pmccombe

Q: Managed Masters unlinked after Photos Crash following extensive user input

I've had this issue recur since March 2016.  Following a large (several thousand images) photo import, I have found that if I rapidly sort through and delete hundreds of blurry photos (Command-Delete) either one at a time or a few at a time, I will often crash Photos.  When relaunched, there are often hundreds of photos left with a size of Zero (i.e. just the thumbnail but not linked to the master).  I believe I have also caused this error by working with Faces for long periods of time (Naming faces, selecting "Not a Face" etc).  Rebuilding the Library does not relink the masters or identify them as recovered etc.  The masters are still in the Photos Package file if I browse it.  I've successfully recovered from this by reverting to a recent back up, and the first time I had to copy files out of the Library Package because I was on the road with no back up and I re-imported these.  I'm wondering if my Photos Library is corrupted or if am simply overloading Photos with too much user input at once.  I am tempted to create a brand new Library and export/import groups of photos from the old Library.  I believe I can either migrate unedited originals this way or the final edited version but not both.  It's also a lot of work if I'm just dealing with a limitation of Photos.  The first part of my most recent crash report is pasted below.

 

Process:           Photos [3492]
Path:              /Applications/Photos.app/Contents/MacOS/Photos
Identifier:        com.apple.Photos
Version:           1.5 (370.42.0)
Build Info:        PhotoApp-370042000000000~1
Code Type:         X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:    ??? [1]
Responsible:       Photos [3492]
User ID:           502

 

Date/Time:         2016-08-21 12:53:21.150 -0600
OS Version:        Mac OS X 10.11.6 (15G31)
Report Version:    11
Anonymous UUID:    58059353-423D-6569-871F-816354457ACC

 

Sleep/Wake UUID:   3546F7E6-87F3-41B5-91D9-596AB7DFF625

 

Time Awake Since Boot: 160000 seconds

Time Since Wake:   9600 seconds

 

System Integrity Protection: enabled

 

Crashed Thread:    13  Dispatch queue: Editor summary update queue

 

Exception Type:    EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes:   KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x000007f923da1a78
Exception Note:    EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

 

VM Regions Near 0x7f923da1a78:

Memory Tag 249     0000000228c89000-000000022b29d000 [ 38.1M] rw-/rwx SM=PRV 

-->

STACK GUARD        0000700000000000-0000700000001000 [4K] ---/rwx SM=NUL  stack guard for thread 11

 

Application Specific Information:

objc_msgSend() selector name: collectionObjectCount

Photo Foundation logging:

 

2016-08-19 10:14:04.830: Received changes notification alert: <LiModelChangeGroup: 0x7f924c7b2ac0>  alert flags : Replay Complete (__59-[RKFaceChangesHandler startListeningForChangesFromMarker:]_block_invoke_2:173)

2016-08-21 11:27:41.726: Sharing selection exceeded allowed limit, clipping (-[IPXShareServices populateSharekitShareMenu:]:221)

2016-08-21 11:27:47.776: Sharing selection exceeded allowed limit, clipping (-[IPXShareServices populateSharekitShareMenu:]:221)

 

 

Global Trace Buffer (reverse chronological seconds):

7.539220 AppleJPEG            0x00007fff93f200fc [0x7f9251877000] Options: 2x-1 [FFFFFFFF,FFFFFFFF] 00025060
7.539220 AppleJPEG            0x00007fff93f1ffae [0x7f9251877000] Decoding: C0 0x15600E40 0x02AC304A 0x11111100 0x00000000 11549422
7.550520 AppleJPEG            0x00007fff93f1f05e [0x7f9251877000] Created session
7.610353 AppleJPEG            0x00007fff93f1fa11 [0x7f9245203400] Releasing session
7.612532 AppleJPEG            0x00007fff93f2211c [0x7f9245203400] Decoding completed without errors
7.619140 AppleJPEG            0x00007fff93f200fc [0x7f9245203400] Options: 1086x724 [FFFFFFFF,FFFFFFFF] 00025060

 

Thread 0:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84263f72 mach_msg_trap + 10
1   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff842633b3 mach_msg + 55
2   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6ce1c4 __CFRunLoopServiceMachPort + 212
3   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6cd68c __CFRunLoopRun + 1356
4   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6cced8 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 296
5   com.apple.HIToolbox      0x00007fff84c9e935 RunCurrentEventLoopInMode + 235
6   com.apple.HIToolbox      0x00007fff84c9e76f ReceiveNextEventCommon + 432
7   com.apple.HIToolbox      0x00007fff84c9e5af _BlockUntilNextEventMatchingListInModeWithFilter + 71
8   com.apple.AppKit         0x00007fff901a9df6 _DPSNextEvent + 1067
9   com.apple.AppKit         0x00007fff901a9226 -[NSApplication _nextEventMatchingEventMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 454
10  com.apple.AppKit         0x00007fff9019dd80 -[NSApplication run] + 682
11  com.apple.AppKit         0x00007fff90167368 NSApplicationMain + 1176
12  libdyld.dylib            0x00007fff98d895ad start + 1

 

Thread 1:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.libdispatch-manager

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff8426aefa kevent_qos + 10
1   libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896bc165 _dispatch_mgr_invoke + 216
2   libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896bbdcd _dispatch_mgr_thread + 52

 

Thread 2:: com.apple.NSEventThread

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84263f72 mach_msg_trap + 10
1   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff842633b3 mach_msg + 55
2   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6ce1c4 __CFRunLoopServiceMachPort + 212
3   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6cd68c __CFRunLoopRun + 1356
4   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6cced8 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 296
5   com.apple.AppKit         0x00007fff902ffd95 _NSEventThread + 149
6   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b099d _pthread_body + 131
7   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b091a _pthread_start + 168
8   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae351 thread_start + 13

 

Thread 3:: NetworkLoad

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84263f72 mach_msg_trap + 10
1   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff842633b3 mach_msg + 55
2   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6ce1c4 __CFRunLoopServiceMachPort + 212
3   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6cd68c __CFRunLoopRun + 1356
4   com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8c6cced8 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 296
5   com.apple.GeoServices    0x00007fff9436ad86 _runNetworkThread + 445
6   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b099d _pthread_body + 131
7   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b091a _pthread_start + 168
8   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae351 thread_start + 13

 

Thread 4:: CVDisplayLink

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84269db6 __psynch_cvwait + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b175e _pthread_cond_wait + 821
2   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949de0d8 CVDisplayLink::waitUntil(unsigned long long) + 232
3   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949dded1 CVDisplayLink::runIOThread() + 511
4   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949dd9a9 startIOThread(void*) + 147
5   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b099d _pthread_body + 131
6   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b091a _pthread_start + 168
7   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae351 thread_start + 13

 

Thread 5:: CVDisplayLink

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84269db6 __psynch_cvwait + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b175e _pthread_cond_wait + 821
2   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949de0d8 CVDisplayLink::waitUntil(unsigned long long) + 232
3   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949dded1 CVDisplayLink::runIOThread() + 511
4   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949dd9a9 startIOThread(void*) + 147
5   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b099d _pthread_body + 131
6   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b091a _pthread_start + 168
7   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae351 thread_start + 13

 

Thread 6:: CVDisplayLink

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84269db6 __psynch_cvwait + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b1728 _pthread_cond_wait + 767
2   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949ddf76 CVDisplayLink::runIOThread() + 676
3   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949dd9a9 startIOThread(void*) + 147
4   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b099d _pthread_body + 131
5   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b091a _pthread_start + 168
6   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae351 thread_start + 13

 

Thread 7:: CVDisplayLink

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84269db6 __psynch_cvwait + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b1728 _pthread_cond_wait + 767
2   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949ddf76 CVDisplayLink::runIOThread() + 676
3   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949dd9a9 startIOThread(void*) + 147
4   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b099d _pthread_body + 131
5   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b091a _pthread_start + 168
6   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae351 thread_start + 13

 

Thread 8:: CVDisplayLink

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84269db6 __psynch_cvwait + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b1728 _pthread_cond_wait + 767
2   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949ddf76 CVDisplayLink::runIOThread() + 676
3   com.apple.CoreVideo      0x00007fff949dd9a9 startIOThread(void*) + 147
4   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b099d _pthread_body + 131
5   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b091a _pthread_start + 168
6   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae351 thread_start + 13

 

Thread 9:

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff8426a5e2 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b0578 _pthread_wqthread + 1283
2   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae341 start_wqthread + 13

 

Thread 10:

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff8426a5e2 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b0578 _pthread_wqthread + 1283
2   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae341 start_wqthread + 13

 

Thread 11:

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff8426a5e2 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b0578 _pthread_wqthread + 1283
2   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae341 start_wqthread + 13

 

Thread 12:: Dispatch queue: IPXMetadataEditorFacesViewController.updateCoalescerQueue

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff84263fae semaphore_wait_trap + 10
1   libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896c1cb2 _dispatch_semaphore_wait_slow + 224

2   com.apple.PhotoLibraryPrivate     0x0000000110364e4c -[LiFilter(Client) waitForAsync_resolveModelsLoadingProperties:] + 205

3   com.apple.RedRock        0x00000001115ed9d3 -[RKFacesPersistenceDelegate getFacesForImageIds:error:] + 304
4   com.apple.vision.Faces   0x0000000112f83d7d -[FCSDAO getFacesForImageIds:filterOnlyVisibleFaces:error:] + 139
5   com.apple.RedRock        0x00000001115fee08 -[FaceRecognition(DataAccess) getVisibleFacesForVersions:error:] + 166
6   com.apple.RedRock        0x00000001115fead2 -[FaceRecognition(DataAccess) getFaceTilesForVersions:visibleOnly:error:] + 140
7   com.apple.Photos         0x000000010f59e98d 0x10f394000 + 2140557
8   com.apple.Photos         0x000000010f5e6a83 0x10f394000 + 2435715
9   com.apple.PhotoFoundation 0x0000000110bbafc1 __70-[PFCoalescer initWithLabel:target:buffer:queue:bufferDrainer:action:]_block_invoke139 + 106
10  com.apple.PhotoFoundation 0x0000000110bc1293 -[PFDispatchQueue _invoke:] + 93
11  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b640b _dispatch_client_callout + 8
12  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896c77b7 _dispatch_sync_recurse_invoke + 68
13  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b640b _dispatch_client_callout + 8
14  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b79f2 _dispatch_barrier_sync_f_invoke + 74
15  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896c7655 _dispatch_barrier_sync_f_recurse + 89
16  com.apple.PhotoFoundation 0x0000000110bc6d68 -[_PFFastDispatchQueue dispatchSync:] + 139
17  com.apple.PhotoFoundation 0x0000000110bbac5a __70-[PFCoalescer initWithLabel:target:buffer:queue:bufferDrainer:action:]_block_invoke + 1012
18  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b640b _dispatch_client_callout + 8
19  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896c6675 _dispatch_source_latch_and_call + 2235
20  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896baa83 _dispatch_source_invoke + 983
21  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896bb200 _dispatch_queue_drain + 1207
22  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896c1707 _dispatch_queue_invoke + 549
23  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b9d53 _dispatch_root_queue_drain + 538
24  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b9b00 _dispatch_worker_thread3 + 91
25  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b04de _pthread_wqthread + 1129
26  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae341 start_wqthread + 13

 

Thread 13 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: Editor summary update queue

0   libobjc.A.dylib          0x00007fff884ea4dd objc_msgSend + 29
1   com.apple.Photos         0x000000010f48f7f4 0x10f394000 + 1030132
2   com.apple.Photos         0x000000010f48f716 0x10f394000 + 1029910
3   com.apple.Photos         0x000000010f48c4dc 0x10f394000 + 1017052
4   com.apple.Photos         0x000000010f48c2b6 0x10f394000 + 1016502
5   com.apple.Photos         0x000000010f48c24d 0x10f394000 + 1016397
6   com.apple.PhotoFoundation 0x0000000110bbb34a __54+[PFCoalescer coalescerWithLabel:target:queue:action:]_block_invoke + 41
7   com.apple.PhotoFoundation 0x0000000110bbb0c3 __70-[PFCoalescer initWithLabel:target:buffer:queue:bufferDrainer:action:]_block_invoke147 + 106
8   libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b640b _dispatch_client_callout + 8
9   libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b79f2 _dispatch_barrier_sync_f_invoke + 74
10  com.apple.PhotoFoundation 0x0000000110bbad1c __70-[PFCoalescer initWithLabel:target:buffer:queue:bufferDrainer:action:]_block_invoke + 1206
11  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b640b _dispatch_client_callout + 8
12  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896c6675 _dispatch_source_latch_and_call + 2235
13  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896baa83 _dispatch_source_invoke + 983
14  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896bb200 _dispatch_queue_drain + 1207
15  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896c1707 _dispatch_queue_invoke + 549
16  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b9d53 _dispatch_root_queue_drain + 538
17  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fff896b9b00 _dispatch_worker_thread3 + 91
18  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b04de _pthread_wqthread + 1129
19  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae341 start_wqthread + 13

 

Thread 14:

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fff8426a5e2 __workq_kernreturn + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980b0578 _pthread_wqthread + 1283
2   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fff980ae341 start_wqthread + 13

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Aug 21, 2016 2:35 PM

Close

Q: Managed Masters unlinked after Photos Crash following extensive user input

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 21, 2016 4:51 PM in response to pmccombe
    Level 10 (105,653 points)
    iLife
    Aug 21, 2016 4:51 PM in response to pmccombe

    I believe I have also caused this error by working with Faces for long periods of time (Naming faces, selecting "Not a Face" etc).  Rebuilding the Library does not relink the masters or identify them as recovered etc.  The masters are still in the Photos Package file if I browse it.  I've successfully recovered from this by reverting to a recent back up

     

    It might be a bug in Photos. For the time being I'd keep frequent backups, so you can recover the library if it happens again and wait for the next release of Photos with macOS Sierra. Photos on Sierra is handling the naming of faces very different from the current version of Photos. It is expected to be released in fall, see: macOS Preview - Apple

     

    Before you go to the trouble of recreating your library and losing your edits, try to find out, if something in your way of using Photos is problematic. Are you running out of storage on your system drive, or do you have plenty of free storage left? Is your Photos Library on a drive with a supported file system? If your library is on an external drive, it should be formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled) and directly connected, and not accessed across a network.

  • by pmccombe,

    pmccombe pmccombe Aug 22, 2016 7:03 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 22, 2016 7:03 AM in response to léonie

    Sounds like good advice.  My system drive does have lots of room and is formatted properly.  Both my boot disk and the Photos library are on the computer's internal SSD.  I'm going to keep daily back ups using SuperDuper! in addition to Time Machine and try not to overtax the application with too many edits at one time.

  • by Tom Ritch,

    Tom Ritch Tom Ritch Aug 22, 2016 4:06 PM in response to pmccombe
    Level 2 (199 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 22, 2016 4:06 PM in response to pmccombe

    Leonie's suggestion that this may be a bug sounds accurate, and her advice on backups etc. is sound.

     

    The problem you have found is similar to my experience with iPhoto a few years ago.  What worked for me then may provide a workaround for you now. 

     

    My problem occurred with iPhoto maybe 9.2 or so, I do not remember the exact version.  There were two bugs which interacted to reveal one another. 

     

    The first bug affected import.  When photos were imported the image file was copied onto your computer, for example into into the Masters folder.  Then various indices were updated to allow accessing the images from iPhoto.  Updating and writing the updated indexes to disk happened in the background, so the user never saw it.  The first bug was that the updated index was not written to disk until iPhoto Quit. 

     

    The second bug affected Faces.  I do not know the details, I only know the result.  The bug was that if the set of known exemplars for a particular Face was too large, iPhoto would hang when trying to add additional Face examples.  Force-Quit was the only way to escape the hang. 

     

    The Faces bug revealed the index write to disk bug.  I would import new photos from my camera.  Then I would verify faces suggested in the newly imported photos.  When I clicked Done, the Faces window would close and iPhoto would attempt to update its database.  That update process was VERY memory intensive.  For my daughter, I had about 2,500 Face examples.  When I added more examples, the iPhoto update ran for about 10 or 15 minutes, and Activity Monitor showed Memory Swap Used climbed to something like 30 or 40 GB !  Then the update process would complete, and Swap Memory Used would rapidly unwind down to zero.  For my wife, I had 3,500 Face examples, the update process would run for an hour or more, Swap Used would exceed 90 GB, then iPhoto would crash. 

     

    Importing new photos, then crashing before Quitting iPhotos, revealed the import bug.  In this case, the photos had been imported into iPhoto, but the updated indexes had not been written to disk.  On crashing, the updated indexes were lost.  On relaunch, iPhoto used the old indexes which did not point to the recently imported photos.  The recently imported photos were in iPhoto's media, but iPhoto could not find them.  Rebuilding the iPhoto database allowed iPhoto to use the newly imported photos. 

     

    Apple was not aware of what was happening, which unfortunately led to another error.  iPhotos Help recommended if photos which had been imported were not visible, connect your camera and re-import them.  This worked, provided that after importing you Quit before iPhotos crashed.  The problem was that the photos which had been imported earlier were also still in iPhotos media, even though not visible because the index which would have accessed them had been lost.  Then at some later time when the database was repaired or rebuilt, the lost imported photos would become indexed and visible.  Now photos imported both times would be visible, resulting in duplicates! 

     

    Applying this experience to your situation leads to several insights. 

     

    Large libraries can reveal issues which are not apparent with smaller libraries.  Sounds like you have a large library, which has stressed Photos to a breaking point.  You reached the breaking point last March.  Be aware of the size parameters you reached then: how many photos, how many named Faces, etc. 

     

    Many simultaneous edits, such as deleting multiple blurry photos, or editing found Faces, also stresses Photos.  Each edit, each photo deleted, requires updating one of more indexes.  Photos does this in the background.  Photos and OS X are capable of carrying out many operations in parallel, and stacking others to wait until they can be done.  I do not know the details, but I do know nothing has infinite capacity.  Each edit requires updates, each update requires processing capacity and time.  There is always a limit of some kind somewhere, which will probably vary with system parameters such as processor speed, available RAM, disk access speed, etc. 

     

    My guess is that the simple answer is the load you are imposing, with multiple deletions in rapid succession, etc., exceeds the capacity of your system to process the updates. 

     

    Photos has multiple databases for various interrelated data sets such as images, face recognition information, locations, etc.  As Photo's databases increase in size, each update takes longer.  Taking longer means it is more likely that a previously entered edit is still being processed when you enter the next.  As unfinished processes accumulate, your system's processing speed slows even more.  As processing slows and you continue editing the load increases. Eventually some limit is exceeded and the application crashes.  On crashing, many processes are left incomplete.  On restart, many indices with parameters which were not written to disk, now point to nothing. 

     

    It may help to observe Photos processes in Activity monitor.  Photos has things which run in the background, which become apparent as Photos or related processes taking cpu time.  This can be observed in Activity Monitor.  When I first launch Photos I see a high level of cpu use for several minutes.  Similarly I see high cpu use when photos are imported.  I suspect this is due to Photos modifying multiple indexes.  I suspect you will see the same.

     

    The probably solution is to not overload your system.  That means impose the editing load at a rate the system can handle. 

     

    When you launch Photos, also launch Activity Monitor.  Wait until Photos use of cpu slows to near zero before proceeding.  Then as you edit, continue watching Activity Monitor.  If Photos use of cpu seems excessive, stop editing.  When cpu use slows, resume.  To be on the safe side, Quit Photos every so often.  That should allow pending processes to complete, as well as ensure everything to that point is written to disk in case problems do develop. 

     

    The rate at which you can edit without encountering a problem probably depends on the speed of your hardware, which determines how rapidly each edit task can be completed.  Adding RAM or a Solid State Disk might increase this speed.

     

    There another way to look at this.  The ease of editing allows the processing capacity to be overwhelmed. 

     

    Editing is too easy to use.  It's not a bug, it's a feature.  ;-)

  • by pmccombe,

    pmccombe pmccombe Aug 23, 2016 12:19 PM in response to Tom Ritch
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 23, 2016 12:19 PM in response to Tom Ritch

    Thanks Tom.  You are right that I do have a large Photos library (260 GB, 30,000 pictures).  I have been using Activity Monitor to gauge how hard the system was working although I had not considered that some processes might only run after quitting Photos - so I plan to remember to do this more often.  I do have a 2013 MBP with an SSD and 16 GB of RAM so I think I am good for now in terms of hardware.  I do plan to slim down my library (time permitting).  Years ago I was much less diligent deleting blurry pictures so I should be able to go back and delete a portion of my library over the next few months.  Thanks again for your insights.

  • by Tom Ritch,

    Tom Ritch Tom Ritch Aug 23, 2016 1:08 PM in response to pmccombe
    Level 2 (199 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 23, 2016 1:08 PM in response to pmccombe

    In Photos I think I have seen problems, maybe a crash, when I edited Faces data.  My guess was that I was going too fast.  That was a while ago, but I believe I filed a report with Apple.  I think it would be helpful to Apple, and to all of us users, if you report your experience.  Apple needs to hear about processes that do not work, so they will become aware of the need to improve. 

     

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/photos.html

     

    "Some processes might only run after quitting" needs clarification, or perhaps amplification. 

     

    What I meant to say was that it may be that some processes, such as writing data structures to disk, are completed after you select Quit before the app shuts down.  I suspect they are being written to disk constantly.  If the user edits slowly, the edits are written as they are made, with only a slight lag.  When your rate of editing exceeds the rate at which your system can write to disk, unwritten edits can accumulate and problems can arise.  You can test this, sort of.  Does Photos Quit rapidly if you have not been interacting with it for a while before you select Quit?  OTOH when you have been rapidly editing a lot, then Quit, how much of a lag is there before Photos goes away?  Does Activity Monitor help explain the lag (if you see one)?  If you run these tests, let us know what you find. 

     

    On the other other hand, I suspect there may be some Photos processes, or rather System processes related to Photos, that do run after Quitting Photos.  What I am thinking of is searching the library for Faces.  I think, but am not sure, that I sometimes see new Face suggestions found for older photos, I think when Photos has not been running.  Or perhaps this happens as background processing while I have Photos open for other purposes, and I only occasionally notice the new suggestions. 

     

    With so much of what Photos does hidden, the best we can do to figure things out is observe closely, then confirm one another's observations.