Big Issue: Unable to Export Clips..?!

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Level 2

171 points

Big Issue: Unable to Export Clips..?!

Hi and tnxs for reading.

I am using iPhoto for Mac 9.5.1 for all my photos and clips.

Since their backup is paramount for me, I have external HD and a Time Capsule for multiple Time Machine Backups.

However at the end of every year I always do a manual backup of the previous year photos and clips, by Exporting them on a separate folder.

Unfortunately this year I had a bad surprise when realizing no clip can be exported. I tried all the options and combination of setting after having selected the clip and use cmd+shift+E option. However I always get the info that those items (clips, imovie, iphone videoclips etc etc) cannot be exported.

Any help please!!!???

Tnxs.

Cheers.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Jan 27, 2014 3:50 AM

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Answer 1

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Jan 27, 2014 8:26 AM in response to Jet787

what is the exact error message? What eport options are you using?

LN

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Answer 2

Jet787 Author

Level 2

171 points

Jan 27, 2014 8:38 AM in response to LarryHN

As regarding the option used, I get the same message with all option combinations.

The message is: impossible to prepare the videoclip for the exportation.

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Jan 27, 2014 11:00 AM in response to Jet787

I had that with one of my test libraries. For that library none of the iPhoto First Aid routines would work on the library. However I could drag the library from the iPhoto window to the Desktop and get the full video file.

To get all of the videos in an album use a Smart Album with the following criteria:

Then drag them to a folder on the Desktop. Always make sure the size of the files are not zero bytes so you know you've got the full file.

However, first make sure you have a current backup of the library and try the iPhoto First Aid on it as follows:

1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down and rebuild the library.

2 - Run Option #4, Rebuild Database, followed by Option #1 if needed.

OT

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Answer 4

Jet787 Author

Level 2

171 points

Jan 27, 2014 11:16 AM in response to Old Toad

Tnxs for suggestions.

There is something I do not understand: I have already a Smart Album to isolate last year clips; however, even by dragging one clip to the desktop, it freezes with an X on the top left and the process bar which is not filling, as the process cannot be completed... so I cannot go on.

However, even if I managed to do that, could you please explain to me why I have to rebuild the library after that?

Just to clarify, I am not asking this because I think your answer is not clear, but only because I am not an expert 😉 Tnxs

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Jan 27, 2014 11:29 AM in response to Jet787

Are you able to play the video clips in iPhoto?

Select one of the clips and use the File ➙ Reveal in Finder ➙ Original File menu option.

You should be taken to the folder inside the iPhoto Library's Master folder that contains the original video file. If it doesn't then that file is missing from the library.

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Answer 6

Jet787 Author

Level 2

171 points

Jan 27, 2014 12:39 PM in response to Old Toad

Yep, clips are existing of course: I can watch them on iPhoto or on play on finder. However I cannot reveal one by one.

I noticed that by dragging to the desktop as you say they are copied there aswell now (the freeze was due to other copy operations in progress), so I can do like this... tnxs. However, could you please clear why I have to rebuild the library after having dragged clips to the desktop??!

Finally, although this way of fixing the issue is great, by creating a smart album of last year videos, I cannot see what events they were on after having dragged on the desktop. In the past, when standard export was working, I was exporting with the feature to create a folder for each video according to the event they were in... now of course by doing this manual option this cannot be done anymore...

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Answer 7

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Jan 27, 2014 2:30 PM in response to Jet787

However I cannot reveal one by one.

Please explain. What do you get when you try to reveal the original file in iPhoto?

However, could you please clear why I have to rebuild the library after having dragged clips to the desktop??!

If the original files are in the library but can't be found the database is probably damaged and needs to be repaired.

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Answer 8

Jet787 Author

Level 2

171 points

Jan 28, 2014 10:39 AM in response to Old Toad

Hi, probably I was not clear enough in my previous msg. If so, sorry for this.

1) When I say that I cannot reveal one by one I mean that while it is possible to do that (no error or msg when doing that), at the same time it is not practically possible to select and reveal one by one hundreds of clips.

However, no issues when revealing clips: they are existing and matching in the library.

2) I confirm that each video can be found in the library. So, if by selecting all the videos and dragging all the selection on the desktop I manage to have all of them copied on the desktop, could you confirm there is no need to rebuild the library?

Finally, although this procedure is working (Thanks a lot) I cannot tell iPhoto to export my clips on the desktop by creating and putting each of them in folders which are named as the related events. These would be possible if the "export" feature was working like in the previous version of iPhoto...

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Answer 9

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Jan 28, 2014 10:53 AM in response to Jet787

2) I confirm that each video can be found in the library. So, if by selecting all the videos and dragging all the selection on the desktop I manage to have all of them copied on the desktop, could you confirm there is no need to rebuild the library?

Well, I would make a backup copy of the library and give it a go at rebuilding the database to see if I could correct the export problem. It would simplify the exporting of videos into folders representing their Events.

If it doesn't work or the resulting library is more messed up (that happend to me) one can trash that library and use the backup.

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Answer 10

Jet787 Author

Level 2

171 points

Jan 28, 2014 11:00 AM in response to Old Toad

Unfortunately I had sometimes annoying experiences in rebuiding iPhoto Library, so I prefer to avoid doing that unless strictly necessary.

However it looks like this Export Issue is something related to iPhoto software and not my library.

Could you be so kind of checking on yours if you are able to export a video please?

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Answer 11

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Jan 28, 2014 11:13 AM in response to Jet787

I can export from most of my libraries. There's only one test library, my main one, that I can't. I would repair properly so I've just continued to use it. I did use iPhoto LIbrary Manager to repair/create a new library from the damaged one and it exports as it should.

However, when rebuilding with iPLM the slideshows, books, cards, etc. are lost but not albums or smart albums.

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Answer 12

Jet787 Author

Level 2

171 points

Jan 29, 2014 1:56 PM in response to Old Toad

Ok Tnxs OT. I think I will consider the option, but maybe proper future updates will fix the issue.

In case I urgently need it, I will consider to rebuild the database, but I hope an update will come first.

Many thanks.

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