why is aperture creating duplicate file previews!

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Level 1

13 points

why is aperture creating duplicate file previews!

I've recently cleaned out a number of old pictures from my aperture library. These are 'referenced files' not managed. I also went through the process of rating the pictures within each of the folders - about 30 folders, with between 5 to 60 5-Star images in each folder. At the end of this process all the images were rated, nothing was left un-rated and keywords were assigned as well as 'color labels'!

At the end of this process i created a smart album to view only the 5-Star images. I then exported these images to a more manageable Jpeg format (i usually shoot in RAW) so that i could view them on my ipad. Btw, i don't use PhotoStream in Aperture, its switched off!

Having spent a considerable amount of time on the above, today I now find that there are duplicates of some of the images, mainly of the 5-Star images, but other rated images also. These duplicate images, which seem to be only previews, are referencing the same 'Reference File' on my hard-drive, but they are now un-rated. Furthermore, the 'color label' is different from the one I originally set and the keywords are missing.

I can't work out what is happening! I know how to delete the duplicates, but the question is - Why is this happening in the first place, why is Aperture creating (near) duplicate Image Previews of some 'Referenced Files'?

The only thing i can think of is that some thing happened when I created the smart album which created duplicate 'Image Previews'... but this is a stretch!

Just to be clear, I have not been moving or manipulating the images files on the hard drive. My process is to download all files onto the hardrive from the camera sd card, then import from with the aperture application. All image files are then managed from within aperture!

Any thoughts!

Carl

Aperture 3, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Apr 10, 2013 1:21 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,653 points

Apr 10, 2013 5:06 AM in response to carlstep

Carl, have you set the option "Create new version when making adjustments" (in the Preferences > Advanced) and maybe the option "Automatically stack new versions (in the Preferences > General)?

With "Create new version when making adjustments" enabled you will create a new version each time you edit an image and with the version stacking this additional versions may go unnoticed for a long time.

Regards

Léonie

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Answer 2

carlstep Author

Level 1

13 points

Apr 10, 2013 8:41 PM in response to léonie

Hi Leonie, thank you for the prompt response.

No, neither of the options referenced in your message were selected/switched on!

But it is funny that you mention 'stacks' as Aperture seems to be stacking the pictures even when I haven't chosen the 'stack' option! Its highly frustrating when trying to sort through the images and to not find the one i've been working on, because it has now been 'stacked' and wont appear in the 'smart album' that I have set-up. I'm sure this can't be a software bug, it has to be something I am doing that is causing this! I just cant work out what it is!

Well, thanks for you assistance. If you have any more thoughts please do let me know.

Regards,

Carl

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,653 points

Apr 10, 2013 9:18 PM in response to carlstep

This looks, like your "Preferences" file may be broken.

You might try to remove your User Preferences from your User Library as described in this document:

Aperture 3: Troubleshooting Basics. (see the paragraph "Delete the user preferences"), but be aware that removing the "Preferences" file will result in having to reset all preferences set using the "preferences" panel in Aperture.

In MacOS X 10.8.2 the user preferences are hidden by default; reveal them from the Finder's "Go" menu:

Quit Aperture, if it is running. Log off and on again.
Open the user library by using the Finder's "Go > Go to Folder" menu and hold down the options-key, until "Library" appears in the drop down menu. Select it.
In the widow that will open, scroll down to "Preferences"
From the "Preferences" folder remove "com.apple.Aperture.plist".
Then try to launch Aperture again.

Note: In MacOS X 10.8.2 you may also need to clear the caches in the "Containers" folder of your User Library:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Aperture/Data/Library/Caches/com.apple.Aperture/

Does it still stack the versions?

Regards

Léonie

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