I 'shared' albums onto a dvd- now photos won't appear in iphoto!

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

Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.

If that fails:

Option 2
Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords, faces and places back.

Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.

Regards

TD

I tried the backup and build- it erased all the thumbnails.

So restore from the back up...

The iphoto library manager did nothing.

What did you try with it? DId you get any error messages?

Regards

TD

You made a back up, right? My first instruction was

Back Up and...

Then you said you did that:

I tried the backup

So? How did you make that back up? because how you restore depends on how you made the back up.

Regards

TD

The iphoto manager had no options that I could find that did anything.

File -> Rebuild, or, heavens, look at the Help? For instance:

http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/Help/rebuilding%20a%20corrupted%20iphoto%20li brary.html

The people who help here are all volunteers. The best way to get help from a volunteer is to be courteous. I have met tantrum prone people before. It doesn't make me inclined to assist.

Regards

TD

My next move would b to rebuild the Library with iPhoto Library Manager as described in the Help and copied above.

Regards

TD

It's been a pleasure.

Regards

TD

Let me try some free support but first we need some more information about what you did because free support is only as good as the description of the problem.

How did you burn the albums to disk? Describe step by step how you went about it.

As you've already been appraised of the "!" is a result of the file path to the original file being broken or the original file getting moved or deleted. Hence, how did you do what you did?

OT

That method creates a "mini" iPhoto library on the DVD disk that can be read by iPhoto at a later date. It does not to anything else to the library.

If you get the "!" indication then the rebuild options that Terence suggested are the recognized methods of recovering from that situation.

Did you do any rummaging around inside the library package via the Finder? That 3rd disk must have been created from files that were missing.

Somewhere along the line the original files were either moved, renamed or deleted somehow. An iPhoto library can bet corrupted but it just doesn't delete or move files by itself.

Since you don't have a full backup of your library from before this situation began you're stuck with what you currently have.

I would try the following just to make sure there are not original files inside the library package that are not getting recognized:

Creating a new library while preserving the Events from the original library.

1 - Launch iPhoto with the Option key depressed and, when asked, select "Create New Library"

Click to view full size

2 - Open your existing library package in the Finder like this:

Click to view full size

3 - Drag the Originals folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open iPhoto window.

Now you can check the number of photos in the new library with those in your current library to see if there are any that were missed. Then choose the library that works best for you.