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Aperture 3.3.2 hangs on launch (library issue)

The hits just keep on comin'! Last week my Aperture library was corrupted and I had to restore some files from a backup and delete some preference files to get it to work again. Now I'm having a new problem....

Aperture 3.3.2 launches and I get the "Opening Aperture library" window, but it never progresses to the usable application. Only a Force Quit allows me to try again. Launching Aperture while pressing the Option key allows me to select a different library (I set up a "dummy" library just for this purpose) and once the application is open, I choose File>Switch to Library>Other/New... and pick the main library, which then opens without further complaint. I can initially choose a dummy file on the same external hard drive as my main library, or I can choose a dummy from the Mac's hard drive—either one allows me to successfuly launch the application and proceed to opening the main library.

If I then quit the application and immediately attempt to re-launch it, the same thing happens again. I need to use the alternate library to launch, then switch from the active application.

I can switch to the alternate before quitting the app and it remembers the alternate library as the new default. It will then launch fine to the new default (alternate) library. At that point I can quickly switch to the main library.

So, I know the problem must be in the main library, but I can't figure out why it will launch successfully only after opening a different library.

I repaired permissions and rebuilt and repaired the database, but none of these seemed to fix the problem I'm having.

Any ideas?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2), 27" iMac Core i7 Quad 12GB

Posted on Jul 27, 2012 5:00 PM

70 replies

Jul 31, 2012 12:02 AM in response to Sanjaya Kumar

OK, here's what worked:

I redownloaded the Aperture 3.3.2 update and re-installed it, and now Aperture is able to open my library!

I should have thought of this before. I had the same problem a couple of months ago and the same solution.

léonie

Level 10

194,935 points

Jul 31, 2012 12:16 AM in response to Phillip Breske

Philipp,

So, I know the problem must be in the main library, but I can't figure out why it will launch successfully only after opening a different library.

I repaired permissions and rebuilt and repaired the database, but none of these seemed to fix the problem I'm having.

The one thing I can think off, that Aperture read only from the first library that you open on start-up, but not from the second library, are the keyword button sets and keywords, afaik.

Have you defined button sets? Then it might be worth a try to remove the "keywordSets.plist" file from your Aperture Library package to the Desktop, after quitting Aperture and log-off/log-on again. You will have to redefine your button sets however, after doing this.

Léonie

Jul 31, 2012 7:17 AM in response to Sanjaya Kumar

Hmm. I can only say that what I have tried has worked for me.

Have you already tried all the database fixes (repair permissions/repair database/rebuild database)?

Never mind. I see you've found a fix. Great!

langutah

Level 1

4 points

Aug 4, 2012 11:21 AM in response to Phillip Breske

Same problem. Aperture no longer opens after 3.3.2 update. Library issues. For me, downloading and reinstalling the 3.3.2 update did not work either. I restored from the vault and now am good to go.

langutah

Level 1

4 points

Aug 4, 2012 11:50 AM in response to Phillip Breske

Another update. My vault version was a couple of weeks ago, missing some imported stuff. So I restored a version, using time machine from a few hours from my bogus update. That worked better.

giordajl

Level 1

4 points

Aug 5, 2012 8:54 AM in response to Phillip Breske

I'm unfortunately dealing with this same problem.

I can use Phillips work around to open my Aperture Library, but I'm worried that something isn't quite right. So I don't want to just ignore it and move forward.

However, I've tried all of the following thus far with no success:

1. Deleted all Previews

2. Updated all Previews

3. All basic troubleshooting (repair, rebuild etc.)

I've got a SuperDuper backup of my drive from a week ago, but don't want to give up that week worth of work.

Any suggestions from the experts out there? Thanks.

I just upgraded to 3.3.2, Aperture upgraded my library, I did a few hours worth of work. Closed Aperture for the night. Came back the next morning, and Aperture would hang on opening.

Aug 5, 2012 9:36 AM in response to Phillip Breske

I don't know if I was clear on this before, but here's what I've been doing for the past few days:

1. Launch Aperture while holding down the Option key. This opens the library picker window.

2. Select the previously created "alternate" library. Click Choose to launch the application. (You may see a MobileMe advisory window before the app launches—I just use the Switch to Library button in this window and this negates the next step.)

3. Once the application is open, I use the File > Switch to Library... menu command to choose the main library and switch to it.

This has worked every time so far, but it's still a workaround. I received an email from David at Apple asking some questions about my library and whether I was still having the same issue. I was unwilling to send a copy of my entire library (they were going to send me a hard drive to effect the shipment), but I did provide a copy of my system report. At least we know someone at Apple is working on a fix.

What my workaround tells me is that Aperture will not launch completely if it even attempts to open my main library before I tell it to pick the alternate library. If I use the Option key at launch and tell Aperture to use the alternate before it looks for the main, it opens fine, but once Aperture has made an attempt to open that corrupted main library, it won't work again before I quit and re-launch, even if I point it to the alternate after the first failed attempt.

What irks me is that it does eventually launch and run just fine—I have yet to discover any corrupted photos or videos in the library. Grrrr.

Aug 6, 2012 11:30 AM in response to Phillip Breske

Please see my post Aperture 3.3.2 unresponsive if library contains old iPhoto albums - solution which may address you problem.

giordajl

Level 1

4 points

Aug 6, 2012 8:16 PM in response to AlexBrown

Alex,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will give it a try. Now that you mention it, I do recall clicking on Sort by Date and seeing nothing happen in Aperture.

But was this also causing the same problem for you in that Aperture would hang when opening?

Thanks!

giordajl

Level 1

4 points

Aug 6, 2012 9:40 PM in response to Phillip Breske

Phillip,

Can you please ask David at Apple to reach out to me?

I'd be happy to send him my library if it will help us all with a permanent and stable solution.

I'm at jgiordani AT gmail.com

Thanks!

Aug 6, 2012 10:14 PM in response to giordajl

I will send him your email. 🙂

Aug 6, 2012 11:27 PM in response to giordajl

Yes, this causes launch problems too. I have submitted a bug to apple including a library with just one photo in that demonstrates the problem (bug 12034892).

-Alex

Netrag

Level 1

25 points

Aug 9, 2012 8:55 PM in response to Phillip Breske

this happened to me tonight, i was able to fix it by opening the library with iphoto 11. after closing iphoto 11 it opened properly in aperture

giordajl

Level 1

4 points

Aug 9, 2012 9:54 PM in response to Netrag

Thanks! That did the trick for me too!

I had tried that with my iPhoto library before, but not with my Aperture library.

This did the trick! Nice.

movery

Level 1

24 points

Aug 10, 2012 12:37 AM in response to Phillip Breske

I have exactly the same issue with my Aperture library. Am running the latest version of Aperture on the latest version of Mountain Lion on a brand new MacBook Pro Retina. Have tried all the first aid options and restoring from TM backup but no joy.

Going to try tonight the workaround of opening a new library first then opening the "main" library and see if that works. Really sounds like an Aperture bug that I hope Apple fix very soon!!! Dreading losing my life's photos....

Aperture 3.3.2 hangs on launch (library issue)