indexing iphoto library

No - it is not unkown to this thread - you are working in an area that you should not be in - by deleting photos form the Masters folder you have destroyed your iPhoto library and will probably have to start over with a new library importing the original photos from your Masters folder - there is no "reindexing" - it may well e that you are dealing in an area that is unknown to the Apple support person you are working with

as I suggested you can try Back up your iPhoto library, Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - from the resulting first aid window repair permissions and if necessary rebuild your database but it is unlikely that it will work given the damage you have done

You also can use the free trial of iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - to rebuild and create a new library - but again that probably will not work now

If neither of these work then yu must create a new library and import photos form you Old Masters folder into ti and start from scratch - in the future NEVER make any changes to the content or structure of h iphoto library - only use iPhoto - never the finder or any other program

LN

The fact that you can't follow what I am saying is not necessarily a critique of my ability to be clear.

Yes it is. TD is not being smug but trying to find out what you're referring to. Many users mistakenly refer to a folder as a "file". Is that what you're doing? There is no master file in the iPhoto Library package. Only a Master folder. Until you describe the problem and items by the correct terms we can only guess at what the problem is and a solution like the following:

As for indexing I'm guessing the Apple rep was referring to using iPhoto's First Aid feature (launch iPhoto with the Command + Option key held down) and using one of the 4 first aid options, probably #4 - Rebuild Database, to try to fix your library:

If you are seeing duplicate photos in the iPhoto window (NOT via the Finder) then you may have to use of the the following 3rd party apps to identify and help remove duplicate photos from an iPhoto Library:

iPhoto Library Manager - $29.95

Duplicate Annihilator - $7.95 - only app able to detect duplicate thumbnail files or faces files when an iPhoto 8 or earlier library has been imported the library.

PhotoSweeper - $9.95 - This app can search by comparing the image's bitmaps or histograms thus finding duplicates with different file names and dates.

DeCloner - $19.95 - can find duplicates in iPhoto Libraries or in folders on the HD.

DupliFinder - $7 - shows which events the photos are in.

iPhoto AppleScript to Remove Duplicates - Free

PhotoDedupo - $4.99 (App Store) - this app has a "similar" search feature which is like PhotoSweeper's bitmap comparison. It found all duplicates

Duplicate Cleaner for iPhoto - free - was able to recognize the duplicated HDR and normal files from an iPhone shooting in HDR

Some users have reported that PhotoSweeper did the best in finding all of the dups in their library: iphoto has duplicated many photos, how...: Apple Support Communities.

If you have an iPhone and have it set to keep the normal photo when shooting HDR photos the two image files that are created will be duplicates in a manner of speaking (same image) but there are only twp apps that detected the iPhone HDR and normal photos as being duplicates: PhotoSweeper and Duplicate Cleaner for iPhoto. None of the other apps detected those two files as being duplicates as they look for file name as well as other attributes and the two files from the iPhone have different file names.

iPLM, however, is the best all around iPhoto utility as it can do so much more than just find duplicates. IMO it's a must have tool if using iPhoto.

I'm not being pedantic but it is important that we are clear on what you mean, otherwise we may do more harm.

iPhoto does not have a 'master file'. What do you mean by this? What is a 'hanging thumbnail'?

There are 9 different versions of iPhoto and they run on 10 different versions of the Operating System. The tricks and tips for dealing with issues vary depending on the version of iPhoto and the version of the OS. So to get help you need to give as much information as you can. Include things like:

- What version of iPhoto.

- What version of the Operating System.

- Details. As full a description of the problem as you can. For example, if you have a problem with exporting, then explain by describing how you are trying to export, and so on.

- History: Is this going on long? Has anything been installed or deleted? - Are there error messages?

- What steps have you tried already to solve the issue.

- Anything unusual about your set up? Or how you use iPhoto?

Anything else you can think of that might help someone understand the problem you have.

what version of iphoto? Of the OS? What exactly are you seeing that yu are concerned about? Where are you seeing this? (Note that with iPhoto you only use iphoto to view photos - iphoto totally replaces the finer for accessing your photos)

You can try Back up your iPhoto library, Depress and hold the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - from the resulting first aid window repair permissions and if necessary rebuild your database

LN

There is a master file and thumbnails but they are usually hidden which is why you don't know what I am talking about possible.

No there is a Masters folder but no master file. That folder is within the Library package, and, as Larry says, has no user-serviceable parts. You still don't explain what a 'hanging thumbnail' is.

But in my case, I have done a lot of clean up of thousands of duplicates and there are 3 and 4 and 5 of the same "master" jpg in my master file which are tied to images I trashed.

As Larry says, you've trashed your Library. Never make any alterations within the Library package.

by indexing, the library will clean out those masters and only keep those related to the jpgs I kept.

No you won't. There is no way to do that.

As Larry says, make a new Library and start over.

I have not done anything in the master file.

That's the Masters Folder, right?

I know not to touch it so I have not done the damage you insist I have done.

Well we can only go on what you tell us:

But in my case, I have done a lot of clean up of thousands of duplicates and there are 3 and 4 and 5 of the same "master" jpg in my master file which are tied to images I trashed.

Now that reads a whole lot like you trashed photos in the Masters Folder.

Well again, to be pedantic, your explanations are all over the shop. You tell us you have duplicates in the Masters folder, but now it urns out they're not, they're everywhere else:

as I had thousands of duplicates of duplicate jpgs (80 MB worth!) all over the place outside of the Library

So, yes, good luck to the Apple support person.