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User profile for user: Tigervision
Tigervision Author
User level: Level 1
25 points

Why does iphoto really never delete a photo? Can someone explain.

Hi all.


I have an iphoto library. I'll often import hundreds of pics at a time. I go through and delete bad pics I don't want.

i.e. I put pics in trash and then empty trash. I do try not to put more than 100 in trash at any one time before emptying. Sometimes there is more that than. But I do empty trash frequently from iphoto.


To my surprise, I went into my computer/pictures/ Saw my library. Right clicked and show package contents.

I looked in the masters folder....


EVERY PICTURE IS THERE. Including hundreds of ones I have 'deleted'.

They don't show in my events in Iphoto... but there are there 'behnid the scenes I guess'.


What is going on???


Any explaination would be greately appreciated.

MacBookPro

Posted on Feb 9, 2013 4:01 PM

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30 replies
User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
207,361 points

Feb 9, 2013 7:15 PM in response to Tigervision

Sound like a damage library. Try this: launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library. Import some photos and check to see if the same problem persists.


If it does Try the following:


1 - delete the iPhoto preference file, com.apple.iPhoto.plist, that resides in your

User/Home/Library/ Preferences folder.


2 - delete iPhoto's cache file, Cache.db, that is located in your

User/Home/Library/Caches/com.apple.iPhoto folder (Snow Leopard and Earlier).

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or with Mt. Lion from the User/Library/Containers/com.apple.iPhoto/
Data/Library/Caches/com.apple.iPhoto folder


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3 - launch iPhoto and try again.


NOTE: If you're moved your library from its default location in your Home/Pictures folder you will have to point iPhoto to its new location when you next open iPhoto by holding down the Option key when launching iPhoto. You'll also have to reset the iPhoto's various preferences.


NOTE 2: In Lion and Mountain 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.



OT

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User profile for user: Tigervision
Tigervision Author
User level: Level 1
25 points

Feb 9, 2013 7:38 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks OT.

I created a new test library. Put in 6 pics. Went to masters. All 6 were there. Deleted 5 of them. Went back. And indeed only 1 pic was there now.


So now I have a few questions.


1. I don't see the path's above. I don't see a Library folder. I don't understand what it means to enter that string in a terminal application window? What is that? How do you do that (i.e. where is a terminal application window?).


2. I have 7 different iphoto libraries. If I were to delete those preference or cache files, will it apply to all libraries?? Will it mess them up?


3. If the answer to #2. above is that it is safe, then will it just start working fine from then on? i.e. those old pictures that have not been deleted will remain, but new ones I delete will be deleted?


Thanks very much.

j

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User profile for user: Tigervision
Tigervision Author
User level: Level 1
25 points

Feb 9, 2013 7:49 PM in response to Tigervision

Update... so I put in 3 photos to my current library. I looked, all three in master. I deleted 2. Looked again and only 1 there. But I looked from earlier today. I added 200 pics. I only kept 58 of them in iphoto. In that master there are all 200 of them. But only 58 show up in the library in iphoto (the ones I want).


So it is working... only sometimes.


Man, I'm telling you.... I am begining to lose faith in iPhoto....


I have a hard time believing that all the experts like you OT (and TD and LH, etc)... don't have one pic in your master that shouldn't be there. Is that even possible?


Also, in this library in question, I started in in Jan 2013. It only has 495 pics! It isn't like it is a huge library that I have been using for years.


I don't get it.

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User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
207,361 points

Feb 9, 2013 7:53 PM in response to Tigervision

1 - Open the Terminal application and enter chflags nohidden ~/Library followed by a return. Then look in your Home folder for the Library folder.


2 - deleting the iPhoto preference file applies to all libraries. You will need to launch iPhoto with the Option key held down to select the library you want to open.


3 - no guarantee. If the problem is a damaged preference file then it will start working OK. If it's a damage library there are other fixes we'll have to apply.


There is a method that should give you a new library with only the visible photos in the library. It's non destructive so if it doesn't produce the results you want you can delete the new library and continue with your current one:


Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library


  • Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
  • Click on the Add Library button,

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    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 Library ➙ Rebuild Library menu option

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  • 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.

    Reply
    User profile for user: Tigervision
    Tigervision Author
    User level: Level 1
    25 points

    Feb 9, 2013 8:41 PM in response to Tigervision

    I created a new test album, and it forced the recalculation of the libraries that show up when holding down opitions. At least the duplicates were not there.


    My rebuilt library has the correct photos ONLY in it.


    So my previous 2013 library is 4 gigs. My rebuilt is 2gigs.


    This means some files were not being deleted as I suspected.


    Not sure what all this means.


    thanks.

    Reply
    User profile for user: Yer_Man
    Yer_Man
    User level: Level 10
    162,260 points

    Feb 10, 2013 12:08 AM in response to Tigervision

    It's quite simple: If you have a Managed Library then to delete a photo from iPhoto and the HD you simply put the Photo in the iPhoto trash, then empty it.


    If you have iPhoto 11, then there is the additional step of emptying the System trash.


    If that doesn't work, then you have a corrupted library, and you need to investigate why that keeps happening.

    Reply
    User profile for user: Tigervision
    Tigervision Author
    User level: Level 1
    25 points

    Feb 10, 2013 7:15 AM in response to Yer_Man

    Thanks TD. So I do have Iphoto 11 (9.4.2).

    I put photos in trash within iphoto. I empty the trash from iphoto.


    Sometimes they are moved to the trash (i.e. there is a iphoto folder in my system trash with pics in it).... and sometimes they are not moved to the trash.


    It is inconsistent. I don't understand why the inconsistency.


    Any thoughts are appreciated on to why this inconsistency is happening.


    j

    Reply
    User profile for user: Tigervision
    Tigervision Author
    User level: Level 1
    25 points

    Feb 10, 2013 3:43 PM in response to Old Toad

    iphoto rarely crashes. I notice if any, it is when moving through videos too much.


    I don't get it.... When I hold down option and open iphoto.

    I still see two of my 2013 libraries.

    I.e. I see 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2013.


    Not sure why it is showing two of them.

    When you scroll over them, they both point to the same location. Either of those 2013's open up the same library.


    This happened after I did the rebuild using ILM.


    I have tried to remove the library on a hard drive. Restart computer. Open iphoto, only shows 2009-2012.

    I put 2013 back on HD. Launch iphoto and again, two 2013's show up.


    I don't get it.

    Reply

    Why does iphoto really never delete a photo? Can someone explain.

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