Cannot import NEX-6 raw file (ARW)

But, Aperture does not "see" the file at all.

In what way? Do you mean, Aperture does not show the file in the "Import" panel? Have you checked your Import settings, if any of the settings are excluding this file?

Can Image Capture or PhotoShop open the file? perhaps the downloaded files is incomplete or has the wrong filetype. What does "File > et Info" show for the file in the General brick? Does it show as raw image?

But, now the interesting part 😕, I just did a try on the computer at work (same file and same version of Aperture and OS) - and this time it works perfect 🙂

That's great, Magnus. Did you use the exactly same copy of the file, or download it again?

If restarting your Mac at home does not solve it, check, if you can open the file on your mac when working from a different user account. Perhaps you are having a problem with settings in your user account - presets, preferences.

So I tried with draging the image to the Aperture icon in the Dock – and that worked! 🙂 And, if I first uploaded the file to Dropbox, and then downloaded it again – then Aperture "can see" the file and I can import the image the usual way 😕

Great voodoo, Magnus - did you swing a chicken over the mac as well? 🙂 I am glad you could solve the problem.

Trying an explanation of what might have happenend:

Aperture probably will have hidden the image in the Import panel, because it erraniously recognized it as duplicate or an excluded file type because of a problematic file signature. Dragging to the Dock icon is forcing the import, even of duplicates or excluded file types.

And adding to DropBox and then downloading again may change file attributes. DropBox is syncing the files with the server and creating new copies. This may change the file signatures.

Added: There is one thing, that is a bit disconcerting about the solution you now are having. If you have to "convert" your raws by sending them to DropBox to fix the file signatures, or circumvent the Import panel by dragging to the Dock icon, there may be a problem with your "Import Presets.plist" or other cached preference files.

If the problem happens again, quit Aperture and trash this file "/Users/your shourt user name/Library/Application Support/Aperture/Import Presets.plist". Then reboot the system.

Quick update! It was the name of the file that stopped the import. Looks like I already had a file with that name in the library (from an old Minolta Dynax).

That explains it. Sorry, your post did not show, when I answered your previous post. But that explains it perfectly!