Lawrence:
Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Don't worry about your photos. They are safe in the iPhoto Library/Originals folder. What's happened is the database for the library has been damaged. I'm not totally convinced you can recover your current library and it's keywords, albums, etc., as that info is stored in the AlbumData.xml and library.iPhoto 6 files. If they are saying you have zero photos then they have been damaged.
You may be best served by copying the Originals folder to the desktop and them move the rest of the iPhoto library also to the desktop. Launch iPhoto and, when it asks you to create a library or find one, select Create and start a new, clean library. Now you can drag the Originals folder into the open iPhoto library window and reimport your files. You'll have the same roll name but their dates will probably be different. More like the latest modified date of any file in that roll. It can be changed, however, by editing the date files in the Info pane at the bottom of the Source pane.
You can try rebuilding the original library (before moving it and removing the Originals folder) by launching iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select all the options available.
Additionally you can try letting iPhoto Library Manager rebuild the library as follows:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
- Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
- Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your User/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
- Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File->Rebuild Library menu option
- In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
- Click on the Create button.
Note: It can take some time to create the new library if you have a lot of photos. One user reported that with a library of about 5,000 images it took about 12 hours so plan ahead.
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It does not change the original library but copies the files and info from the old library. Since it copies the info from the old data files and they say zero photos in the library, I have doubts of its success. But it's worth a try anyway.
Good Luck.
Do you Twango?
