When trying to print a book/PDF, Aperture tells me there are no referenced files and will not print or convert to PDF

Do you get this error panel?

Then Aperture has lost the connection between (some of) the image versions in the book and the original image files. To fix this, you will need to locate the original images.

If Aperture cannot find originals, you should see broken red arrows or yellow warning triangles in the badge overlays, when you enable badges in the Metadata overlays:

Have imported your images as referenced files and stored them outside the Aperture Library? Then connect the disk, where your originals are stored, so that Aperture can access them.

Or have you deleted or moved image files recently, using cleaning applications, like "Clean your Mac"?

If you do not know, where your originals are supposed to be stored, ask Aperture. The "Files > Locate Referenced Files" command should show you, where Aperture is looking for your original files. Select one of the problematic images and use the command Files > Locate Referenced Files".

In the resulting panel you should see a thumbnail in the upper right corner, with the path to the missing image file. For example: The panel below shows me, that the original is stored on my USB stick, and that this USB stick is offline.

What do you see for your missing images?

Regards

Léonie

Aperature tells me there are no referenced files, and cuts it all off. How do I fix this?

KateAlex, what is the exact error message? Is it like the panel in the screenshot I have posted, or a different message?

Yes the panel is the same as you have shown. I click "show referenced files", the next message is "you have no referenced files".

The "you have no referenced files" alert will be shown, if managed original master files inside your Aperture library cannot be accessed or are missing. This is, what I get, when originals are missing from the Aperture library. Then the "Show Referenced Files" will say "you have no referenced files".

See the yellow triangles on some of my images. Do you see the same warning badge? If not, turn on badge overlays, to see, how many of your images have missing originals:

Aperture 3 User Manual: Understanding Badge Overlays

Aperture 3 User Manual: Displaying Metadata with Your Images

It wll be good to know, if there is a problem with all your images or just a few of them. How many of your images are showing warning badges, when you enable badge overlays?

Where is your Aperture library located? Is it on your internal system drive (for example in the default location in the "Pictures" folder) or do you store it on an external drive?

Try to find out, if your original files are missing, or if they are still there, but Aperture fails to see them.

• To reveal the originals select your Aperture library in the Finder.
• Then ctrl-click or right-click the Aperture libray and select "Show Package Contents". You will see folders organized by year, month, day. Open the folder of the year, month, day when you imported your scans. Are all your missing image files still there, or are they truely missing?

If your images are still there, but Aperture does not see them, copy them to a folder outside Aperture for safekeeping, and the run all of the First aid tools, starting with "repair Permissions", the "repair database". Repair and Rebuild Aperture Library...: Apple Support Communities

Almost all of the images in this book have been scanned. There is also text and scanned handwritten letters.

What is the format of your scans? Are they black-and-white images? Tiffs, jpegs, or some other format?

Have you tried to repair the permissions and the database, as I suggested? With what result?

Repair and Rebuild your Aperture Library

1. Close Aperture, if it’s open.
2. Locate the Aperture library you want to fix, then hold down the Command and Option keys ⌥⌘ while double-clicking the Aperture library.The Aperture Library First Aid dialog appears.
3. Run first "Repair Permissions", then "Repair Library".

Can Aperture now find the originals

I have found no missing managed master files. None of the images have warning yellow triangle badges.

Have you really enabled the badge overlays in the Browser?

To be sure that there are no missing files, please make a different test:

Create a Smart Album to show all images with missing originals:

• From Aperture's main menu bar: File > New > Smart Album
• In the "Smart Settings HUD" click "Source: Library"
• Then click "Add Rule" and add a "File Status" rule.
• Set "File Status" to "missing" (or try "Offline")

Does this album turn up any photos?

If not, Select all images in the book album and try to export the images to a folder in the Finder (File > Export > Originals). Can the files be exported?

I am afraid to Repair the entire library of some 70,000 images!

How about creating a separate Aperture library with only your book?

Select only your book and use "File > Export > Book as new Library".

Then you can open the new Library and use the first aid tools on that library.

Include all photos that you want to use in the book, so that you could finsish your book in that library, if need be.

And have you tried to repair or rebuild the new exported, smaller library?