Since collections of digital photos are growing rapidly, many people turn to Photo Management Software as a way to manage their photos.  Once this type of software scans and finds all the digital photos on the computer, the user has the ability to logically organize their photos using tags, keywords, albums, dates, or special features built into their chosen software package.  This way, you could see your holiday photos for the past five years, all birthdays for a family member, or your "best of" photos.

PhotoVu Photo Albums Setup

In order to use Photo Albums, you need to follow a few steps to configure the PhotoVu Web Administration program.  The basic PhotoVu setup is found in the Getting Started - Quick Start section in the Main Online Help.  The current help section builds on the Quick Start section and assumes you understand that material.  We will be covering more advanced topics on Photo Album setup for each of the software packages the PhotoVu supports.

As an operational note, if you are playing a Photo Show on the current Photo Albums configuration and decide to clear or change it, the Photo Show will stop.

Click on the Photo Locations, Albums menu.  You will see the following item displayed in the web page:

In the drop down box, the following Photo Management Software packages are supported.  Please select one from the following list:

• Apple iPhoto '05 (v5), '06 (v6), and '08 (v7)
   
• Google Picasa 2.5+
   
• Photo Directory as Albums
   

Instructions for Apple iPhoto

Make sure you are always running the latest version of Apple iPhoto.  Under Mac OS X, check your software updates if in doubt.

After selecting your version of iPhoto, you should see a similar setup page like the one below:

In addition to the Getting Started - Quick Start section in the Main Online Help, please use the following information where appropriate.  Also make sure you have cookies enabled in your web browser.

Please note, you must have the option "Copy files to iPhoto Library folder when adding to library" checked in iPhoto 6, Preferences, Advanced tab in order for the PhotoVu to work with iPhoto 6.  The PhotoVu does not support Mac Aliases.

• Photo Directory that contains your AlbumData.xml:
  In order to communicate with the iPhoto database (AlbumData.xml) and retrieve your digital photos, an Active Photo Directory is used.  The PhotoVu uses "read-only" access.  Once an Active Photo Directory is configured within Photo Locations, Albums, it will not be part of the Active Photo Directories playlist if you start a Photo Show.  You can tell which Active Photo Directory is being used by the label (--Used by Apple iPhoto--) in Photo Locations, Directories.
   
  You can use two Types of Photo Directories for Photo Albums:  Mac or NFS.  If you do not have an Active Photo Directory in this list, select "- Add Photo Directory -" and you will be brought to the Photo Locations, Directories page.  Once you add the Photo Directory, come back to this page and start again.
   
  EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE USERS:  If you have your iPhoto database located on an external hard drive, please see the setup instructions in the Mac FAQ help section.
   
• Path to your AlbumData.xml file:
   
  If you are using an Active Photo Directory with the Mac Type, follow these instructions:
   
  If you have installed iPhoto under your user account and accepted the defaults at that time (or when the OS was installed), the value placed into this field will be accurate.  If you cannot remember, search your user account folders for the file called "AlbumData.xml".  It should be located in a user account folder called "iPhoto Library".  Within your user account, the entry for the path to the "AlbumData.xml" file should be something like "Pictures/iPhoto Library/AlbumData.xml".  You do not need to enter the full path from the root level of the hard drive...only below the Photo Directory.  The "AlbumData.xml" name must be at the end of any path you type into this field.  Do not use a leading forward slash, " / ", in the path.
   
  If you are using an Active Photo Directory with the NFS Type, follow these instructions:
   
  You would typically use a NFS Type as an Active Photo Directory if your iPhoto Database is not stored under your user account and you want more flexibility.  For example, you have a portable, external Firewire hard drive or several hard drives inside your Mac.  When using NFS, it is important to remember that the path is from the NFS mount point.  For example, if you mount "/Hard Drives/Drive One", the "AlbumData.xml file will then be a path from the mount point to "AlbumData.xml".  This file name must be at the end of any location you type into this field.  Do not use a leading forward slash, " / ", in the path.  See the Mac FAQs for more details on NFS.
   
• Clear Setup:
  If you click Clear Setup, your Albums configuration will be cleared and if the Photo Show is running, it will stop.

Troubleshooting the PhotoVu Apple iPhoto Setup
 
Here are some tips if you are having problems setting up Apple iPhoto:

• Search for "AlbumData.xml":
  Try searching for this file and confirming the Photo Directory and Path above are accurate.
   
• Active Photo Directory:
  Look at the Active Photo Directory you have selected.  Make sure you are using the right Type and location so your "AlbumData.xml" can be accessed.
   
• NFS Types:
  With NFS, make sure you are mounting to a point on your Mac that can be accessed.  To test this, try making a mount point available at the top of the volume.  Then, make an Active Photo Directory from this mount point.  Try configuring the iPhoto setup using this Active Photo Directory and a path to the iPhoto database ("AlbumData.xml").
   
• Photo Albums Log:
  In Advanced Settings, Logs, you can click on Photo Albums Log for more information and to see if there are any errors.
  

Instructions for Google Picasa

In addition to the Google Picasa setup found in the Getting Started - Quick Start section in the Main Online Help, this option is for users that plan to display photos using their hard drive folder hierarchy.  Both Picasa and the PhotoVu will see and use the same structure but the PhotoVu Web Administration program will control which photos are displayed on the PhotoVu.  Each folder will automatically be turned into an Album for use in a Photo Show.

After selecting Google Picasa 2.5, you should see a similar setup page like the one below:

Also make sure you have cookies enabled in your web browser.  A description of each of the Photo Directory as Albums fields is listed below:

• Photo Directory that contains your photos:
  In order to retrieve your folders and digital photos, an Active Photo Directory is used.  If you do not have an Active Photo Directory in this list or need to add one, select "- Add Photo Directory -" and you will be brought to the Photo Locations, Directories page.  Once you add the Photo Directory, come back to this page and start again.
   
  Any Type of Photo Directory can be used here.
   
• Path within your Photo Directory:
  Within your Photo Directory, you can specify a path to your photos. for example, "vacation/photos" would be a valid path.   Do not use any leading or trailing back or forward slashes.
   
• Search how many folders deep?
  When using Google Picasa, you have the option of displaying up to three levels of folders.  This is useful, for example, if you have your photos organized by year, month, then day.  Please use the drop down box to select how many levels to display and use as Albums.
   
  Using your selected Photo Directory, the response time of the PhotoVu Web Administration program is directly proportional to the complexity of your folder structure.  For example, if you choose "3" folders deep and have many folders and photos, the PhotoVu will respond much slower than if you used "1" folder deep.
   
• Clear Setup:
  If click Clear Setup, your Albums configuration will be cleared and if the Photo Show is running, it will stop.

Troubleshooting the Google Picasa Setup

Here are some tips if you are having problems setting up Google Picasa:

• Active Directory:
  Re-confirm the "Photo Directory that contains your photos".  Go to that computer and make sure there are folders and photos contained within the shared folder.
   
• Photo Albums Log:
  In Advanced Settings, Logs, you can click on Photo Albums Log for more information and to see if there are any errors.
  

Instructions for Photo Directory as Albums

After selecting Photo Directory as Albums, you should see a similar setup page like the one below:

In addition to the Getting Started - Quick Start section in the Main Online Help, please use the following information where appropriate.  Also make sure you have cookies enabled in your web browser.

• Photo Directory that contains your photos:
  In order to retrieve your folders and digital photos, an Active Photo Directory is used.  If you do not have an Active Photo Directory in this list or need to add one, select "- Add Photo Directory -" and you will be brought to the Photo Locations, Directories page.  Once you add the Photo Directory, come back to this page and start again.
   
  Any Type of Photo Directory can be used here.
   
• Path within your Photo Directory:
  Within your Photo Directory, you can specify a path to your photos. for example, "robert/photos" would be a valid path.   Do not use any leading or trailing back or forward slashes.  For Mac users, if you know the path to your top level folder containing your photos, enter it in this field.  The Mac OS X default is "Pictures".
   
• Search how many folders deep?
  When using a "Photo Directory as Albums", you have the option of displaying up to three levels of folders.  This is useful, for example, if you have your photos organized by year, month, then day.  Please use the drop down box to select how many levels to display and use as Albums.
   
  Using your selected Photo Directory, the response time of the PhotoVu Web Administration program is directly proportional to the complexity of your folder structure.  For example, if you choose "3" folders deep and have many folders and photos, the PhotoVu will respond much slower than if you used "1" folder deep.
   
• Clear Setup:
  If click Clear Setup, your Albums configuration will be cleared and if the Photo Show is running, it will stop.

Troubleshooting the PhotoVu Photo Directory as Albums Setup

Here are some tips if you are having problems setting up a Photo Directory as Albums:

• Active Directory:
  Re-confirm the "Photo Directory that contains your photos".  Go to that computer and make sure there are digital photos within that shared folder.
   
• Photo Albums Log:
  In Advanced Settings, Logs, you can click on Photo Albums Log for more information and to see if there are any errors.