Large Gray Exclamation point?

The ! or ? turns up when iPhoto loses the connection between the thumbnail in the iPhoto Window and the file it represents.

The most common cause of this is User Activity in the iPhoto Library Folder in the Finder.

Have you altered, moved or renamed anything in the iPhoto Library Folder?

If you haven't, then try rebuilding the database. Hold down the apple and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose the top three options.

Regards

TD

Thank you very much. That was the easiest Troubleshooting ever. Thanks again

Quit iPhoto and drag the iPhoto library to the external drive as an intact single entity - launch iPhoto while depressing the option (alt) key and point iPhoto to the new location - test the library fully and then delete the library from the internal drive

See my answer to your other post on the same subject

LN

I recently placed all my photos on a lacie external hard drive. I accidentally disconnected prior to ejecting the hard drive off the desktop. I went back into iphoto and all the thumbnails are perforated lines with and exclamation point in them. I tried all that you said to do with the previous problems but no luck. I can go into the subfolder of the lacie and get my pictures one by one, but nothing in iphoto. any suggestions? Thanks for any help in advance

Paul

I recently placed all my photos on a lacie external hard drive. I accidentally disconnected prior to ejecting the hard drive off the desktop. I went back into iphoto and all the thumbnails are perforated lines with and exclamation point in them. I tried all that you said to do with the previous problems but no luck. I can go into the subfolder of the lacie and get my pictures one by one, but nothing in iphoto. any suggestions? Thanks for any help in advance

Have you launched iPhoto while depressing the option key and selecting the iPhoto library on the external drive?

LN

SWEET!!! That worked. Thanks a million. Have a great evening

Great

LN

I have read this forum topic and am hoping that I can get a path to recovery here. I DID alter the Library file name before transferring it to the ext drive. Then deleted the library from internal drive. The photos are all there, and when I'm scrolling I can see them, but upon stopping most (but not all--***?) grey out and I cannot view them or upload to Flickr or send as email. I tried the "option/start suggestion but the screen that comes up is just "Choose Library" or "Create new"--nothing about rebuilding database.
I bought and installed version 7 in hopes that would solve the problem, but it mol just renamed the files as 'events' and the same problem still exists.
Any suggestions?
Ad<Thanks>vance,
David

1 - Option launch is to select a library or create one

2 - Option & command launch is to rebuild

For future reference generally upgrading while you have problems makes the problems harder to resolve and hardly ever resolves the problems - it is best to fix the problem and then upgrade

3 - I am not clear on what you problem is - can you describe more clearly

LN

I DID alter the Library file name before transferring it to the ext drive.

Can you return things to exactly the way they were? If not you'll need to start over from scratch.

Regards

TD

HN:
3 - I am not clear on what you problem is - can you describe more clearly
Display of photos in folders are greyed out. Magnifying produces larger grey square with either blank screen or exclamation point. A few files in each folder are present, for no apparent reason either way.
DT:
Can return to exact ? Otherwise must start from scratch..
So what does that entail? Would you give steps for 'starting from scratch? I will be glad to try...
Mahalo,
David

If you made changes in the Library Folder then you have damaged the Library. Now you have three options:

1. Restore from a Back Up.

2. Repair the damage: That is, undo all the changes you made in the Library Folder exactly.

3. Start with a brand new Library.

To create and populate a new *iPhoto 6* library:

Note this will give you a working library with the same Rolls and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc.

Move the iPhoto Library to the desktop

Launch iPhoto. It will ask if you wish to create a new Library. Say Yes.

Go into the iPhoto Library on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual Roll Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.

When you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library on your desktop.

In the future, in addition to your usual back up routine, you might like to make a copy of the library6.iPhoto file whenever you have made changes to the library as protection against database corruption.

Regards

TD

Aloha Terence Devlin (sorry I misremembered your initials earlier--couldn't see the post while composing the message):
You may recall from my post earlier that I purchased and installed iPhoto 08 thinking that would help my problem; so I no longer have version 6 even available to me. My backup drive does not recognize any iPhoto folders, files, etc prior to installing version 7.1.4 so cannot use the Restore function, alas.
Your suggestion of starting anew method was for an iPhoto 6 app--would it be the same procedure for the newer version?
Currently, the library I renamed (and can't remember what it was called before, that's part of the problem, I'm sure) is extant on an external drive (not the Time Capsule b/u drive). It sounds like you are suggesting that I bring this library with all the Japan photos (the corrupted one) back into the native hard drive, then place it on the desktop and then option/open iPhoto with the 'create new library' and drag the contents of the "Originals" into the pictures area of iPhoto 7.
Is this correct? Am I anywhere close?
Please advise, thanks so much for your patient help.
David

To create and populate a new *iPhoto 08* library:

Note this will give you a working library with the same Events and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc.

In the iPhoto Preferences -> Events Uncheck the box at 'Imported Items from the Finder'

Create a new iPhoto Library: Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'

Go into the Damaged iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual Event Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.

When you're sure all is well you can delete the damaged iPhoto Library.

In the future, in addition to your usual back up routine, you might like to make a copy of the library6.iPhoto file whenever you have made changes to the library as protection against database corruption.

Regards

TD