So far in this chapter we have discussed the structure of Aperture's library in depth, but Aperture can also use and manage multiple libraries. There are many reasons as to why you might want to use multiple libraries. Some people like to start a new library every year. If you are a professional, you might want to keep separate libraries for your work and for your personal photography. If you have several clients for whom you do a lot of shoots, you might want to give those clients their own library. There's also the scenario where you export a project or group of projects as a library and you might need to switch to one of those. With Version 3.4 of Aperture you can now use your iPhoto library in Aperture too.
Switching libraries in Aperture is a simple technique. To switch between libraries or to create a new library, carry out the following steps:
With Aperture running, choose File | Switch to Library, and then select the name of the existing library.
If you don't see the library that you want to switch to, then choose File | Switch To Library | Other / New....
This will open the library chooser window. See the following screenshot:
If you still don't see the library you want to switch to, then press the Other Library… button.
To create a new library, choose the Create New button.
To export a project into a new library, start by selecting the project you want to export, and then choose File | Export | Project as new library.
To export several projects as a new library, select your projects and from the menu choose File | Export | Items as new library.
To export a folder as a new library, select the folder you want to export and from the menu choose File | Export | Export Folder.
Note that you can also use the contextual menu to get these options, so select the items you want to export, and right-click or control + click on them in the library view and select the relevant menu option.
You can also import the contents of a library into your current library. This will effectively merge the two libraries. To import a library from the menu choose File | Import | Library. This will import the entire library including all folders, albums, book layouts, slideshows, and so on into your current library. There are a few things you should know about this process though. If you have images or projects in your current library that are in the library you are importing, Aperture will ask you whether you want to Add or Merge the libraries.
If you click on the Add button, Aperture will duplicate any files in the new library that are in the current one. If you click on the Merge button, Aperture will update the metadata and adjustments for the items in the new library that match items in the current library. This is actually extremely useful as it allows you to work on part of your library on another computer and then import the changes back into your main library without having to copy all the image files across. It will simply update the metadata.