I can't upload photos to facebook from iPhoto 11 (9.4.3) Message says :"An unknown error occurred, please try again later"

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I can't upload photos to facebook from iPhoto 11 (9.4.3) Message says :"An unknown error occurred, please try again later"

I have a new MacBook Pro 15" Retina with OSX Mountain Lion 10.8.3 (just did the combo update)

iPhoto 11 (9.4.3) is installed and freshly updated.

I used to share photos from iPhoto directly from my previous computer (a 2009 MacBook Pro running OSX Leopard).

It doesn't seem to work anymore on my new computer. When I try to connect to facebook, I keep having the same message :"An unknown error occurred, please try again later".

I am in China, where Facebook is blocked, but I have a VPN on (Astrill), simulating a connection from LA. I have no problem at all to access Facebook from Chrome, Safari and Skype.

I am sure that I am typing the right username and password.

I made sure iPhoto wasn't blocked in my facebook app settings.

I tried to delete the account, closing iPhoto and relaunching. It still does not work.

I tried to delete the com.apple.iphoto.plist from Library/Preferences (as suggested on another thread in this forum). It didn't do anything.

It is getting very frustrating and I really don't want to throw my new computer through the room. Anyone managed to solve this issue ?

Thanks.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on Apr 21, 2013 12:03 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

195,053 points

Apr 21, 2013 1:42 AM in response to a.lecour

Have you checked your settings in Facebook? Th in-app connections? You may need authorize iPhoto again after upgrading iPhoto.

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Answer 2

a.lecour Author

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Apr 21, 2013 6:27 AM in response to léonie

I did, iPhoto was authorized.

Since nothing was working, I deleted the app in FB, and deleted my FB account from iPhoto and tried to set up again. Didn't work.

Out of curiosity, I tried to upload photos to Flick'r, and the same unknown error happened.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

195,053 points

Apr 21, 2013 6:46 AM in response to a.lecour

It is peculiar, that Chrome, Safari, and Skype can access FB, but not the iPhoto uploader.

Do you see any error messages/ diagnostics in the Console Window, when you try to connect to Facebook?

Launch a Console window from Applications > Utilities and clear the Console Window. Then try to upload. Are there any new messages?

And also launch a Terminal and have a look, if "facebook.com" is properly resolved:

Type

ping facebook.com

into the window. Do you see any transmissions? What is the IP address used?

I see:

PING facebook.com (173.252.110.27): 56 data bytes

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=0 ttl=243 time=110.486 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=1 ttl=243 time=109.365 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=2 ttl=243 time=110.101 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=3 ttl=242 time=109.829 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=4 ttl=242 time=111.323 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=5 ttl=242 time=110.346 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=6 ttl=242 time=110.708 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=7 ttl=242 time=112.685 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=8 ttl=243 time=124.256 ms

64 bytes from 173.252.110.27: icmp_seq=9 ttl=243 time=112.106 ms

^C

--- facebook.com ping statistics ---

10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss

round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 109.365/112.120/124.256/4.159 ms

Try the same with "dig":

dig facebook.com

; <<>> DiG 9.8.3-P1 <<>> facebook.com

;; global options: +cmd

;; Got answer:

;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 25051

;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:

;facebook.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:

facebook.com. 775 IN A 173.252.110.27

;; Query time: 11 msec

can you "ping" facebook?

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Answer 4

a.lecour Author

Level 1

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Apr 21, 2013 8:06 AM in response to léonie

This is what I have when I ping FB :

PING facebook.com (0.0.1.178): 56 data bytes

Request timeout for icmp_seq 0

Request timeout for icmp_seq 1

Request timeout for icmp_seq 2

Request timeout for icmp_seq 3

Request timeout for icmp_seq 4

Request timeout for icmp_seq 5

Request timeout for icmp_seq 6

Request timeout for icmp_seq 7

Request timeout for icmp_seq 8

Request timeout for icmp_seq 9

Request timeout for icmp_seq 10

Request timeout for icmp_seq 11

Request timeout for icmp_seq 12

Request timeout for icmp_seq 13

And so on, it reached icmp_seq 420, and counting when I closed it.

I did it again later, a few times, the result is always the same, but the IP is always different.

And here is what happens when I dig :

dig facebook.com

; <<>> DiG 9.8.3-P1 <<>> facebook.com

;; global options: +cmd

;; Got answer:

;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 19043

;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:

;facebook.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:

facebook.com. 1 IN A 0.0.1.224

;; Query time: 1 msec

;; SERVER: 10.0.1.1#53(10.0.1.1)

;; WHEN: Sun Apr 21 22:54:10 2013

;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 46

My knowledge really isn't enough for me to understand what it means.

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

195,053 points

Apr 21, 2013 9:42 AM in response to a.lecour

but I have a VPN on (Astrill), simulating a connection from LA. I have no problem at all to access Facebook from Chrome, Safari and Skype.

Can you still access Facebook from Chrome, etc? And upload? Not only read cached pages?

Your ping-test shows timeouts when trying to transmit data to facebook. ping cannot connect to Facebook. The dns server you are using, gives not the correct IP-address for facebook.com, and if you have added a different location in /etc/hosts ( a mirror site for Facebook), that also leads to a wrong IP.

Even using a VPN connection, I see different results. I doubt this is an iPhoto problem.

Are you only for a short time in China? Then I'd suggest to export your Facebook albums and to upload using the web-Interface, if that is still working.

Regards

Léonie

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Answer 6

Old Toad

Level 10

207,721 points

Apr 21, 2013 9:52 AM in response to a.lecour

This may help: 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).

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

3 - launch iPhoto and try again.

NOTE 1: 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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Answer 7

a.lecour Author

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Apr 21, 2013 4:17 PM in response to Old Toad

I tried that, it does not change a thing.

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Answer 8

a.lecour Author

Level 1

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Apr 21, 2013 4:56 PM in response to léonie

Yes I can, I just manually uploaded a few pictures to test the connection with FB, and the feed is up to date.

I usually use Chrome. I made sure that Safari could also connect to FB by opening the home page but didn't login before. To test, I just tried to login to FB using Safari. It worked just fine, Safari offered me to save the password, which I accepted. It also offered me to allow other OSX app to connect to Facebook (the apps where not listed but the pop-up displayed logos of iChat, Mail, Contacts and Calendar). There was a mention telling that I couldlater revoke this permission through System Preferences. I accepted, the rainbow wheel rolled for a few seconds and the pop-up disappeared. At this point, Facebook was running just fine in the Safari window.

I wanted to have a look at this authorisation I just gave so I went to System Preferences, in Mail Contact & Calendars section. Facebook wasn't listed as an active account. So I tried to set-up a FB account within Mail Contact & Calendars section of System Preferences. A message mentionned that this would allow OSX to have access to my FB contacts, allow me to post photos, updates and other content to FB through iPhoto, and grant access to my FB account to several (unlisted) OSX app. After entering my login/password, I received an error message stating "unable to verify account name or password".

Since this was getting a bit more complicated than I thought, I decided to also test Skype's ability to connect to FB. Since it did not mention any login error, I assumed it was connected to FB (as it used to do). But I noticed that none of my FB contacts where available to chat (only my Skype contacts). I then tried to log-off my skype account and tried to connect via my FB account. It didn't work. Seems that after all, Skype can't connect to FB either.

So, to summarize, when my VPN is on, browsers (Chrome or Safari) can connect to FB just fine, and all of it's functions work. But OSX app (iPhoto, Terminal, Contacts and Calendar,...), and Skype, somehow fail to connect. When my VPN is off, neither browsers nore apps can connect to FB (which was expected since it is blocked in China).

I could off course upload my photos manually, this is working just fine. I just did it for the album I wanted to upload.

But I am in China permanently, there will be more albums I'll want to upload in the future and I'd really like to be able to use all the features of iPhoto (including uploading to FB).

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Answer 9

léonie

Level 10

195,053 points

Apr 22, 2013 6:45 AM in response to a.lecour

So, to summarize, when my VPN is on, browsers (Chrome or Safari) can connect to FB just fine, and all of it's functions work. But OSX app (iPhoto, Terminal, Contacts and Calendar,...), and Skype, somehow fail to connect. When my VPN is off, neither browsers nore apps can connect to FB (which was expected since it is blocked in China).

Ask your VPN provider, if you can use a different VPN configuration than you are now. Not all your network traffic seems to be using the VPN, and some transmissions are clearly redirected to other ip-addresses.

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Answer 10

tdhensen

Level 1

8 points

Apr 22, 2013 11:26 AM in response to a.lecour

I'm having a similiar problem. In the past I able to upload photos from iPhoto to FB with the "publish" button. It is grayed out now, no longer available. Any ideas? Thank YOU!

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Answer 11

Old Toad

Level 10

207,721 points

Apr 22, 2013 11:32 AM in response to tdhensen

There's been a problem with iPhoto 9.4.2 and earlier and FB. That was fixed with the iPhoto 9.4.3 updater. Otherwise use the workaround that works for most users: export your phiotos to the desktop and upload to FB with your browser.

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Answer 12

léonie

Level 10

195,053 points

Apr 22, 2013 11:51 AM in response to Old Toad

OT, I wonder if this fix in iPhoto 9.4.3 http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1650 isn't exactly what broke the ability to upload through a VPN connection for our friend a.lecour in China.

Addresses an issue that could cause iPhoto to quit unexpectedly while syncing to Facebook

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Answer 13

etresoft

Level 8

46,644 points

Apr 22, 2013 12:19 PM in response to a.lecour

Before you waste any more time with applications, it is important to make sure your VPN is working properly. Right off the bat, Astrill looks flakey. It advertises itself as being "the best VPN for P2P/BitTorrent" which is illegal everywhere in the world, not just China. I recommend StrongVPN instead. They are on the P2P naughty list for VPNs. StrongVPN markets to people impacted by arbitrary restrictions like US TV shows in Canada.

Assuming your VPN actually works, make sure you are sending all traffic over the VPN. Any VPN will have instructions on how to do this. Also make sure you are using one of the built-in VPN systems like L2TP/IPSec or PPTP. There is no need to install any new software for this.

PS: If I still haven't sold you on StrongVPN, they are cheaper than Astrill too.

Message was edited by: etresoft

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Answer 14

Old Toad

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207,721 points

Apr 22, 2013 12:43 PM in response to léonie

VPN is above my pay grade so don't know one way or another. I suppose he could downgrade his iPhoto to what he had before and see if that helps. He'll have to downgrade the library also via the iPLM tutorial.

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Answer 15

léonie

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195,053 points

Apr 22, 2013 1:37 PM in response to Old Toad

I suppose he could downgrade his iPhoto to what he had before and see if that helps. He'll have to downgrade the library also via the iPLM tutorial.

Yes, OT; If it is really only the recent bug-fix to the facebook uploader, that has caused this, then downgrading iPhoto certainly would help. But it is a lot of work, and it will not bring back Skype, Contacts, and other apps.

In the long run it might be be preferable, to get a more conservative VPN, that can shield more of the traffic.

And, I have never used IPLM to downgrade. I suspect it will be similar to rebuilding a library and cannot reconstruct al library items, some of the products like book will be missing afterwards, is that right, OT?

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