Aperture 3.4.3 crashes when trying to export 350GB library

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Level 1

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Aperture 3.4.3 crashes when trying to export 350GB library

When I got Aperture 2 I was new to Mac and the software itself and I decided to keep all my library with referenced images rather than having a managed library. That gave me some sort of peace of mind. Now, when I know better the software and I am more familiar with Macs I have understood that you can trust Aperture 3.4.3 to manage your library. I do everything in Mac now. Also, I have different folders and photographs scattered in my hard drive so I thought it was time to consolidate my library in my new 3TB thunderbolt hard drive.

Unfortunately, Aperture crashes every time I have tried to export all my projects as a ONE library consolidating masters and so forth.

Any one knowing a solution for this problem? My library is about 350GB which does not seem to be a lot for Aperture to handle.

I am using a 2011 macbook pro with intel i7 and 8GB in RAM

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Jan 30, 2013 1:37 PM

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Answer 1

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Kirby Krieger

Level 6

12,592 points

Jan 30, 2013 2:04 PM in response to el chubasco

Don't know why it is crashing. What are the symptoms?

If it has crashed, even once, you should immediately run "Repair Database". Expect this to take at least over-night.

Instead of exporting the entire contents of your Library, why not simply move the Library (with Finder, with Aperture not loaded) to your new drive, and then open it, and then select all Images which have Referenced Originals and run "File➞Consolidate Originals"?

It should go without saying that you must have a complete and verified back-up prior to _any_ large scale data manipulation.

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Answer 2

el chubasco Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 30, 2013 3:53 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

Kirby

Thanks for your answer. Actually I have done "repair library" a couple of times. The funny thing is that even after reparing the library, Aperture starts exporting and crashes exactly at the same point, around 9.3 GB. I know it because I have kept record of the *_exporting.library files created when trying to export.

Your suggestion is brilliant. I am going to drag all files and folders to my new drive and consolidate project by project.

I have saved a vault in a second hard drive and I am not deleting the folders of my referenced images until I know for sure that all the originals are in the Aperture library.

Thanks again!

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Answer 3

Jan 30, 2013 4:23 PM in response to el chubasco

el chubasco wrote:

Kirby

I am going to drag all files and folders to my new drive and consolidate project by project.

Just a couple of things. It is important to verify _that_ it is crashing. How do you know?

It may be that you have some specific Images that are causing the crash. You might search the forum for one of Léonie's responses to "corrupt image".

My suggestion was to move your Aperture Library (the ".aplibrary" file package in Finder). You shouldn't use Finder to move _any_ other files or Finder folders relating to Aperture. Doing so will almost certainly sever the ties between your Aperture Library and those files. In general, you use Finder to put an Aperture Library wherever you want, but you use Aperture and only Aperture for any file operations on any files that you have imported into a Library.

So either move your Library, and then consolidate, or consolidate, and then move your Library. But under no circumstances move your Referenced Originals with Finder.

Lastly, there is usually no reason to run "File➞Consolidate Originals" Project by Project. You haven't reported any problems consolidating Originals, just exporting. I don't expect that you would have any troubles consolidating Originals that would be helped by doing it in small lots.

HTH.

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Answer 4

el chubasco Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 31, 2013 1:27 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

Thanks Kirby,

Actyally, I have no idea of what files are corrupted and making aperture crash when exporting. Is there any way to find out?

I made the assumption that if you use finder to move all folders with referenced images along with the *,aplibray files aperture would re-route the links to the referenced images when you open the library from the new location. Now that you mentioned, that might get me in trouble. I will follow what your said. First consolidate and later move the library to the new drive. I think that I have enough space in my old disk to keep the folders with the referenced images and the entire managed library together before I make any moves.

I will work on this during the weekend and I will report if I got any crashes while consolidating.

Thanks again!!

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Answer 5

Jan 31, 2013 3:11 PM in response to el chubasco

I asked:

It is important to verify _that_ it is crashing. How do you know?

Some users assume that Aperture has crashed when it is still engaged in some deep background processing. Can you confirm that Aperture is, indeed, crashing?

el chubasco wrote:

I made the assumption that if you use finder to move all folders with referenced images along with the *,aplibray files aperture would re-route the links to the referenced images when you open the library from the new location.

Bad assumption 😉 -- as you now know.

If you don't have the room on your system drive, you _can_ move the .aplibrary file safely, viz.: it will still "know" where your Referenced Originals are. You can then open your Library from its new location (double-click the file in Finder), and then run "File➞Consolidate Originals". That will then gather up your Referenced Originals, wherever they are (as long as they are on-line) and move them into your Library package.

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Answer 6

el chubasco Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 31, 2013 9:32 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

I know that Aperture was crashing because when left the computer exporting the entire library the application would quit "unexpectedly." I got a large report on why the application quit and this report would ask me if I wanted to relaunch the application. This happened over and over again, even after repairing the entire library. When looking in finder after aperture crashed, I found a *_exporting.applibrary file. Aperture would open that library but the previews were full of errors. I am assuimng that it was becuse the exporting process was not completed.

On a different note, I have started consolidating the originals in the Aperture library as you suggested and actually when prompting the dialog box Aperture asks if you want to copy the originals of if you want to move them. I have tested this moving option with a small project and now I see in Aperture that the images are managed. I also checked the folder in finder where the referenced images were and now that folder is empty. By doing this the images are not duplicated and I have the option to consolidate the images in my old drive without running out of memory space.

What do you think is better? Moving the library file to the new HD and then consolidate (as you pointed out) or consolidate in the old HD and move the library file after completing consolidating?

Thanks!

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Answer 7

Jan 31, 2013 9:42 PM in response to el chubasco

el chubasco wrote:

What do you think is better? Moving the library file to the new HD and then consolidate (as you pointed out) or consolidate in the old HD and move the library file after completing consolidating?

Thanks!

Doesn't really matter. _Start with a complete, verified, back-up of both your Library and your Referenced Originals!_

I would move the Library, confirm that it works, then consolidate. If your Originals are all in known, easily located places, use _copy_, confirm that it works, then (maybe a week later) delete them. If your Originals are _not_ in known, easily located places, use _move_.

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Answer 8

el chubasco Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 1, 2013 8:48 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

Thanks!!! Will work on this during the weekend and will report if any issues emerge.

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