Is there a way to detect missing photos in iPhoto 11?

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Is there a way to detect missing photos in iPhoto 11?

There has to be a way to detect missing photos in iPhoto, right? I'm pretty sure iPhoto itself can't help me, but there has to be a plugin of some sort to do this. I've searched the Internet. There are plenty of people out there that have the same issue as me. The thumbnails show up but there is no original to connect to. Most likely because, for some reason, iPhoto didn't IMPORT the image(s) into the library, it just linked to the images in their original location. I know you can control this option under Advanced settings, but I've not made any changes to that setting.

I just want to scan my library (over 30,000 photos and counting) to make sure I'm not missing any other images. I discovered the missing images while rebuilding the thumbnails (option command on open).

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks!

iMac (27-inch Mid 2010), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), 12 GB RAM

Posted on Nov 8, 2012 10:49 AM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 8, 2012 11:18 AM in response to blujackfan

If you've selected a thumbnail and used the File ➙ Show in Finder ➙ Original menu option and iPhoto didn't find the orignal then it's gone.

If the library was in the reference mode for those photos and them came directly from a camera they are gone for good unless they are still on the camera.

If you get this

when you double click on one of the thumbnails the following may restore them to the library: make a temporary, backup copy of your library if you don't already have one (Control-click on the library and select Duplicate from the contextual menu) and apply the two fixes below in order as needed:

Fix #1

Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.

Since only one option can be run at a time start with Option #1, followed by #3 and then #4 as needed.

Fix #2

Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library

Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.

Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.

Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File ➙ Rebuild Library menu option

In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.

Click on the Create button.

Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments. However, books, calendars, cards and slideshows will be lost. The original library will be left untouched for further attempts at fixing the problem or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.

If you want to determine if the orignal file is somewhere on the hard drive get them file name from the thumbnail and do the following:

1 - download and launch Find Any File

2 - launch FAF and search for the file name. FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't, like invisible folders and packages.

3 - if you find the originals somewhere on the HD make sure iPhoto is set for a "managed" library and import the new found photos into the library.

OT

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Answer 2

blujackfan Author

Level 1

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Nov 11, 2012 5:54 PM in response to Old Toad

OT,

Thank you for your detailed suggestions. I will definitely be adding Find Any File to my arsenel of utilities. But what I'm wanting is some kind of utility that will scan my entire library and tell me if any images are missing. Honestly, this function should be built into iPhoto. And I was also trying to make a point.

You and others call it reference mode, but it really isn't a 'mode' at all. It is merely a setting under the Advanced tab in Preferences that allows a user to change whether the original images are copied to the iPhoto Library or not. One simple box that, if unchecked, can cause so much heartache. Why, because iPhoto, with the box unchecked, provides NO WARNING that the user has chosen to not copy imported images to the library.

One simple little warning dialog before the import process... "The images you are importing will not be copied to your iPhoto Library!" or something like that could save so many future missing images. It's just too easy to uncheck that box, for whatever reason, and forget to recheck it. And there is no warning from iPhoto. You import images from your camera card and the next time you go to look at them, they're gone! All because there is no warning.

It would be beneficial if iPhoto included a simple utility that would scan your library and present you with a list of missing images, with the option to search for them.

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