Reconnect for referenced files not working

Question

Reconnect for referenced files not working

Hi *,

I got a problem reconnecting to my masters.

After I moved the masters to another external hard disk I tried to reconnect them. After choosing a project and selecting all versions within it "Locate referenced files" gives me a list of list of referenced files that could not be found. Selecting a file and pointing it to the right master file will usually result in the buttons "Reconnect" and "Reconnect All" to be selectable. After a "Reconnect All" not all referenced files could be reconnected.

Going through the process once more does not work since it is not possible to reconnect the files. Both reconnect buttons are greyed out although the right files have been selected.

Does anybody know what the problem is or what criteria Aperture uses to determine which files are reconnectable or not ?

Deleting the project and all version and re-importing the pics is not really a solution since will result in the loss of all metadata, stacks, ratings, and so on.

Thanks for your help

Rob

Aperture 3, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Dec 18, 2011 12:47 PM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Dec 18, 2011 1:18 PM in response to macuser222222

Does anybody know what the problem is or what criteria Aperture uses to determine which files are reconnectable or not ?

Aperture insists on the exact file size to allow to reconnect a master. This article expains how to fix the data in the Aperture Library to make it possible to connect a master file after editing it:

Recover From Broken References to Edited Files: http://archive.bagelturf.com/aparticles/ref/refrec/index.php

Regards

Léonie

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Answer 2

Dec 18, 2011 2:01 PM in response to léonie

Hi Léonie,

thanks for link.

It seems to have something to do with file sizes as a test showed. I ruled that out earlier since I could reconnect files that had differing filesizes (not more than 0.1 MB). It's a bit weird since I do not remember having edited any of these files. But then **** happens.

I was going through the description in the link you posted but could not find a correspondig .apfile . Actually I did not find any apfile. The format might have changed with version 3.2.2

Maybe I need to go through the sqlite-databases Aperture uses.

Somehow I wish Apple would give the user the possibility to "manually" reconnect the files. After all I have unique filenames.

Thanks

Rob

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Answer 3

Dec 18, 2011 2:12 PM in response to macuser222222

if you are positive the images you are trying to reconnect are in fact the correct ones try holding the option key when in the locate reference files window. This use to force Aperture to make the reconnect buttons active but its been a while since I used it so can;t say for sure if it still works.

Let us know if it works,

regards

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Answer 4

Dec 18, 2011 2:33 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

Hi Frank,

yes I am positive. Every master has a unique name but the file types may differ (jpg, nef, tif, ...). I have not tried to reconnect to a different type yet.

Holding down the either the option or cmd button (or both) does not work with 3.2.2.

Thanks

Rob

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Dec 18, 2011 3:21 PM in response to macuser222222

I was going through the description in the link you posted but could not find a correspondig .apfile . Actually I did not find any apfile. The format might have changed with version 3.2.2

O yes, there are indeed some changes: sorry for sending you on a wild goose chase 😊

When you open the Aperture Library with ctrl-click - "Show Package Contents" you will see a file ApertureData.xml. That file is the index to all images in your Library. To open it you need a texteditor, that can read XML, like Xcode or TextWrangler.

I just opened my Library with Textwrangler and searched for a filename for one of my images "Lange Anna"

I found the following representation of the tags:

<key>zrFXA1HHS0Gns45bMVeGMA</key>

<dict>

<key>Caption</key>

<string>Lange Anna, Helgoland</string>

<key>Comment</key>

<string>Lange Anna, Helgoland 2008</string>

<key>ImagePath</key>

<string>/Users/dreschle/Pictures/ApertureScreensaverAuswahl.aplibrary/Previews/ 2010/02/17/20100217-200045/zrFXA1HHS0Gns45bMVeGMA/Lange Anna, Helgoland.jpg</string>

<key>MediaType</key>

<string>Image</string>

<key>ModDateAsTimerInterval</key>

<key>ThumbPath</key>

<string>/Users/dreschle/Pictures/ApertureScreensaverAuswahl.aplibrary/Previews/ 2010/02/17/20100217-200045/zrFXA1HHS0Gns45bMVeGMA/thumb_Lange Anna, Helgoland.jpg</string>

<key>latitude</key><real>54.18828203</real>

<key>longitude</key><real>7.86990167</real>

</dict>

This file does not contain references to the Masters, only to the Previews and Thumbs.

These cryptic codes are folder names: zrFXA1HHS0Gns45bMVeGMA, you can find them in the package, and these Folders contain the Previews and Thumbs.

References to the Versions and Masters are now inside the Database/Versions folder, one folder for each Master/Versions set, containing files named Master.apmaster and Version-0.apversion, Version-1.apversion, etc.

But these are now binary files and I would not dare to patch those files, unless you are really desperate. Maybe you can reimport your missing Master, let Aperture recreate the Master.apfile and then replace the old Master.apfile with it. But it seems to be safer by far to follow Frank Caggiano's route.

Regards

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Answer 6

Dec 19, 2011 7:13 AM in response to léonie

Hi Léonie

leonieDF wrote:

O yes, there are indeed some changes: sorry for sending you on a wild goose chase 😊

No problem. You always learn something :-)

This file does not contain references to the Masters, only to the Previews and Thumbs.

These cryptic codes are folder names: zrFXA1HHS0Gns45bMVeGMA, you can find them in the package, and these Folders contain the Previews and Thumbs.

References to the Versions and Masters are now inside the Database/Versions folder, one folder for each Master/Versions set, containing files named Master.apmaster and Version-0.apversion, Version-1.apversion, etc.

I think the file ApertureData.xml is created if sharing with iLife or other programs like HoudahGeo is turned on.

It probably holds the same (maybe less) info than the Library.apdb file which is a sqlite database file. It can be read from the command line using sqlite3 or any of the graphical tools like SQLiteStudio. It holds a table called RKMaster which holds a lot of info (36 keys). Amongst them also the complete fileName, imagePath and fileSize. I guess one could write a script that in turn generates SQL statements which will change the database. The problem is that I do not know if there are any other parts that would need to be updated as well.

The *.apmaster, *.apversion files are actually binary property list files. They can be converted into a readable form using the following command: plutil -convert xml1 Master.apmaster

This will generate an xml file that holds a few keys less (30) than the RKMaster database table. After editing the xml file you can convert it back into a binary file again.

After a lot of rummaging around I found two "identical" files that failed to reconnect. I noticed that one was 1682 bytes bigger than the other. It turned out that the previous master had a spotlight comment (full filename and the aperture project name) attached to it. The real i.e. the original master did not.

Now I wonder who added the spotlight comment. I certainly did not since it would have been too much work adding the comment. Does Aperture do that automatically and if yes how can I stop it?

Just imagine your external drive breaks and you attach one where you kept another copy of all master files. That spotlight comment may force you to re-import all your files. Loosing whatever edits you made on over the years :-(

Guess I'll have to run a few more tests to check if this is really why things went wrong in the first place.

Thanks

Rob

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Answer 7

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Dec 19, 2011 7:30 AM in response to macuser222222

The *.apmaster, *.apversion files are actually binary property list files. They can be converted into a readable form using the following command: plutil -convert xml1 Master.apmaster

This will generate an xml file that holds a few keys less (30) than the RKMaster database table. After editing the xml file you can convert it back into a binary file again.

Indeed, you always are learning something, thank you for sharing that information - very useful to know!

It turned out that the previous master had a spotlight comment (full filename and the aperture project name) attached to it. The real i.e. the original master did not.

That is an interesting discovery - I think you solved the puzzle 🙂

But if you are sure that you did not add the spotlight comments yourself, we now have an even bigger mistery!

Post back if you can discover something.

Cheers

Léonie

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Answer 8

Aniolek7

Level 1

0 points

Oct 9, 2012 8:01 PM in response to léonie

Hey : ) i saw this and i have a question ¡¡ long ago i erased a photos and saved it, in a external hard drive now the hard drive dont work and i need that files again , so i need the files and they still that appears in iphoto preview display but dont in all screen of Iphoto i search in finder and i dont find nothing but a lot of time searching i find folders that have the date of the fotos like name and inside there is files with .apmaster and version files like you say up there ... so there is a way to Read that files and recover the images ? ... or iphoto get its from another place?¿'

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Answer 9

Oct 10, 2012 3:57 AM in response to Aniolek7

Hi Aniolek7,

if I understood you correctly you are trying to extract photos from your iPhoto library because you lost all your originals of which you made a backup to an external disk. Is that right ?

You might want to try the following steps:

- open Finder and select the iPhoto library where your pics are

- CTRL-click on it and select "Show Package Contents"

- you will then find three folders: "Modified", "Originals" and "Previews". "Modified" and "Originals" have a little arrow indicating that these are actually links to other folders

Modified

-------------

-- The "Modified" folder holds all pics which you modified. Traverse the folder and you should be able to copy them. You will at least have some of your pics.

Originals

-------------

-- The "Originals" folder links (in my case) to a folder called "Master" which is in the same directory.

- Enter either one (Originals or Master) and you will see subfolders organized by years (2010, 2012, ...)

- Enter the folders you are interested in until you see the files you need to restore

-- In my case these are links pointing to the real location

-- select one of the files CTRL-click it and select "Show Original"

-- this will open the directory where you stored your originals

if that directory is located on your broken hard disk you are out of luck

Prreviews

---------------

- Enter "Previews" and traverse the folder structure until you find your pics

These files are not your originals but a copy generated by iPhoto which might be better than nothing

HTH

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Answer 10

Aniolek7

Level 1

0 points

Oct 10, 2012 2:24 PM in response to macuser222222

Hey , i try what you tell me but i find the folders Originals and previews , but the image arent in any folder i check all the folders that appears in 2011 and 2012 .... I let you some screenshots of how looks iphoto to give you and idea of my problem ... here the pics dont appear.

And in this screenshot the pics appear in mini preview .... but i dont really know how iphoto get its ..... i search in the folders that you say but nothing happen and originals dont exist ... but the only chance i have its that tiny image that are in somewhere ..... I hope this give you a better idea of my problem ... when i erased this photos i do it really well cuz i need space in disk ... but Mac are really great ,the computer still have the pics and i want it ... are like 40 pics so are a lot i dont know why they hide really well or where search : / i try search in finder by name or date and nothing ... i hope this helps 😝 arent easy to find but i know that they are in some place of my hard drive cuz iphoto have the previews .... 🙂

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Answer 11

Oct 10, 2012 3:11 PM in response to Aniolek7

Hi Aniolek7,

ok. I see were your problem is. It seems to me that the only thing you got left are the thumbnails that appear at the bottom when you doubleclick on one of the pics from the last 12 months.

If you open the the respective iPhoto library in the Finder you should also see a folder named "Thumbnails". On my system (MacOs 10.8 and iPhoto 11 this folder holds all the generated thumbnails. They are really small but better than nothing. There is also a file named "AlbumData.xml". If you happen to remember some of the filenames you can scan that file and it will show you were your pics were and were the thumbnails etc. are stored.

Again, I do not know if this applies to your version as well. The naming scheme might also be different since you are using the Spanish version.

HTH

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Answer 12

Aniolek7

Level 1

0 points

Oct 10, 2012 8:08 PM in response to macuser222222

Hi again 😝 ... i search the Thumbnails and i find it the language its different but folders are the same naming ... so i search in 2011 ( thats the day of the pics ) and then open a Month folder that was 08 (August) and then the folder 26 ( day ) ... and finally appears this folder 20110826 and varius folders with this and more numbers but they have nothing inside ... all the other folders have pics that i still have in Iphoto some ones are just faces and Complete photo too ... but the folder that suposse to have the pics inside have nothing :S of thumbnails i search in all folders and subfolders and the image just dont appear .. i try to open the file you mention albumdata.xml and opens dreamweaver Cs5 but i dont understand that part .. appears like Html codes ... somekind of codes im not sure thats the only thing i dont understand .. and i dont do it that : / ... i let you screenshot to see what happen and if i did it rigth 🙂

And a Example of the first empty folder 😟

Now thats the problem the iphoto gets the image from dont know where :S i been searching a lot of time : / cuz i want to erased all info and install again the software but i can do it until i find that images 🙂

By the way thanks for all the help, i dont know much about the software and its really hard to find it by myself , so all the help work .. im aproaching to the images i know it ..i just have to keep trying more things 🙂 , i hope you can give me more ways to searching or explain me about the Xml that i dont try it ....Thanks 🙂 Macuser222222

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Answer 13

Oct 11, 2012 4:38 AM in response to Aniolek7

Hi Aniolek7,

try not to double-click on albumdata.xml but Ctrl-click on it and choose "Open with" (Abre con ?) and then "Open with Text Editor" . This will let you see the contents because it is basically a text file.

Another possibility is to use the terminal. I don't how "terminal" translates into Spanish so you will have to figure it out yourself. Open Spotlight ( cmd-space) and type terminal (or the corresponding name in Spanish).

Then type find . -type f -name "*picname*" in the terminal.

Replace *picname* with the name of the pic you are looking for i.e. beachspain.jpg . If you do only remember part of the name you can use a * as a wildcard. *spain* will then search for all files that have the word spain in their filename. Irrespective of their type so you will get hits like beachspain.jpg, beachspain.PDF, holidayspain2011.doc, and so on. The screenshot gives you an example.

This is really my last idea how to find these files. I am a bit puzzled though that all previews are gone as well since the problem seems to come from a missing harddisk only.

The only thing I can think of at the moment is that these tiny thumbnails are stored within a database file. These have the suffix .db or .apdb . They can be opened with SQLlite. I inspected some of them but could not find any thumbnails. But then I am not familiar with the structure.

If this does not help your best bet might be to contact Apple support. I have run out of ideas.

Good luck ! I know it is a pain to loose photos. This is why I keep three backups on different file systems on different harddisks.

HTH

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Answer 14

Aniolek7

Level 1

0 points

Oct 11, 2012 3:20 PM in response to macuser222222

Yes i know its not easy stuff , Now im trying what you say me to do , but Xml show me the path to image and are the same you say me to follow to get in thumbnails and master photos .....and nothing else appear ... im trying with terminal and it show me more results but still havent find them .. its weard but i think the photos appear when I install Picasa Of google ... now picasa its searching all the image that i have .. i hope picasa find thems and im gonna still searching with terminal 🙂 .. if nothing of this works im gonna contact apple support cuz i have to find them .. and saw what happen or where are they ... if i find them I let you know what is it and what i make to get that files .... 🙂 i really aprecciate the help that you gave me ¡¡ its hard to comunicate in English and so far away.... but thanks im gonna keep in this 😝 thanks Macuser222222 ¡¡¡ 🙂

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Answer 15

Mhrob

Level 1

43 points

Dec 29, 2013 2:45 PM in response to macuser222222

Try this:

Select all files that need reconnecting

Go to File > Locate Referenced Files

When the window opens, select one image on the top pane and find the image on the bottom pane

PRESS DOWN THE ALT KEY (force reconnect)

RECONNECT BUTTONS SHOULD COME UP

Just did it and it works!

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