Mac and back that up to the ReadyNAS using Time Machine: http://www.readynas.com/TimeMachine

If you insist on storing the library on the NAS, I'd suggest using iSCSI. iSCSI allows you to create a target on the NAS and mount it on your Mac like a local disk. So when you format it as HFS+ on the Mac, iPhoto will see the mounted target as a local disk and work fine with it.

A community add-on for iSCSI with setup instructions is available here: http://readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=34170

If those instructions are too complicated for you. It might be time to move to a x86 ReadyNAS e.g. NVX, Ultra, Pro. These have a nice GUI to create iSCSI targets simply and also have much better performance for iSCSI. Note that the community add-on for iSCSI on the Duo is not supported by NetGear.

I recommend the GlobalSAN initiator for Mac to mount the iSCSI target. It's best to use the legacy GlobalSAN initiator: http://www.snsftp.com/public/globalsan/Legacy/

Instructions for using it are found here: http://www.readynas.com/?page_id=815

Try copying your files across to the iSCSI target and then point iPhoto 11 to that and see if works.

Welcome to the forum!

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I will definitely take your advice when setting up iPhoto again. iPhoto '09 did seem to work great on the NAS, I guess that was, until yesterday.

As for getting my share back working, any thoughts? I still get the warning:

"The operation can’t be completed because the original item for “iPhotos-NAS” can’t be found."

When I try to open it. I am created a dummy share to try to mimic the same problem and found that it occurred when I disabled CIFS and then tried to change the default to Read/Write.

So I am at a loss. I took some time to try and find the solution on the forum before starting this topic and I could not find anything that could help.

Thanks again for the quick response.

Needless to say, the instructions for modifying the ReadyNAS on the link are much too complicated for anyone other than programmers/hackers. To suggest we throw away our existing NAS and buy a new one seems a bit ridiculous to me (I, like most people, cannot afford to do so). How about providing us with something simple that we can do to fix the problem (like providing a new operating system for us to upload to the ReadyNAS)? That would certainly be more reflective of the customer service we should expect for the cost of your products.

You can bet that many more people will run into the same problem as they begin installing the new iLife. So I ask that you develop a solution for your customers to implement.

Thanks!

I'm just a NetGear customer like you guys. It's a known fact that iLife is not designed to work over network protocols. Go and ask Apple if it's designed to work over AFP or CIFS if you don't believe me.

The simplest solution would be to store the iPhoto library on your Mac and back it up to the NAS using Time Machine.

NetGear can't help it that Apple doesn't design it's software with storing a library on network volumes in mind.

Have a read of http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=45645

The Sparc line (e.g. Duo, NV+) is entry-level and iSCSI performance isn't very great on that, though it's still the best way to store an iPhoto library on a Sparc ReadyNAS. I don't expect NetGear to add iSCSI to the Sparc line. If you want to use iSCSI it's best to purchase a NAS (e.g. NVX, Ultra, Pro) with the speed to do it well. Or re-think about whether storing the primary copy of your library on the NAS is really the best way to go.


Edit: Btw, I wouldn't suggest throwing away your old ReadyNAS if you move to a new one. That would be a waste. You could use it to backup the new one (See http://www.readynas.com/?p=3153) or something else e.g. sell it.

You can bet that many more people will run into the same problem as they begin installing the new iLife. So I ask that you develop a solution for your customers to implement.

I think this needs stating at the outset before a flood of iLife '11 related posts come: This is not going to happen

Such support would require the NAS to fully support HFS+J volumes, however Linux (the underlying OS of most NAS) does not provide such support to the level required. The reality is development of HFS+ support for Linux stalled more than 2 years ago (see http://sourceforge.net/projects/linux-hfsplus/) and no amount of requesting is going to get Netgear alone to change this.

NetGear can't help it that Apple doesn't design it's software with storing a library on network volumes in mind. Have a read of viewtopic.php?f=21&t=45645

Apple prevent network storage on anything other than their own servers, by enforcing the use of HFS+ formatted volumes. Also there are repeated examples of network storage capability being disabled over the various application releases (eg Apple disabled CIFS support in iMovie when upgrading from '08 to '09 )

Local storage or iSCSI are the only options - check the Apple forums and you will find significant discussion on iSCSI as many mac users realise this is the only network option. Either workaround this via iSCSI or local libraries backed-up to the NAS via TimeMachine as suggested in previous posts, or invest in an Apple server.

sphardy wrote:
... Apple prevent network storage on anything other than their own servers, ... ... or invest in an Apple server.

Besided a few minor differences (TMLockStealing) an AFP exported HFS+ volume from an Xserve has the same attributes as an Netatalk/AFP exported ext3 as far as the client is concerned: it's an AFP volume. Therfore I'm very sure that iPhoto 11 won't work with an Xserver AFP volume neither. I can test it though if anyone insists.

-f

Hi Frank

If you could, that would be great - I've tested this over to other OSX clients and also had significant trouble, but I don't have access to a server install and was working under the assumption it would work based on some searches that suggested so. However, if you are right it would be very good to know & I'll gladly correct my post

Plus it would suggest Netgear are pretty much prevented from doing anything at all about this except developing a Direct Attached Storage device with HFS+ support so as to avoid the networking protocols.

I've just succesfully upgraded my iPhoto _and_ AFP residing Lib to v11. I also could eg create new iPhoto Libs on any AFP volume at will. I've both tested with Netatalk 2.1.5dev and 2.2dev.
Re-reading the OP description, it seem that only CIFS is affected, not AFP.

-f

Frank - as soon as you get an iPhoto of any reasonable size, iPhoto performance over AFP dies to the point of being useless. This is both over netatalk and to another mac even on a wired GbE connection. Therefore I expect the OP's problem would be very much the same via CIFS or AFP.

FYI: I've spent many, many hours trying to figure a way to use many Apple applications with their data completely hosted on a network share, and not only have I been completely unsuccessful, but the problems associated with this get worse with each new release (eg the clear proactive move by Apple to stop iMovie accessing video data over CIFS when upgrading from version '08 to '09)

Therefore, I will not be suprised in the least if iPhoto '11 network support is effectively worse than iPhoto '09

But if you have someway we can do this, please let us know.

sphardy wrote:
Frank - as soon as you get an iPhoto of any reasonalble size, iPhoto performance over AFP dies to the point of being useless. This is both over netatalk and to another mac even on a wired GbE connection.

My iPhoto Lib is 12 GB big and resides on an AFP volume. It's not ta snappy, but perfectly usable. More importantly this makes up a different issue than what the OP describes.

sphardy wrote:
Therefore I expect the OP's problem would be very much the same via CIFS or AFP.

No it's not the same. CIFS gave him "not supported" because probably iPhoto 11 indeed checks if the Lib resided on a smb-vfs volume. He had an entirely different error with AFP.

sphardy wrote:
Aperture has exactly the same issue.

Afair we've got a large customer using Aperture across AFP with huge asset stores just fine. So at least it depends. As always, network packet and syscall traces tell the truth.

sphardy wrote:
Therefore, I will not be suprised in the least if iPhoto '11 network support is effectively worse than iPhoto '09 But if you have someway we can do this, please let us know.

As said, my iPhoto 11 Lib is usable just fine over AFP, iTunes too.

-f