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Great North Author

Level 1

11 points

Can see thumbnails, but can't enlarge a photo

Hi all,

Installed iPhoto11 yesterday. So far, I'm having a few issues that I can't seem to be able to fix. One of them is when enlarging a photo. I can see the thumbnail, but can't enlarge it. This is not happening to all photos. All photos that were taken "portrait" and were modified in iLife09 are working. All originals, in landscape mode, are not. I get the Grey Library Icon when trying to enlarge.

I've tried to delete my projects, albums, etc. but it didn't change the behaviours.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Message was edited by: Great North

iMac 2.8 Ggz Intel Core 2 Duo, 24", Mac OS X (10.6.4), Using Apple Products for over 15 years

Posted on Oct 23, 2010 5:17 AM

30 replies

Yer_Man

Level 10

164,004 points

Jan 4, 2011 7:16 AM in response to Jude Greaves

Then that tells you that you have very significant corruption of the Library. Do you want to recreate your albums manually? Or start over from scratch? I would opt to remake the albums in the rebuilt library, that way at least you keep your versions and keywords.

Regards

TD

Jan 5, 2011 1:15 AM in response to Yer_Man

How do I do that?

Yer_Man

Level 10

164,004 points

Jan 5, 2011 1:18 AM in response to Jude Greaves

Do what? I make two suggestions there...

Regards

TD

Apr 7, 2011 7:32 AM in response to Great North

Apr 7, 2011 7:57 AM in response to macxdriver

I have this issue, but I do not get any exclamation mark, just a gray screen once I open a thumbnail. I have tried rebuilding and using the suggested batchmod and other software and none seem to work. However, videos show up when I click their thumbnail. Am I having a different issue or is it the same as the original poster?

note: If I click on a photo and go file->reveal in finder, it finds the file and I can open it from the finder window. So it does not appear the connection between iphoto and my photos are broken?

note: I have figured out my problem. I was using iphoto on a monitor connected with a USB video driver. When I move iphoto on to my macbook screen or my 3rd screen connected to the mini displayport, the photos show up. I am going to contact the manufacturer of the adapter.

The USB card I am using is as follows: Plugable UGA-2K-A USB 2.0 to VGA/DVI/HDMI Adapter for Multiple Displays up to 2048x1152 / 1920x1200 Each - DisplayLink DL-195 Chip

Evilpet

Level 1

0 points

Apr 21, 2011 5:05 PM in response to Great North

Same issue here but my screen is black and I get dialogue boxes requesting to tag as if the picture is there.

This is ridiculous. Every time I do a major update my Apple software something like this happens.

I've tried all suggested and I still have thumbnails and cannot see the enlarged version of the picture.

Please don't tell me all my photo files have corrupted in the iLife 11 upgrade?

Yer_Man

Level 10

164,004 points

Apr 21, 2011 11:29 PM in response to Evilpet

Evilpet

Some more details might help. Is it just a black screen? Or do you get an Exclamation Point?

If you have problems like this "every time" you do a "major update" then it points to a serious issue either a: with your machine or b: how you are updating. Of course, you do make a back up, right? Especially before updating.

Regards

Evilpet

Level 1

0 points

Apr 21, 2011 11:37 PM in response to Yer_Man

It's just a black screen within the iPhoto window when I try and open the thumbnail.

With regards to updates there's always some bugs with the updates.

My mac is 7 months old.

Back up - I'm using Time Machine and I hit hit backup before the install.

Might just get an Apple Engineer over to check it out.

Yer_Man

Level 10

164,004 points

Apr 21, 2011 11:49 PM in response to Evilpet

There are several possible causes for the Black Screen issue

1. Permissions in the Library : 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. Include the option to check and repair permissions.

2. Minor Database corruption: 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.

3. A Damaged Photo: Select one of the affected photos in the iPhoto Window and right click on it. From the resulting menu select 'Show File (or 'Show Original File' if that's available). Will the file open in Preview? If not then the file is damaged. Time to restore from your back up.

4. A corrupted iPhoto Cache: Trash the com.apple.iPhoto folder from HD/Users/Your Name/Library/ Caches...

5. A corrupted preference file: Trash the com.apple.iPhoto.plist file from the HD/Users/ Your Name / library / preferences folder. (Remember you'll need to reset your User options afterwards. These include minor settings like the window colour and so on. Note: If you've moved your library you'll need to point iPhoto at it again.)

If none of these help:

As a Test:

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

Import a few pics into this new, blank library. Is the Problem repeated there?

As for "bugs with the updates" how do you explain that I don't have these problems?

Regards

Dec 29, 2011 3:48 PM in response to Yer_Man

Hi Terence,

I've got the same issue afert a TM restore on my Mac Mini + SL + iPhoto '08.

I've just checked all the 5 causes you listed, but nothing (please take note on point 3, that I can successfully open a picture in Preview with 'Show File').

Finally I create a new, blank library, then I tried to import a few pics, but nothing:

"Unreadable Files: 1

The following files could not be imported. (The import failed.)"

Any idea?

Thanks in advance,

adso

Dec 29, 2011 4:06 PM in response to adsodamelk

I've forgot:

1) I have created a new admin account and tried to import file in his new blank iPhoto library, but nothing

2) I've tried to open the jpeg in Preview and "save as" jpeg, but nothing...

:-(

22spoons

Level 1

11 points

May 14, 2012 5:08 AM in response to Yer_Man

Good tips there and I was wondering how to rebuild the hard drive! Not iPhoto

On the old macs (Centris, Performa's etc you could do it at start up but - its been years since you could do that? - or needed to any way... (remmeber North DIsk Doctor)? But my External HD is playing up (permissions), so time to play with rebuilding that... and if it fails don't worry every thing is backed up!)

Steve

Yer_Man

Level 10

164,004 points

May 14, 2012 6:17 AM in response to 22spoons

You can set an External HD to ignore ownership and permissions in the Get Info window.

DIsk Utility is the thing you're looking for on OS X.

Regards

22spoons

Level 1

11 points

May 16, 2012 1:16 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks but I think the problem comes from owning one mac, saving to my external hd and then selling the mac. Buying a new mac! And saving to the external hd again but it just got confused (even though the mac has the same owner name) and now asks for permission when dragging and dropping files from it!

Doesn't ignoring ownership and permission cause other problems to my other external hard drives etc?

Yer_Man

Level 10

164,004 points

May 16, 2012 2:05 PM in response to 22spoons

No.

Regards

Can see thumbnails, but can't enlarge a photo