Just purchased new iMac and am trying to import my old iPhoto library, but keep getting Unreadable Files message. I have the library file and see that it shows up as an iPhoto Library under the Kind column.
iMac
DO NOT IMPORT A LIBRARY INTO ANOTHER LIBRARY!
Copy the old library into the Pictures folder on your new iMac. If you have a new library there then move it to the Trash bin beforehand. Then launch iPhoto and it will open the old library and convert it to the newer version if necessary. There is no importing necssary.
If you're alread tried importing, delete the library you imported to and follow the instructions above.
OT
Now that you're tried to open the correct library once see if you can perfor the following: 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 #3, followed by #4 and then #1 as needed.
Fix #2
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 - download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
2 - click on the Add Library button, navigate to your Home/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
3 - 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.
4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
5 - 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.
You do not acess the Time Machine backup directly form iPhoto - you launch TM and use it to find and restore the iPhoto library - there is no usable iPhoto library on the TM backup - TM must reassemble one usign the restore button -- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
LN
Thank you, but I must be doing something wrong. I went into the Pictures folder and deleted the existing iPhoto Library file, replacing it with the iPhoto Library file that I want to use. I then open iPhoto and am asked which photo library do I want iPhoto to use. I choose the "Other Library" button and navigate to the iPhoto file that I placed in the Pictures Folder. I highlight the iPhoto Library file and click Open - then everything seems to stop, with the Open button flashing but nothing else happening. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.
Thank you for your suggestions, but neither seem to work. I've attempted to open iPhoto as described in Fix #1, but I continue to get the "Which photo library do you want iPhoto to use?" message, then when I select the iPhoto library that I want to use and hit the Open button, nothing happens. I then downloaded iPhoto Library Manager. I open the program, select the iPhoto library that I want to use, and am told that "The library could not be leaded because an error occurred: The album data file for this library could not be read." The program 'sees' the library and provides the location/file size, but won't open the file. I really appreciate your recommendations and was wondering if you have any other possible solutions that I might try?
I forgot to mention, that when I try to rebuild the library as mentioned, I get a message stating, "The album data file for this library could not be read. The file "AlbumData.xml" couldn't be opened because there is no such file."
I continue to get the same error messages or responses. I do have a Time Capsule on which the file should exist as a back-up. Is it possible to locate the iPhoto Library file and have the new iPhoto app recognize the Time Capsule back-up file and restore it?
I think that i'm getting close. I was able to "migrate" not "restore" the iPhoto library, but it did it in such a way that I have two accounts at the log-in screen and when I access the system via the new log-in, then open iPhoto, all of the old photos are there - all +18k of them. When I tried opening TM as instructed above, I could only see the past day or two, with nothing earlier showing up. But when I do a migration, it finds all of the old information that is on the TM, including stuff from a few years ago. I if I can figure-out how to access the past dates on TM, then I can go in and follow the instructions that you've provided and delete the new user account.
Thanks again for all of your help, I really appreciate it.
Well, thanks to your help I got it to work. I went into the new user account (with the iPhoto file that I want) and copied the library to an external hard drive. Then I logged back in to my normal user account, followed your instructions above, opened iPhoto, and there it was, the old iPhoto Library that I wanted, with all +18k photos. I closed iPhoto and reopened it to see what would happen - the file still worked perfectly.
Thank you again for your suggestions and for taking the time to help me figure this out.
First launch iPhoto with the Option held down and select your library. Close and try the Option+Command launch again. But be sure you keep BOTH keys held down until the repair window appears.
How can I import my old iPhoto library into my new version of iPhoto?
