How to Clear Iphoto and Rebuild from another file, not Iphoto Library?

BgMc

It’s difficult to advise you because you’re using non-standard terms. I’m worried that if I misunderstood something that I might give you a bum steer.

Some general principles: Don’t “clear iPhoto”. Instead make a new Library: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'.

When you have this new Library working you can delete the old one.

In general, if you have a Folder of images and you drag them to the Source (or left-hand) Pane in iPhoto the pics will be imported and a new Album and Roll will be created. This may help.

Some of the Iphoto thumbnails are from my desktop file and some from the DATA file copied into Iphoto.

I have no idea why you would want thumbnails. Surely you want the full sized files? What’s a desktop file? Do you mean Desktop Folder?, also what’s a DATA file?

I want to rebuild my thumbnails using all of the pictures on my desk top, not copying them/duplicating into Iphoto.

This makes no sense to me. Why are you rebuilding thumbnails? And if you don’t want to use iPhoto then why are you posting here?

so I deleted the original Data (photos) in Iphoto and after rebuilding they reappeared with many images just black boxes

Here’s a really good general principle:

Don't change anything in the iPhoto Library Folder via the Finder or any other application. iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.

Regards

TD