File Station and Synology Photos

[robw92]

Is it possible to import images into Synology photos from File Station?

 

[Rusty]

Is it possible to import images into Synology photos from File Station?

Yes. Copy the folder structure inside you Photos folder (inside your user folder) and those will be visible in the Photos app

 

[robw92]

Perfect! Thanks so much!

 

[pacman]

Yes. Copy the folder structure inside you Photos folder (inside your user folder) and those will be visible in the Photos app

But COPYing means that one then has a duplicate set of photos on the NAS, i.e. twice the amount of space is being taken up. If one has a large number of photos this could swamp the NAS. Is the Photos app unable to LINK to the existing photos in the Photos folder in File Station ?

 

[Telos]

But COPYing means that one then has a duplicate set of photos on the NAS, i.e. twice the amount of space is being taken up.

Not with a btrfs formatted file system. But if the copied set of files is then changed/edit, then duplication may result. Otherwise try hard-links.

 

[pacman]

Not with a btrfs formatted file system. But if the copied set of files is then changed/edit, then duplication may result. Otherwise try hard-links.

Thanks for replying but I still don't understand whether or not a duplicate set of files is created. Of course the copied files are going to be changed or edited. Or does the Photos app not allow its photos to be changed or edited ?
I'm a simple user with very little understanding of tech terminology and haven't a clue what a btrfs formatted file system is or what hard-links are (I tried reading Hard Links and Junctions - Win32 apps but can't see what this has to do with Synology's handling of image files) nor how I should try them.
Apart from anything else I need to know exactly what files are in what folders if I install and use the Synology Photos app because I backup my NAS data to an external hard disk. To do that I need to tell the backup program where to find the files that are to be backed up.
If someone has time to explain to a lay person in simple terms how Synology manages its photo (aka image) files if the Photos app is installed and where those files are I'd be grateful.

 

[Gerard]

Shared photos are located in shared folder /photo

User photos are located in the user_folder/photo

If you’re importing photos and putting it in /photo folder via file station, then that’s where they live. Photos app is just a viewer to that location. Unless I’m missing something but the aforementioned is based off the op, everything after that post lost me.

Another way of asking would be, where are the photos you have stored now and where do you want them to end up?

 

[pacman]

You write<<Another way of asking would be, where are the photos you have stored now and where do you want them to end up?>>
I have 259GB of photos in the File Station folder "photo". The Photos app can't see them there. The Photos app can only see photos in the shared folder /photo or a user_folder/photo. I'm being told that I have to COPY my photos to one of those shared folders if the Photos app is to see them. COPYING means that a duplicate set of 259GB files is taking up space on the NAS (or a triplicate set if there are two shared folders or a quadruplicate set if there are three shared folders, and so forth).

I can't understand why the Photos app can't simply point to or link to the existing photos in the File Station photo folder rather than needing multiple copies of the contents of that folder to be made.

 

[Gerard]

You write<<Another way of asking would be, where are the photos you have stored now and where do you want them to end up?>>
I have 259GB of photos in the File Station folder "photo". The Photos app can't see them there. The Photos app can only see photos in the shared folder /photo or a user_folder/photo. I'm being told that I have to COPY my photos to one of those shared folders if the Photos app is to see them. COPYING means that a duplicate set of 259GB files is taking up space on the NAS (or a triplicate set if there are two shared folders or a quadruplicate set if there are three shared folders, and so forth).

I can't understand why the Photos app can't simply point to or link to the existing photos in the File Station photo folder rather than needing multiple copies of the contents of that folder to be made.

Don’t copy, move them.

Start with 20 photos first to see. They need to be in one of the two places that photos app looks. If they’re not there, then move them there.

 

[pacman]

Thanks for that.
In File Station/homes I have four named shared folders. I want those named users to see the photos but I can only MOVE the 259GB set of photos once, i.e. I can't MOVE a set into each shared folder and if I did it would mean quadruplicating the 259GB.
I'm puzzled. After using this Synology NAS successfully for many years I obviously need some kind of tutorial about the "home" and "homes" folders.

 

[Gerard]

Thanks for that.
In File Station/homes I have four named shared folders. I want those named users to see the photos but I can only MOVE the 259GB set of photos once, i.e. I can't MOVE a set into each shared folder and if I did it would mean quadruplicating the 259GB.
I'm puzzled. After using this Synology NAS successfully for many years I obviously need some kind of tutorial about the "home" and "homes" folders.

So then you need to put them in a shared folder called /photos. This shared folder is automatically created by photos app when you enable shared spaces. You shouldn’t dump the photos in 4 of the users’ home folder. It should go into the shared space.

-- post merged: 22. Nov 2022 --

In File Station/homes I have four named shared folders.

These are not four named shared folders or atleast shouldn’t be. Each standard user will see their own home folder, but administrators will see a homes folder which has everyone’s home folder. Think of homes as the root of a users profile folder, and within that resides each individuals home folder. Users will not be able to and shouldn’t be able to see items from another. That’s where a shared folder comes in where you specify which user has access to the shared space.

 

[pacman]

Thanks for this.
I put 6 test photo files and two folders full of photo files into a user's home/Photo folder but when I logged in as that user I could only see the 6 test photos and two folder icons. When I clicked on the folder icons it simply fired up screens saying "No items. Drop files here for instant upload or Add photos". So, if I understand correctly, Photos cannot open folders which have been moved over to the home/Photo folder. Or have I done something wrong ?

 

[Gerard]

Thanks for this.
I put 6 test photo files and two folders full of photo files into a user's home/Photo folder but when I logged in as that user I could only see the 6 test photos and two folder icons. When I clicked on the folder icons it simply fired up screens saying "No items. Drop files here for instant upload or Add photos". So, if I understand correctly, Photos cannot open folders which have been moved over to the home/Photo folder. Or have I done something wrong ?

You may have to give it some time to index the photos to show in photos app

 

[pacman]

That did it. Thanks. One step forward.