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User profile for user: asoliman
asoliman Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Photo turns black while editing...

Hi,

I just upgraded from iPhoto 09 to iPhoto 11. All the latest software updates have been applied. Mostly, there's been no problems, except for one really annoying one.

When editing a photo, most of the time it works fine. But often times, especially when doing some heavy editing with the various exposure, saturation, sharpness and other sliders, the photo will just turn black...nothing. If I exit from edit mode, the photo is there just fine and the edits have even been applied. I go back to edit mode, it works fine for a couple of minutes and then, again, black. I tried this with many different photos, same results. This never happened before with iPhoto for me. I even tried it with photos that were similarly edited with iPhoto 09 (made a duplicate of the original and started working) and am getting the same problem.

I tried rebuilding the library (checking every box in the rebuilding dialogue box). No dice.
I tried trashing the com.apple.iPhoto folder in the caches folder of user/library. No dice.
I tired trashing the com.apple.iPhoto.plist file in the Preferences folder in user/library. No dice.
I even tried creating a new library and importing new photos in there and after some minutes of use, same problem. Again, no dice.

My machine is a white MacBook, 2.0 GHz C2D with 4 gigs of RAM running 10.6.5 and all the latest software updates (including iPhoto 9.1.1).

Does anyone know what gives? Is this a bug others are encountering? Thanks.

MacBook Core2Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.5), 2.0 GHz, 4.0 gig RAM

Posted on Dec 22, 2010 12:07 PM

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17 replies
User profile for user: Yer_Man
Yer_Man
User level: Level 10
163,830 points

Dec 22, 2010 1:00 PM in response to asoliman

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?

Regards

TD
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User profile for user: asoliman
asoliman Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Dec 22, 2010 3:47 PM in response to Yer_Man

I get the following message over and over again. What does that tell you? Thanks.

12/21/10 11:22:52 PM [0x0-0xac0ac].com.apple.iPhoto[4002] CoreImage: CIGaussianReduction4: fragment program failed to compile
12/21/10 11:22:52 PM [0x0-0xac0ac].com.apple.iPhoto[4002] CoreImage: CIGaussianReduction4: falling back to software
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User profile for user: Yer_Man
Yer_Man
User level: Level 10
163,830 points

Dec 22, 2010 11:35 PM in response to asoliman

Core Image is part of the image substructure of the OS and it appears to be faulty.

I would first re-install iPhoto, see if that sorts it out. If it doesn't then re-install the OS seems to be the way to go.

To re-install iPhoto



1. Put the iPhoto.app in the trash (Drag it from your Applications Folder to the trash)
2. Go to HD/Library/Receipts and remove any pkg file there with iPhoto in the name. On 10.6 those receipts may be found in the Finder using the Go menu and selecting Go To Folder

In the resulting window type

/var/db/receipts/

3. Re-install.

If you purchased an iLife Disk, then iPhoto is on it.

If iPhoto was installed on your Mac when you go it then it’s on the System Restore disks that came with your Mac. Insert the first one and opt to ‘Install Bundled Applications Only.

Of course, *Back up first*

Regards

TD
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User profile for user: asoliman
asoliman Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Dec 23, 2010 12:42 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks for the reply.

I tried to reinstall iPhoto as you recommended. Still the same problem. Before you had replied I had also tried to reinstall OS X 10.6 from my DVD. It was 10.6.3; I updated, etc. and still the same issue. I really don't understand the problem because I would assume that iMovie, for example, would also be tapping into Core Image, but I can edit videos, apply styles, change the editing slider, etc. to both movie clips and pictures in iMovie with no problems and with no error messages on the Console.

I should also note that in iPhoto, when going from image to image, there is no problem and no error messages in Console. It's only when I enter into Edit mode that error messages begin. I noticed that they happen even if I am not editing, just going from picture to picture in Edit mode. When I do actual editing, things get worse and the picture goes black.

Any other thoughts? Did you encounter this before?

Thanks, again.
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User profile for user: bit-mover
bit-mover
User level: Level 1
24 points

Dec 28, 2010 4:41 PM in response to asoliman

I have a similar problem, but slightly different conditions. First, I'm running 10.5.8, and iPhoto '09, and it's a G5 20" iMac. The OS and iPhoto are fresh loads to a re-formatted drive, so it's really fresh, started from scratch.

When I open a photo for editing, moving any slider causes the entire screen, not just the iPhoto window, to go to black. It's not sleep, as you can still see the backlight is on. It will eventually return to normal again, but if you move a slider again, off it goes to black. This will also happen randomly if iPhoto is left open, but another app is in front, like iTunes. In that case the screen will flash black/normal/black/normal for nearly a minute, then it's fine again.

Don't know if that relates or not...

Other conditions: we are sharing photos with Apple TV 2nd gen, via Homesharing, in fact, were working on an album to use as the screensaver.

The log shows a ton of errors like this seconds apart:
12/26/10 10:59:24 AM kernel PM notification cancel (pid 101, InternetSharing)
12/26/10 10:59:24 AM kernel IOPMrootDomain: idle cancel
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User profile for user: bernie14
bernie14
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 17, 2011 9:16 AM in response to asoliman

Yes, I have also more or less the same problems when editing in iPhoto 9, but also with iPhoto 8.

It seems than I ask too much to the software and iPhoto crash: nothing works, and I have to shut down the mac mini and to restart.

If I go very slow and prudent with editing, it seems that there is less problems, but.....

With so many people who suffer from the same problems, Apple has to work for a better software !!
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User profile for user: jalenina2895
jalenina2895
User level: Level 1
6 points

Feb 4, 2011 3:01 AM in response to asoliman

I can edit w/ editing adjustment sliders about 10% of my photos. Remainder turn black. I can often move one or two sliders VERY small amounts. there seems no reason although more often my camera downloads will take editing better than scanned photos. Wonder if that has ANYthing to do w/ editing problems.

In terms of TD's suggestions....I had this problem before my hard drive died 5 months ago, Had EVERYTHING re-installed and started iphoto library w/ all new photos. Worked great for the first few days, the same editing problems popped up.
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User profile for user: AlexBoese
AlexBoese
User level: Level 1
5 points

Feb 13, 2011 7:14 AM in response to jalenina2895

I'm experiencing the same problem. Images sometimes randomly turn black when I'm in edit mode in iPhoto 11. I can click "revert to original" and the image returns, but minus all my edits. Some google searching has led me to conclude that this isn't a new problem for iPhoto. People have tried all kinds of things to solve the problem... reinstalling the software, the entire system, fiddling with permissions, etc. Nothing works. It must be a bug in the software that Apple needs to fix.
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User profile for user: thebassman78
thebassman78
User level: Level 1
0 points

Oct 21, 2011 7:10 PM in response to asoliman

There's one scenario not covered here, which was affecting me and took me forever to figure out.

If you run a Diamond BVU 195 USB graphics adapter for external monitors, you will never ever be able to see your pictures (at least under current driver). This scenario and a solution for black pictures in iPhoto with external monitors is described here. I hope this might help someone like me, since most discussions only have the standard 3 suggested solutions.

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Photo turns black while editing...

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