Accessing Photos and Pictures on Synology Diskstation NAS

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Overview

Information and configuration about accessing and viewing image files on Synology DiskStation NAS.

Configuration

Photo Station

Install Photo Station via the DSM Package Manager.

Photo Station can only access files that are placed under the /photos directory. N.B. The /photos directory is on the same level as the /shared directory, not under it.

Accessing images outside the /photos directory

The goal is to access images outside the /photos directory without having to resort to copying them into the /photos directory.

Using symbolic links

Create a symbolic link in the /photos directory that links to the other directory.

Symbolic links have not worked on DS916.
  • Enable SSH connections to the NAS.
    • DSM > Control Panel > Terminal & SNMP > Terminal tab > Enable SSH Service
    • Now it's possible to SSH (as admin) to the DiskStation's IP using login credentials of one of DSM user accounts.
    • cd /volume1/photos
    • ln -s /volume1/shared/some_other_directory link_alias - make sure these symbolic links are owned by admin
  • Re-index the media files.
    • DSM > Control Panel > Media Library > Media Library tab > Re-Index button
      DSM > Control Panel > System group > Indexing Service > Media Indexing tab > Media Indexing group > Re-Index button

Mounting external directories

Alternative method: Add directories outside of the /photo directory by mounting them in that directory. [1]

This method has been tested on the picture reference directory, but has NOT been confirmed to work.
  • Photo Station > Settings > General > Other Settings
    • Set new folders as public albums: checked
  • SSH in as admin
    • Create mount point within /photos, e.g. mkdir /volume1/photo/my\ photos
    • Mount the directory outside /photos, e.g. mount --bind /path/to/my\ photos /volume1/photo/my\ photos
  • Re-index the media files.
    • DSM > Control panel > System > Indexing Service > Media Indexing tab > Re-Index button
    • DSM > Control panel > System > Indexing Service > File Indexing tab > Indexed Folder List button > select the folder(s) to index and click the Re-Index button
  • Add a script to re-mount the directories after reboot. [2]
    • Create the script to run.
      • Store the script somewhere accessible to Task Scheduler, e.g. \volume1\public\tasks
      • See sample below.
    • DSM > Control Panel > System > Task Scheduler > Create button > Triggered Task
      • Give it a name
      • User: root
      • Event: boot-up
      • Task Settings tab > User-defined script: Enter the path to the script defined above
  • (Optional) add script to unmount the external directories on a Shutdown event.
    • e.g. unmount /volume1/photo/my\ photos
#!/bin/sh
mount --bind /volume1/my\ photos /volume1/photo/my\ photos

iPad

  1. Install the DS Photo+ app.
  2. Configure settings to connect to the DiskStation (IP/address, user, password)
  3. Once logged in, everything under /photos on the DiskStation should be accessible.

Keywords

photos, photographs, picture reference, images, pictures, cloud, synology, diskstation, NAS, DSM, Photo Station, iPad

  1. ↑ Point Photo Station to an alternate directory?, Synology Forums
  2. ↑ rc.local auto mount not works [after DSM 6 update, Synology forums
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