Aperture 3.4.4 Library Problem

Question

Level 1

8 points

Aperture 3.4.4 Library Problem

After Aperture was updated to 3.4.4 I could not start the program again, when I initiate the program it tries to open the Aperture Library but it may stay in that condition even for hours without any result, at the end I close the application (the Aperture Bar is there, and you can also access the preferences) and it closes normally although it never finish opening, it permanently shows the next message:

These are the steps I tried before deciding start this discussion:

1. Used the Aperture Library I have in a backup hard drive that is cloning my primary HD regularly but no improvement.

2. Sent the Aperture app to the trash can and installed version 3 from scratch, after that installation I had to update to 3.4.4 because Aperture identified that the library was from a new version. After the new update the program succeded to open. When I closed and tried to open again I got nothing again.

3. In order to verify that the library is not corrupted I used the "Show Package Content" and can browse the information inside the library without any problem.

4. Changed the name of my Aperture Library and started Aperture but although I see that a new Library file is created but the original problem remains, Aperture never opens.

The original Aperture Library is a 70.24 GB file that contains adjustments for all the thousands of photos I used to manage with this application, not been able to open the program is causing a lot of frustration, specially because I keep taking pictures and saving them in the Hard Drive but I am not able to produce them or export them anymore.

I am not sure if somebody else experienced this problem but if not is important that Apples know that this is a very annoying problem that must be fixed ASAP.

Thanks

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5), 2 x 28 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

Posted on Apr 28, 2013 7:44 PM

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Answer 1

Tony Gay

Level 4

1,638 points

Apr 28, 2013 10:06 PM in response to omancini

First port of call is this page;

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3805

run through the steps listed here and let us know how you go.

Tony

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Answer 2

omancini Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2013 1:55 AM in response to Tony Gay

Thanks for your support, after the Library Consistency Check was completed, Aperture did not do any thing different... The Opening Aperture Library message was there for a long time until I decided to close the program,

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Apr 29, 2013 2:03 AM in response to omancini

What is the errormessage exactly? Your screenshot does not show for me:

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Answer 4

omancini Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2013 3:40 AM in response to léonie

There is no error message at all, the image I added is basically the regular "Opening Aperture Library" little message with a spinning grey wheel on the left that appears regularly when you open Aperture an dyou have a large Library like in my case.

The problem is that Aperture never opens no matter how many hours I leave the "Openinig Aperture Library" process run. Thanks

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Apr 29, 2013 5:20 AM in response to omancini

What else have you tried from the Trouble Shooting Basics:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3805 ?

It would help to know, if the problem is system wide or caused by something in your User account. Try to launch Aperture from a different User account, see:

Isolating an issue by using another user account

If it is only happening in your User Account, check, if it is caused by your Aperture Library: Can Aperture launch properly, if you start it on a new, empty library and import a few test images?

If yes, check, if you have not imported corrupted media; launch Aperture on your main Aperture library with the "Shift" key held down. Does it work? Then you have imported a corrupted or incompatible video or image file and need to find and remove it.

But if the Shift key does not help, the library database files may need repairing.

after the Library Consistency Check was completed, Aperture did not do any thing different.

What exactly did you do? Repair permissions, repair database? Rebuild database? Try all three, if you have not done so already. But be sure you have a backup, before you try rebuild.

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Answer 6

Apr 29, 2013 6:32 AM in response to omancini

omancini wrote:

The problem is that Aperture never opens no matter how many hours I leave the "Openinig Aperture Library" process run. Thanks

Exactly how many hours? How big is your Library (GB)? How many Images? Do you know how many files are in it (back-up programs usually list this)?

I run a test Library with about 750,000 Images and over 7 million files in it. It can take over 40 hr. on a 2.6 GHz quad-core machine to finish some global operations.

(Added:)

I _strongly_ advise users to _never_ force-quit Aperture, and, if your do force-quit Aperture, to immediately run "Repair Database".

Message was edited by: Kirby Krieger

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Answer 7

omancini Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2013 6:36 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

At the begining of the discussion I state that this is a 70.24 GB Library, probably I am not explaining myself clearly, before the upgrade to 3.4.4 Aperture worked consistently well, Aperture 3.4.3 opened the very same Library almost instatly to the extent that I could rarely see the "Opening Aperture Library" message.

The last time I tried left Aperture 3.4.4 trying to open the Library without doing anything else in the machine, 12 hours passed with no result. Based on what I explained in the previous pharagraph is way more time than before.

Thanks for your support.

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Answer 8

omancini Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2013 6:47 AM in response to léonie

I do not see why the user account should be an issue with the problem since the application worked OK before the upgrade, however, if you see the initial message, step 4 explains that I renamed the Library, opened Aperture 3.4.4 and although a new Library was created the application never starts with that Library either, it basically does the same with both, the original and new Libraries.

I thought that a simple upgrade should not be so disruptive, the bad news, I cannot do a roll back because even if I install Aperture from scratch again it will not recognize the Library that was upgraded the first time Aperture opened with the 3.4.4 version.

Next time (if there is a next time) I should save the upgrade files and also backup the Library before trust in the upgrade process.

Thanks

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Answer 9

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Apr 29, 2013 6:50 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

(Added:)

I _strongly_ advise users to _never_ force-quit Aperture, and, if your do force-quit Aperture, to immediately run "Repair Database".

And I'd like to add to this sage advice - try first to quit using the Terminal:

If Aperture is unresponsive, how to avoid force quitting?

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Answer 10

omancini Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2013 7:10 AM in response to léonie

Although Aperture shows the message indicating that is trying to open the Library for a long time and it never opens the app you can still access the menu and from there the Preferences, everything including CLOSE... I mentioned this in the first pharagraph in the initial post. I never forced the application to quit therefore the Library should not be corrupted.

From what I am explaining you may think that the issue is the Library but as I also mentioned before, I renamed the current Library and opened Aperture 3.4.4 forcing the app to create a new Library (9 MB) but still does the same so this is why I started this discussion.

I will try to repair the database anyway and will post the result that comes out of that.

Thanks

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Answer 11

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Apr 29, 2013 7:15 AM in response to omancini

I do not see why the user account should be an issue with the problem since the application worked OK before the upgrade,

After an upgrade the user account settings can be a big problem, unfortunately. If you have applications, plug-ins, preference panes, device drivers installed, kernel extensions installed, that are incompatible with your operating system, then an upgrade of a single application can expose this problem. Also, corrupted preferences files and presets may now be giving problems all of a sudden, even if the older version of Aperture did not use these files.

Launching Aperture from a different user account will show you, if there is a system wide problem (Aperture, MacOS X, hardware) or something that needs fixing in your account.

Should Aperture launch without problems from another account, remove the preferences and - if necessary - the presets, as described in the Aperture 3: Troubleshooting Basics

Also disable plug-ins, start-up items, check the non-standard preference panes you may have installed.

If it does not work from a different account, you need to check carefully all installed Applications and plug-ins, if they are compatible with your current system version.

step 4 explains that I renamed the Library, opened Aperture 3.4.4

and although a new Library was created the application never starts with that Library either

sorry, I missed that step.

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Answer 12

omancini Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2013 7:19 AM in response to léonie

I will check what may happen if I start the application from a different user in my machine after verifyng the Database, I have to create another user and see what's going on.

Whatever is the result I will post it here.

Thanks

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Answer 13

Apr 29, 2013 7:52 AM in response to omancini

I should have read the full thread before adding to it. Sorry 😊 .

Léonie and others are much better at installation issues (which I think this is) than I am. The way to check that you have an installation issue is to see if you can open a new Library under another user account. It is not clear to me what you did in your step #4:

4. Changed the name of my Aperture Library and started Aperture but although I see that a new Library file is created but the original problem remains, Aperture never opens.

Leaving your old (renamed) Library aside, can you from both another user account and from your admin user account, launch Aperture and create a new, functioning Library?

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Answer 14

omancini Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 29, 2013 8:11 AM in response to Kirby Krieger

I will try to open the current or new Library from a different account and see what happens.

The reason why I renamed the Aperture Library was to trick Aperture and force the app to create a brand new Library as default. I rather rename files than send them temporarily to the trash can... I may empty the bin accidentally and regret for ever 😉.

Thanks for your support.

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Answer 15

léonie

Level 10

194,647 points

Apr 29, 2013 9:34 AM in response to omancini

The reason why I renamed the Aperture Library was to trick Aperture and force the app to create a brand new Library as default. I rather rename files than send them temporarily to the trash can... I may empty the bin accidentally and regret for ever 😉.

Renaming your library can be problematic, if you are using Time Machine for backups. The next backup will have to rewrite the whole library copy. The best way to create a new library is to launch Aperture with the ⌥-key held down and to use the "other/new" option from the panel that will pop up.

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