Operation Manual

What Is a Vault?
To ensure that you have backup copies of your images, you create a vault to hold the
backup files. A vault is a container that holds an exact copy of the library. This includes
projects, masters, and any versions you’ve created. You can easily create and update a
vault to back up the library. It’s a good idea to create multiple vaults on multiple external
hard disk drives to safeguard copies of the library.
You can have as many vaults as you deem necessary. Creating more than one vault is
useful if you work at different locations; you can always keep one vault on an external
drive onsite and another one offsite. All vaults and backup files are tracked by the library
so that even if you disconnect the external hard drive that contains a vault, Aperture can
access it the next time you reconnect the drive and update the vault.
All the masters and versions for managed images are backed up, as well as all metadata,
previews, and adjustment information associated with managed images. The versions,
previews, metadata, and adjustment information associated with referenced masters are
also backed up in the vault. Referenced masters are not backed up in the vault with the
library.
Important: Because the masters for referenced images are stored outside of the library,
you must manage the backup and archiving of them yourself.
Working with the Library Inspector
All items displayed in the Library inspector are tracked by the library, such as projects,
albums, Faces, and Places.
121Chapter 3 Working with the Aperture Library