Neil Egan
Level 1 (33 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Photos Library Package Content - Expert Needed

I have had my MacBook approx 5 years now and I have a crazy amount of Photos stored from the last 14 years but over this amount of time my Photos Library being the scenes has become a bit of a mess.(I think) 

 

My Photos library application itself is fine but it has a total scatter gun approach to syncing my Photos with iTunes (via cable not iCloud) and syncs some and not others. Now it has decided not to sync any album artwork before June 2016 for some strange reason.

 

I think it has been corrupted and dare i say I might have fiddled around with the "Package Contents" so I need some help

 

What folders should I have in the Photos Package Contents? I have the following:-

 

Apple TV Photo Cache - I know this is for my Apple TV which is fine

Attachments - no items in here

Data - photos contained in here, no idea what this is for ?

Data.noindex - photos contained in here as above ??

database

iPhotolock.data

iPod Photo Cache - I know this syncs the photos to my iPhone and I have deleted this before to try & get it to work

Masks - no items in here

Masters - Is this the only place where my originals showing in Photos are kept? (14 items)

Plug Ins - no items in here

Previews - curious to know what this is used for ?

Private - no idea what this is for?

ProjectDBversion.plist

Projects.db

resources - Any idea what this this ? Photos in here too

Thumbnails - What is this used for ? I got 16 items in here, shouldn't it match the Masters?

 

I would love to get it back to scratch so any ideas and would love someone to answer some of the questions above

iPhone 6, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 12:13 PM

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Neil Egan

Q: Photos Library Package Content - Expert Needed

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  • Helpful answers

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 15, 2016 12:59 PM in response to Neil Egan
    Level 10 (84,857 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 15, 2016 12:59 PM in response to Neil Egan

    You are chasing a dream - you may (0r may not) get answers to some or all of these but it matters not since you can not fix anything and if you have messes around with the library contents you probably have corrupted it

    dare i say I might have fiddled around with the "Package Contents"

    rather than waste time on a usless quest you need to

     

    1 - resolve to stay out of the inside of the library from now on - there are no user servicable parts in it

    2 - Now either restore a working library from before you "fiddled" around

    3 - Or start over with a new library and then drag each folder from the Masters folder to the Photos icon in the Dock to import them into the new library

     

     

    LN

  • by Neil Egan,

    Neil Egan Neil Egan Sep 15, 2016 1:18 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (33 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 15, 2016 1:18 PM in response to LarryHN

    Thanks Larry,

     

    I am due to get a new Mac soon so I might just wait until I get that and start fresh.

     

    If I do this am I right in saying the only folder I need to keep care of is the "Masters" folder as this is where all my photos/videos are kept over the years?

     

    So when I get my new Mac I can drag and drop each year into Photos on the new mac?

     

    It will take some time but at least the new Mac Photos library will be fine

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 15, 2016 1:33 PM in response to Neil Egan
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 15, 2016 1:33 PM in response to Neil Egan

    If I do this am I right in saying the only folder I need to keep care of is the "Masters" folder as this is where all my photos/videos are kept over the years?

     

    So when I get my new Mac I can drag and drop each year into Photos on the new mac?

    The "Masters" folder has the original image files, but all your edits and metadata you added (titles, descriptions, keywords, ratings) will be missing.

     

    Are you sure, the library needs discarding?

     

    if the only thing not working is the iTunes sync, iTuens may be syncing with a different library.  Is your Photos library enabled as the System Photo Library?

    You can set that in the Photos > Preferences > General.  "Use as System Photo Library" should be grayed out.

    If it not has been enabled, set this option and restart both Photos and iTunes. Then try to sync again.

     

    iTuens Sync may also not work, if the Photo Cache folder is corrupted. See this document:

    About Photo Cache folders - Apple Support

     

    Remove the folder as described above and restart Photos and iTunes.

  • by Neil Egan,

    Neil Egan Neil Egan Sep 15, 2016 2:50 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (33 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 15, 2016 2:50 PM in response to léonie

    I have tried removing the Cache on a number of occasions over the last 2 years or so but I still get problems where some photos sync and other photos dont sync. I have no idea why this happens?

     

    Where does iTunes sync from ? I assume it doesn't sync from the Masters folders because it includes the edited photos   when syncing and not the originals ?

     

    So what folders do I need to bring across to ensure edits, metadata and original masters are carried forward to a new Photos library?

     

    I just think I need to start again ?

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Sep 15, 2016 2:57 PM in response to Neil Egan
    Level 10 (84,857 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Sep 15, 2016 2:57 PM in response to Neil Egan

    To not lose edits you have to bring the entire library - you can not do it in pieces - to start over you normally start with the originals - you can  not "start over" and still keep everything  - you either start over with the originals or you keeps using what you have

     

    LN

  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Sep 17, 2016 2:28 AM in response to Neil Egan
    Level 10 (107,629 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 17, 2016 2:28 AM in response to Neil Egan
    So what folders do I need to bring across to ensure edits, metadata and original masters are carried forward to a new Photos library?

    To save your edits and metadata you need the complete library. It is impossible to patch manually.

     

     

    Have you already tried to let Photos repair the library as explained here?

    https://help.apple.com/photos/mac/1.0/index.html#/pht6be18f93

    Important: You should back up your photo library before repairing your library.

     

    • If Photos is open, choose Photos > Quit Photos.
    • Press Option-Command and double-click the Photos icon in the Applications folder (or click the Photos icon in the Dock).The Repair Library window opens.
    • Click Repair to rebuild your photo library.

     

     

    If you cannot rescue the current library and do not have a backup, export all originals from Photos to folder:

    • Select all photos and use "File > Export > Export unmodified Original".  Enable the checkmark "Export IPTC as XMP". This way the metadata will be saved as sidecar files. When you reimport the photos to a new library Photos might apply some of the metadata. And I'd recommend to use the subfolder format "Moment Name".  It will it make easier to reconstruct the library, if you have folders with descriptive names.