iPhoto Sharing Options Greyed Out

Have you tried the old-fashioned-but-works-a-surprising-amount-of-the-time trick of restrting your Mac?

As a Test:

Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'

Import a few pics into this new, blank library. Is the Problem repeated there?

Post back with the result.

Another test:

Create a new account (systempreferences -> accounts or Users & Groups on 10.7 and 10.8), make a new Library in that account, import some shots and see if the problem is repeated there...

Well that means the system is essentally sound but something in your main account is interfering with iPhoto sharing. Installed anything new in the last while? Any plug-ins?

Any messages about iPhoto in the Console?

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.

If that doesn't help it might be another preference file that's causing the problem. Here's how to sort that out:

Trouble Shooting Preferences

NOTE: 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.

1 - close all applications.

2 - open your Home/Library folder and Option-drag (copy) the Preferences folder to the Desktop.

3 - select the contents of your Home/Library/Preferences folder and drag them into the Trash bin in the Dock. You will be asked to provide your Admin password.

4 - reboot. Be sure to know your account's username and password as you will be asked to log in with it.

5 - run the application again and determine if the problem(s) is fixed.

6 - If the problem is fixed:

A - open the working Home/Library/Preferences folder.

B - Open the Preferences folder on the Desktop, select all of the contents and drag them into the working Home/Library/Preferences folder.

C - When the Copy window pops up check the "Apply to All" check box and then click on the Don't Replace or Skip button.

D - reboot.

7 - If the problem is NOT fixed, drag the contents of the Preference folder on the Desktop into the Home/Library/Preference folder and replace the entire contents that were created by clicking on Replace.

8 - reboot and you're back as square one.

Note: keep the Preference folder on the desktop until you're sure all registration info for your apps are working. If not you can copy the required files from the desktop pref folder to the working one.

OT

I have the same problem. Forgive my ignorance but how does this solve the problem? So I imported and shared a few photos with the new user and then what? How do I get to share my existing 30,000 picture library? Migrate everything to the new user account, adandon the existing and cross my fingers the issue doesn't migrate with me? How does one even do that?

Have you tried all of the suggested repair/fix solutions offered in this topic?