how do i install themes

First make your home library visible as follows:

In Lion the Library folder is now invisible. To make it permanently visible enter the following in the Terminal application window: chflags nohidden ~/Library and hit the Enter button - 10.7: Un-hide the User Library folder.

Next you will have to reinstall iPhoto. To do so you'll have to delete the current application and all files with "iPhoto" in the file name with either a .PKG or .BOM extension that reside in the HD/Library/Receipts folder and from the /var/db/receipts/ folder,

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Then install iPhoto from the source it came on originally. Then apply all necessary updaters.

OT

Maybe this is a dumb question, but... is it possible to copy the themes from another (healthy) mac into the correct filepath on my crash-damaged mac? I'd like to avoid reinstalling if possible.

You can try. Others have tried that approach with iDVD themes and they did not always link to the application. But it's worth a try. Keep us posted.

Strange... I can't locate the files on my mom's healthy system, either. Am I doing something wrong?

I'm missing these files:

user > Library > Application Support > (no iPhoto folder) > (thus, no themes).

My mom's computer is missing the same thing. But when she clicks, "Create Book" in iPhoto, the themes load properly. (Mine has the "missing themes" error.)

We're both running OSX 10.8.3 and iPhoto 9.4.2. The only difference is my computer recently had a sloppy crash/wipe/OS reinstall.

I'm still hoping to graft these theme files into my system from a healthy system. Is there somewhere else I should look?

You're in the wrong Library. Try " /Library/Application Support/iPhoto". Library on your boot drive not your user Library.

As Jim pointed out it's this library:

Thanks Old Toad and Jim W. – double Library syndrome.

IT WORKED. Victorious!

I copied the iPhoto folder from a healthy Mac and transplanted into my Library directory. It required a Database Repair, but everything is working normally now. Woo! Here's my workflow, for other troubled souls:

0. Quit iPhoto. Make sure your iPhoto library is backed up, just in case.

1. Grab a copy of this folder from a healthy Mac, running the same version of iPhoto as your Mac. Make sure you don't move it:

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/iPhoto

• Because these Library folders are locked, you might need to change permissions on the donor Mac to enable the folder to be copied. See insturctions here: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10669
• (You can download a copy from me here (it's big – 1GB)): https://dl.dropbox.com/u/5960627/iPhoto.zip?dl=1

2. Transfer the donor copy of the iPhoto folder in the same location on your computer:

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/iPhoto

3. Repair your iPhoto database to make sure the transplant is properly installed. (See instructions here: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2638). You may need to repair permissions as well.

4. Restart your computer.

5. Open iPhoto, you should be good to go!

Thanks for everyone's help.

PG