Locating Aperture Library Folders

If they are offline, then Aperture is referencing them (in the Mac folder system), they have not been imported into the Aperture "database". Aperture is telling you that wherever they are in the folder system, it cannot find them. You mention that you deleted the folder that originally contained the photos. I suspect that's why Aperture can't find them.

But... you say "most" of the images are Offline - are there some that were also in the same folder as the "offline" ones actually appearing?

Just to be sure, which of the above badges do you see on the problematic image versions, the "offline" badge or the "not found" badge?

Last year we had several reports on managed master image files, that Aperture could not find; but since Aperture knew these images to be managed, it refused to open the "locate referenced files" dialogue.

First convince yourself that the missing master image files really are inside your Aperture Library Package: Ctrl-click the Aperture Library, select "Show Package Contents" and inspect the "Masters"-folder, if your missing images really are there. if they are not there, then you probably imported the images as referenced and deleted the original masters - you will have to find a backup of the images.

If they are there, I would try to repair your Aperture Library. Have you done any trouble shooting on your Aperture Library? If not, try the "Aperture Library First Aid Tools", as described in the Aperture 3: Troubleshooting Basics: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3805

Start with repairing Permissions and repairing your Library. Post back, if repair does not help.

Regards

Léonie

P.S.

Aperture will not reconnect to files inside the Library package, even if you create a symbolic link to the Masters folder inside the Aperture Library. The easiest way to reconnect the missing masters would be to copy them from inside the library package to a folder outside Aperture (see the post above on how to access them inside the library) and to reconnect with the copies in that folder, then relocate these outside copies back into Aperture.

Its the 3rd icon with no Master,

That is what I suspected - and unfortunately it is typical for managed masters gone missing.

I forget to suggest to make a back up of your Library before you repair, if you do not have a current back up.

Tell us, if you see the masters inside the Library package.

Is there a way to search within the Library Package from the mac browser using the spotlight?

Spotlight will not search inside packages, afaik; you can search from the Terminal using "find" or locate, if you maintain a locate database, or use a tool like "Easy Find".

But you should be able to find your files just by browsing the Library Package.

• Ctrl-click it -> Show Package Content;
• in the Finder Window that open, select the "Masters" Folder: This folder is organized by date, a subfolder for each year, then each year has subfolders per month, then day of the month.
• So if you roughly know the date when you imported your project, it should by straight forward to navigate to this folder.

Regards

Just a quick note:

Those are your Previews.

Screenshot:

Your Masters should be in Finder folder called "Masters".

2. If I have it elsewhere, is there a way to fully move the files into Aperture so I don't run into the same issue again?

I forgot to answer the second part of your question:

If you can find the originals in a backup location and reimport them, make sure you really import them as "managed". This is controlled in the Import panel in the "Import Settings":

The "Store Files" selector should be set to "In the Aperture Library". To verify that the files actually have been imported, compare the sizes of your Aperture Library before and after the import, and also have a look into the "Masters" folder inside the package.

150% visual acuity, Kirby 🙂

@ unknownmaster: Did EasyFind also find something in the "Masters" Folder? The cryptic folder names are o.k., they are generated this way to have unique names and are grouping related files.

If you want relinking of your old versions, then it would be best, not to import the masters, but to place them temporarily in a folder outside Aperture.

• Then try to link the old versions to this folder outside Aperture with "File -> Locate Referenced Files"
• If that should succeed, move the relinked files into the Aperture Library with: "File -> Consolidate Master"