AllanHodgson

Q: iPhoto library file unrecognizable

I moved iPhoto library file without quitting iPhoto first. The library file is now unrecognizable. What should I do to fix this?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Aug 16, 2014 6:50 PM

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Q: iPhoto library file unrecognizable

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  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Aug 16, 2014 9:26 PM in response to AllanHodgson
    Level 10 (85,414 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 16, 2014 9:26 PM in response to AllanHodgson

    Best solution is to restore your backup from just before you did this

     

    LN

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 17, 2014 12:18 AM in response to AllanHodgson
    Level 10 (108,438 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 17, 2014 12:18 AM in response to AllanHodgson
    I moved iPhoto library file without quitting iPhoto first.

    Where did you move the library to?  iPhoto mayo not recognise iPhoto libraries on drives with the wrong formatting or on a network volume. (see:  Use locally mounted Mac OS X Extended volumes for your Aperture library - this applies to iPhoto as well.)

     

    After restoring your iPhoto library from the backup as LarryHN recommended, make sure that you keep the library  on a correctly formatted, directly connected drive or on your system drive.

  • by AllanHodgson,

    AllanHodgson AllanHodgson Aug 17, 2014 9:26 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2014 9:26 AM in response to léonie

    I moved it to another folder on my system drive and tried replacing it with another library file but this took a long time to start to load so i canceled it. All these happened when iPhoto was open. Do you think the library file was damaged?

  • by AllanHodgson,

    AllanHodgson AllanHodgson Aug 17, 2014 9:28 AM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2014 9:28 AM in response to LarryHN

    I just imported pictures from my camera and I have not had a chance to make a back up copy.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Aug 17, 2014 9:37 AM in response to AllanHodgson
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2014 9:37 AM in response to AllanHodgson

    Do you have a backup copy of the library with the all the pictures except for the last import from your camera?  Restore that version and reimport the photos from the camera.

     

    Otherwise do the following:

     

    1- try to launch the problem library.

    2 - when that fails do the following:

     

    1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down to open the First Aid window.

     

    iPMfirstaid.png


    2 - Run Option #4, Rebuild Database.

    OTsig18.png

  • by AllanHodgson,

    AllanHodgson AllanHodgson Aug 17, 2014 5:15 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2014 5:15 PM in response to Old Toad

    I deleted the images from my camera after importing them so i do not have a backup of them. I tried rebuilding iPhoto data base like you said but the same error as before came up.

    (see below)

    Screen Shot 2014-08-17 at 8.11.22 PM.png

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Aug 18, 2014 9:23 AM in response to AllanHodgson
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 18, 2014 9:23 AM in response to AllanHodgson

    Do the following:

     

    Using iPhoto Library Manager  to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library

     

    1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.>Click on the Add Library button,

                            iPhoto Library Manager002.jpg

    2 -  select the library you want to add from those in the selection window.

     

    3 - make sure that in the rebuild window the checkbox  "Scavange orphaned photos" is checked.

     

    iPLMrebuild2.png

     

     

    4 - now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option

     

                  iPhoto Library Manager001.jpg

     

    5 - in the next  window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed. Click on the Create button.

     

    Note 1: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost.


    Note 2:  Your current library will be left untouched for further attempts at a fix if so desired.

  • by AllanHodgson,

    AllanHodgson AllanHodgson Aug 21, 2014 2:03 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 21, 2014 2:03 PM in response to Old Toad

    I did as you instructed above and after rebuilding it said that everything had been restored except that 0 pictures were imported. I went to the log on console and it showed that all the picture files were missing. I tried searching for the picture files on my hard drive and couldn't find any images that matched.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Aug 21, 2014 2:09 PM in response to AllanHodgson
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 21, 2014 2:09 PM in response to AllanHodgson

    Open the iPhoto Library package with the Finder as shown below,

    open.png

    go to the Masters folder and check to seek the subfoders contain any image files.  Do they?

  • by AllanHodgson,

    AllanHodgson AllanHodgson Aug 21, 2014 2:14 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 21, 2014 2:14 PM in response to Old Toad

    there is no masters folder under the library folder.

    (see below the folders inside library package)

    Screen Shot 2014-08-21 at 5.12.48 PM.png

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Aug 21, 2014 2:16 PM in response to AllanHodgson
    Level 10 (141,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 21, 2014 2:16 PM in response to AllanHodgson

    Then you have a thoroughly trashed iPhoto Library.  Check to see if you have another library hiding somewhere on your Mac:  download and run Find Any File to search for a file with "ThumbJPGSegment" in the file name. These are files common to all versions of  iPhoto libraries.

     

    FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't like invisible folders, system folders and packages. If there's a library hiding somewhere on your hard drive FAF will find it.