Need to know iPhoto Library location programmatically using Applescript

Question

One of my desktop apps I need to know where the iPhoto Library is installed, programmatically. I do not want to pick it from predicted location (/Users/me/Pictures/iPhoto) since power user may have installed it somewhere else.

I'm developing app using Python and I guess Applescript might have way to figure out iPhoto location but I don't know how.

Answer 1

Why not simply...

set myPath to path to application "iPhoto"

Answer 2

One method is to use 'defaults'.

Applescript:

set lib_path to do shell script "defaults read com.apple.iphoto LibraryPath"

Should be similar way to do it straight from Python.

A downside to this is if Apple changes the format of iPhotos preference file in the future and it breaks.

Answer 3

Simply invoke the system command which iPhoto (assuming that you can run iPhoto from a shell) and parse the output.

Answer 4

[Removed LaunchServices-based answer as OP apparently wants the location of the iPhoto Library, not iPhoto itself.]

OP should look into Karelia's iMedia framework (dev forum), which includes iPhoto support. The Karelia crew have also done a lot of legwork in figuring out how to make it sandbox/AppStore-compatible, which may also be a consideration depending on how the OP plans to distribute the app.