Removing duplicate photos

[David Brooks]

Hi

Is there any particular software recommended to remove duplicated
photographs from my iCloud store? Such duplicated images are, of course,
also shown on my iMac, iPad and iPhone.

There are many Apps shown in my App Store, Which, if any, should I choose?!!

Thanks for any guidance.

--
David

[J. J. Lodder]

Still using good old File Buddy for duplicate file finding on the Mac.
(up to High Sierra, if memory serves)
It will only find exact bitwise duplicates though,
or 'same name' files.

Finding nearly identical images by image content is much harder.
I used Graphic Converter for that, but that was long ago.
The results were rather uneven: some close images were not found,
and it flagged wildly different images as similar.
There were a large number of good matches too.
It may have improved in the meantime, haven't tried it.

Is there a better 'resembling images' finder?

Jan

[Martin S Taylor]

On Mar 9, 2021, J. J. Lodder wrote
(in article<1p5ryns.1ww...@de-ster.xs4all.nl>):

> Is there a better 'resembling images' finder?

DupeGuru

MST

[nospam]

In article <0001HW.DC6E68D7...@news.astraweb.com>, Ed
Norton <nor...@nowhere.com> wrote:

>
> iView Media does a good job of finding similar images for me.

unfortunately, a dead product.

[Stefen - fretwizzen]

The herd members value being like everyone else in both their lives and
their computer systems.

Steve Carroll has yet to show how Windows does anything above the basics
on Linux. Steve Carroll claimed the verbiage were entirely consistent
with many of the socks. Interesting, why is he having such trouble backing
his statement up when asked to do so? In other words, if his statement
was actually true, and not just a silly attempt to come to Shadows rescue?



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Dustin Cook: Functionally Illiterate Fraud

[David Brooks]

Do YOU have any suggestions for eradicating duplicate photographs from
my Photos application?

[Stefen - fretwizzen]

Do not get too cocky, ronb, sometimes "cigars" are just that.

Like most everyone else in COLA, ronb relies on biased science to contrive
beliefs on matters. Therefore, he only is aware of and accepts the accepted
stories which also are the ones which represent humanism in a acutely positive
and righteous view. Any horribly hopeless welfare receiver could easily
do the same. His goal is to see Steve Carroll frightened off by having
me get blamed for his actions. And hey, that could kill this group. What
did you hope for from the lying imbecile? That ronb numbnuts has nothing
to waste but time. He has nothing else, especially not a life.

--
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Dustin Cook: Functional Illiterate Fraud

[Andy Hewitt]

There's only one worthy recommendation if you don't want to screw up
your Photos library:

PowerPhotos by Fat Cat Software.

--
Andy H

[David Brooks]

Thank you for your suggestion, Andy.

Sadly, there doesn't appear to be a version for Big Sur. :-(

[David Brooks]

Thank you Martin

I found and read here:-
https://dupeguru.voltaicideas.net/2021/03/09/macOS_version_notes.html

Have you (or any other reader) used this software?

[Andy Hewitt]

How much do you really check when looking at stuff?

It's Big Sur compatible, and has been since Big Sur Beta.

--
Andy H

[J. J. Lodder]

It is not clear from the description
that it can find approximate duplicates,

Jan

[David Brooks]

Oh dear! :-(

I first Googled, picked out one of the initial links and was presented
with THIS page:-

https://ibb.co/rs8PHhK

As you can see, there is no mention of recent operating systems.

I was tired and explored no further. Thank you for making me look again.

This write-up gives a glowing report!

https://www.macobserver.com/columns-opinions/dr-macs-rants-raves/powerphotos-photo-management-for-photos-app/

--
Kind regards,
David

[David Brooks]

Hi Jan

Can you see that there's no mention of Big Sur here?

https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos_downloads

TIA

[Calum]

On 09/03/2021 08:22, David Brooks wrote:
>
> There are many Apps shown in my App Store, Which, if any, should I
> choose?!!

The one I've heard recommended most often is Gemini II, but I have no
personal experience with it (or any other). Note that it only works on
local files, so you'll have to sync your iCloud library to your Mac
before using it, if you're not already doing that.

[Andy Hewitt]

It does here

https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/

And a few references in the release notes

https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/Docs/releasenotes.html

And in the blog

https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/comments/powerphotos_1.9_is_out_with_support_for_macos_big_sur_and_apple_silicon

I've used iPhotos and Photos since they all came out, and know that
their libraries can be fairly fragile. I'd only use software that
accesses the Photos library outside of Photos that is known to be
reliable. This is one of those apps.

Regards

--
Andy H

[J. J. Lodder]

OK, so it doesn't.
That's all talk about multiple copies of the same photograph,

Jan

[Martin S Taylor]

On Mar 12, 2021, Calum wrote
(in article <s2frq3$1h60$1...@gioia.aioe.org>):

I used to use Gemini II, but it installed something somewhere which kept
bugging me about buying it or upgrading it, or something. Anyhow, on
principle I don't like things running in the background when I don't know
where they are.

As I said earlier in this thread, DupeGuru is really pretty good.

MST

[Andy Hewitt]

Is nobody seeing the same information as me?

On the app details page it clearly shows the 'Find duplicate photos'
bit, and an image clearly showing multiple copies of a photo being
processed.

It also says:

"It's easy to have multiple copies of the same photo creep into your
photo collection over time. Use PowerPhotos to find duplicate photos in
one or more libraries, view them side by side, and separate them into
albums where you can easily delete them from your library."

Note the bit that says 'multiple copies'.

How hard is that?

--
Andy H

[Andy Hewitt]

Gemini is produced by the same people that make CleanMyMac, which is
terrible software that has screwed my system up in the past, and
corrupted an entire Photos library. I wouldn't let it anywhere near my Mac.

Of course all those types of system 'cleaner' apps need using with care,
but this one makes it too easy, and makes out that it's doing an almost
magical task before you can't reboot, or all your photos are no longer
visible.

--
Andy H

[nospam]

In article <s2hnma$e7k$1...@dont-email.me>, Andy Hewitt

<thewil...@icloud.com> wrote:

> >
> > I used to use Gemini II, but it installed something somewhere which kept
> > bugging me about buying it or upgrading it, or something. Anyhow, on
> > principle I don't like things running in the background when I don't know
> > where they are.
> >
> > As I said earlier in this thread, DupeGuru is really pretty good.
>
> Gemini is produced by the same people that make CleanMyMac, which is
> terrible software that has screwed my system up in the past, and
> corrupted an entire Photos library. I wouldn't let it anywhere near my Mac.

wise move.

> Of course all those types of system 'cleaner' apps need using with care,
> but this one makes it too easy, and makes out that it's doing an almost
> magical task before you can't reboot, or all your photos are no longer
> visible.

they're scamware and should not be used at all.

[J. J. Lodder]

How hard is reading? I said:
'all talk about multiple copies of the same photograph',
and that's all there is. You just repeat what I said.

What Graphic Converter did for me when I used it
is finding duplicate -images- not just duplicate photos.
For example two different photographs of the same subject,
or two similar photographs taken shortly after each other,

Jan

[Andy Hewitt]

On 13/03/2021 10:37, J. J. Lodder wrote:
> Andy Hewitt <thewil...@icloud.com> wrote:

[..]

>> Note the bit that says 'multiple copies'.
>>
>> How hard is that?
>
> How hard is reading? I said:
> 'all talk about multiple copies of the same photograph',
> and that's all there is. You just repeat what I said.
>
> What Graphic Converter did for me when I used it
> is finding duplicate -images- not just duplicate photos.
> For example two different photographs of the same subject,
> or two similar photographs taken shortly after each other,

<ding>

Sorry, I misunderstood/misread your statement.

I'm still working off the original request for 'eradicating duplicate
photographs', and not thinking of /similar/ photographs.

--
Andy H

[J. J. Lodder]

Andy Hewitt <thewil...@icloud.com> wrote:

> On 13/03/2021 10:37, J. J. Lodder wrote:
> > Andy Hewitt <thewil...@icloud.com> wrote:
>
> [..]
>
> >> Note the bit that says 'multiple copies'.
> >>
> >> How hard is that?
> >
> > How hard is reading? I said:
> > 'all talk about multiple copies of the same photograph',
> > and that's all there is. You just repeat what I said.
> >
> > What Graphic Converter did for me when I used it
> > is finding duplicate -images- not just duplicate photos.
> > For example two different photographs of the same subject,
> > or two similar photographs taken shortly after each other,
>
> <ding>
>
> Sorry, I misunderstood/misread your statement.

OK

> I'm still working off the original request for 'eradicating duplicate
> photographs', and not thinking of /similar/ photographs.

I have File buddy for that.
What if I just delete the duplicate files.
(and empty trash)
Will Apple's Photo app get terribly upset about missing a file?
(like some here suggest)

Jan

[Andy Hewitt]

It may depend on how they're stored. If your using a referenced library,
then yes, it'll show a missing original error icon/message for that
image if you simply delete the file. With those you can just delete them
from the library.

I'm not sure how it works the other way round though, as I never had any
success running a referenced library successfully. I think you get a
dialogue popping up asking if you want to remove it from the library, or
delete the file completely.

If you're rooting around in the library package, then good luck, as
Photos renames everything with a weird scrambled filename, and is likely
to cause headaches with the library.

I've also read the mixed comments regarding this, but IMHO, and IME, I'd
not do anything that isn't controlled by Photos itself, or at least a
known reliable third party app that links to the Photos Library (as
Apple have now opened it up (to a limited extent) to allow it officially).

FWIW, I think what you're wanting is something that is part of the
pre-import culling process.

My Photos process is like this:
• I generally use FastRawViewer and import new images (from a camera
card) to a working folder, whizz through and cull them
• Then import them to Photos
• Allow them to sync to the cloud.
• Edit with Raw Power on my iPad Pro (it faster and a better screen than
my old iMac).

I'm in a fortunate position of having managed to keep my collection
relatively well organised over the years. Having recently (well, last
July when I got the iPad) migrated from Lightroom, I'd already got my
collection into a nicely ordered filing system, and have no identical
duplicates.

I use Folders and Albums to organise within Photos, so I can work
with/view smaller sets if needed.

For my own preferences, I've never bothered with the task of sifting
through similar images, as I'll never know which ones I might prefer
later on.

All the best

--
Andy H

[Elliott Roper]

On 13 Mar 2021 at 16:39:48 GMT, "Andy Hewitt" <thewil...@icloud.com>
wrote:

> Sorry, I misunderstood/misread your statement.
>
> I'm still working off the original request for 'eradicating duplicate
> photographs', and not thinking of /similar/ photographs.

In that case GraphicConverter is your tool of choice. It is underwhelming on
similar, but excellent on identical. My (ever so sad) collection of car
pictures culled from the web over many years exceeds 70,000 images.

If I collect another 1000 images, I can identify stuff I already have in 2-3
minutes. I make use of spotlight and the finder to place new non-duplicates in
the folders I choose. That is more time consuming, maybe 10 minutes.

Here's how:
1. Place my collection (1 folder) and the new material (several folders)
together in a new folder.
2. In GraphicConverter choose browse the new folder from step 1
3. In GraphicConverter choose edit -> find duplicates (exact match)
4. Watch it build a list of duplicates.
5. Work your way through the list. (I almost always let it automatically keep
the oldest, except when the filename on the new one is an improvement on the
main collection's, but I don't care too much, since the images are identical.
6. Deal with the catalouging with 2 Finder column view windows. The new stuff
with spotlight on name with the name matching the name of each subfolder in
the collection. Sometimes dragging the resulting set of files won't all move.
That means for each of them you have two different pictures with the same
name.
--
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[Andy Hewitt]

If I’m not missing something here, this is not to eradicate duplicates in
Photos, but just in general, in a standard Finder folder system. It’s not
really answering the original query, but interesting nonetheless.

Initially I’d missed the point that you were downloading these images, and
not shooting them yourself. So I understand why you might need to work this
way.

In the case of the original query, the only answer to the question, ‘how do
I eradicate duplicate images in Photos’, is still Power Photos by Fat Cat
Software. Or, you sift through them in date/filename order and delete them
manually.

To carry out the process of eliminating duplicates outside of Photos is a
totally different problem, and has, as you point out, different software
solutions available.

To cull out ‘similar’ photos is a different matter again. That’s a more
subjective issue that will most likely require more user intervention to
make the final decision on what to keep or discard.

--
Andy H