Create and update vaults

Create and update vaults

Before you can back up your files, you must create a vault and assign a hard disk to it. After you assign a disk to the vault, Aperture uses the vault to back up the entire library. You can create additional vaults and assign hard disks to them, and each additional vault also records a complete backup of the library.

Show the Vault pane

Do one of the following:

  • Choose Window > Show Vaults (or press Shift-R).

  • Click the Show Vaults button below the Library inspector.

Create a new vault

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Choose File > Vault > Add Vault.

    • Choose Add Vault from the Vault Action pop-up menu below the Library inspector.

      Figure. Controls in the Vault pane.

      A dialog appears, listing the number of managed files that will be backed up to the vault and the number of referenced files that will not be included.

  2. Click Continue.

  3. In the Add Vault dialog, enter a name for the vault, choose a location to save it, and click Add.

The new, empty vault appears in the Vault pane.

Important: To ensure preservation of your photos, make sure to assign a separate external hard disk drive to each vault.

Update a new, empty vault

When you create a new vault, it’s empty. As soon as you create a new vault, you should update it.

  • In the Vault pane, click the Vault Status button to the right of the vault’s name.

See the hard disk assigned to a vault

  • In the Vault pane, click the disclosure triangle beside the vault name.

    Figure. Vault pane showing the vault disclosure triangles open to display the hard disk assigned to each vault.

You can easily see the amount of free space your vault has available next to the vault name. Make sure to assign enough disk space to the vault to ensure a complete backup of the library and to allow the library to grow as you import new photos over time.

Update all connected vaults

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Choose File > Vault > Update All Vaults.

    • In the Vault pane, click the Update All Vaults button.

  2. In the dialog that appears, click Update.

Update an existing vault

  1. In the Vault pane, select the vault you want to update.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Choose Update Vault from the Vault Action pop-up menu .

    • Click the Vault Status button beside the vault name.

  3. In the dialog that appears, click Update.

Permanently remove a vault and delete its information

You can delete an entire vault and all the photos on it when you need to reconfigure your backup system. This is useful when you have moved your backup vault to a larger-capacity hard disk and you want to delete the vault information from the current hard disk drive to use it for other purposes.

  1. In the Vault pane, select the vault you want to remove.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Choose File > Vault > Remove Vault.

    • Choose Remove Vault from the Vault Action pop-up menu .

    A dialog appears, asking if you want to remove the vault.

  3. Click one of the following buttons:

    • Remove and Delete: When you click this button, Aperture no longer tracks the vault, and the vault’s files are deleted from your hard disk.

    • Remove: When you click this button, Aperture no longer tracks the vault, but the vault’s files remain on the hard disk.