Question: I need to **export** my old iPhoto Library to a file based structure similar to the format of shotwell.

There are some possiblities:

* Just use the iPhoto Master folder
* Use Shotwell to import the photos
* use a script like [script 1](https://github.com/gaetronik/iPhotoShotwell) or [script 2](https://github.com/fasaxc/shotwell-iphoto-import)

There are however several Problems:

The iPhoto Master folder is organzied by import time so its not quite optimal to use it without iPhoto. 

Shotwell has a [issue](http://redmine.yorba.org/issues/4261) as its generating/copying JPEGS out of RAW files and this can take ages with a 50GB raw Library.

With [script 1](https://github.com/gaetronik/iPhotoShotwell) the problem is that it only generates metadata and [script 2](https://github.com/fasaxc/shotwell-iphoto-import) I can't get running proberly.

So the **Question** is what is the best way to transfer them and finally organize my photos in Ubuntu?

For RAW editing im gonna using Darktable but this [can't](http://www.darktable.org/2011/04/file-management/) be used to manage photo libraries

Answer: 
**DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING ON YOUR HARDDRIVE!
Don't install any software, updates or anything else, if possible don't even use Ubuntu until you recovered your data. Else, you will render yor data unrecoverable!**

Download [SystemRescueCd](http://www.sysresccd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage) and burn it. Use it to recover your old partition table. After recovering it, copy all data to an external drive. You will probably be able to recover most of your data, although some will likely be lost forever.
After copying your data you can safely install Ubuntu over the entire disk. After that, you can create more partitions if you want and copy the data back to your PC.

Keep in mind, that regular backups are always a good thing to have. (Ubuntu has a tool for that, just hit the Windows key and type "backup".
Since no one provided a GUI alternatives for the terminal impaired Ubuntu users, here is a GUI for Testdisk.

* Insert your Ubuntu CD/DVD/USB and boot from it

	+ At boot-up, select try Ubuntu out.
* Download [qphotorec](http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/crunchyiconthem/QPhotoRec/qphotorec_1.0_all.deb?r=&ts=1443542155&use_mirror=netix). 

	+ Install like so: `sudo dpkg -i qphotorec_1.0_all.deb`
	+ If there are any dependencies issues, run: `sudo apt-get -f install`
* After qphotorec installation, execute it, like so: `qphotorec` or search via the dash, for `qphotorec` 

	+ Select the drive you want to recover, and where you want to recover all the data too.
* Pray to our Human Deity, and hope you get everything back.

Also, let this be a lesson: **ALWAYS BACKUP**. Always.

---

QPhotorec is a 32bit application, if you have a 64bit Operating System, you need to install the 32bit libraries, to run QPhotorec:

```
sudo apt-get install libc6:i386 libncurses5:i386 libstdc++6:i386

```

Since most IT personnel are lazy - myself included -, I provide you with a one liner, without the 32bit libraries:

```
cd /tmp/; wget "http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/crunchyiconthem/QPhotoRec/qphotorec_1.0_all.deb?r=&ts=1443542155&use_mirror=netix" -O qphotorec_1.0_all.deb; sudo dpkg -i qphotorec_1.0_all.deb; sudo apt-get -f install; qphotorec

```

[![QPhotorec on Ubuntu, 14.04, Trusty Tahr](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gio36.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/gio36.png)