jaw444

Q: Can't use iPhoto/updating thumbnails/original can't be found

I haven't used iPhoto in a long time, and have rarely ever used it, have always found it counterintuitive and unnecessarily difficult.  The last time i used it was probably in the past 6 months and it worked OK.  Today i'm having a new problem that i can't fix, hoping someone more knowledgeable can help me.

 

I opened iPhoto because i was going to try using iCloud for storing photos. The "beta" iCloud Photos opened and said that i would have to turn on Photo Library on my iPhone. I looked at that and it said "automatically upload and store your entire photo library in iCloud to access photos and videos from all your devices."

 

I'm not sure i want to do that, i don't want all my storage used up.  I googled "Can i store selected photos on iCloud photos," to see if i can choose which photos in my photo library i want to put on the cloud.  I got a link to an Apple Support page which was titled My Photo Stream FAQ.  I was reading the beginning of it and it said i needed to have iPhoto v.9.2 or greater.  So, i clicked on the iPhoto icon in the doc to open it and see the version number that way.

That was the beginning of the trouble. 

 

I can't remember the whole sequence of what happened, but at the beginning, i got a message window telling me that there were problems with my data directory, it didn't use those terms but something about inconsistencies between different things which it said  could cause problems, and one of the options was a button that said Repair.  So i clicked on Repair. 

 

Then i got a small window with a progress bar that said Updating Thumbnails.  Pretty soon after that, i got another window, a message window that said something like "Alert  -  The photo “IMG_9673.JPG” could not be opened, because the original item cannot be found."  The two options were Cancel or Find Photo.  I clicked on Find Photo, a window opened with a field to type the name of the photo but iPhoto had taken the window away that had the file name, so i had to close out and wait for the window to come back. Then i memorized the obscure file name and put it in the search field after clicking Find Photo. Nothing happened. Nothing was found or not found, there was no response and no button to click on.  there was no way to use that window to search with.  There was a grayed out "open" button.  What a waste of time.  This is why i don't use iPhoto. 

 

So, then i used the Finder Find file window and typed in IMG_  because there were a lot of them, not just a few, so i wanted to find out where they all were and maybe i could just delete them. Find file showed that a lot of them were in Mail, apparently mail attachments, and there was a total of over 4700 of them.  So, there was no way i was going to be able to click Cancel 4700+ times, this was a very slow process, each time, there was an extended pause until the next window with 'cancel' came up, and of course, it would be too easy to have an option to apply the choice to all.  That didn't exist. I couldn't do anything functional with iPhoto, everything was grayed out, including Quit. I used force quit.

 

i tried restarting iPhoto, the same thing happens, i got the same 'updating thumbnails' and 'Alert - original cannot be found'.  One time, i got the original  "you have inconsistencies" message and the options to repair or or cancel, and i chose cancel this time, but it still brought up the Updating Thumbnails/Alert - can't be found' windows. 

 

Each time, i force quit. 

 

Is there anything i can do?  i don't want to reinstall the whole system.  Is there something somewhere i can throw in the trash?  I do not want to have to reinstall the system software for a program i rarely if ever use because i find it so difficult.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Mar 14, 2015 3:37 PM

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Q: Can't use iPhoto/updating thumbnails/original can't be found

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Mar 14, 2015 11:14 PM in response to jaw444
    Level 10 (139,557 points)
    iLife
    Mar 14, 2015 11:14 PM in response to jaw444

    iPhoto can't find the actual file.

     

    Are you running a Managed or a Referenced Library?

     

    A Managed Library, is the default setting, and iPhoto copies files into the iPhoto Library when Importing. The files are then stored in the Library package

     

    A Referenced Library is when iPhoto is NOT copying the files into the iPhoto Library when importing because you made a change at iPhoto -> Preferences -> Advanced. (You unchecked the option to copy files into the Library on import) The files are then stored where ever you put them and not in the Library package. In this scenario you are responsible for the File Management.

  • by jaw444,

    jaw444 jaw444 Mar 15, 2015 12:38 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 15, 2015 12:38 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    Terence--thank you for the reply.  To my knowledge i haven't ever done anything with iPhoto preferences to change it from the default. i have very rarely used iPhoto because i have found the interface difficult and awkward.  Because i use it so little, i would've had no reason to change the preferences that i can remember. i certainly would not have known anything about the options you describe and would not have selected a Referenced Library because i don't know where else i would put the photos. I have been managing my photos on the iPhone for the past 5 or 6 years, and before that, i used a Canon photo management program. i mostly store my photos on the phone but i email photos to my computer in order to post them on facebook etc, before that became easier to do from the phone . i would edit photos in Preview or on the phone. I have barely used iPhoto. i think occasionally, i sync the phone photos with the computer as a back up.  That would account for there being a lot of photos in the iPhoto Library, maybe.  As far as i know, i have the default settings on iPhoto.

     

    I used iPhoto a couple of times in the past year, to find some old photos, and the program opened normally.  Today, it did not open normally but gave me the message about having some inconsistencies and asking if i wanted to repair them, which then led to the Updating Thumbnails window, which then led to the Alert - The photo could not be opened because the original could not be found message window.  Nothing else opens.  There is no functional  iPhoto at this point. I can either open it and look at a screen with those messages on it, or i can force quit it.  I can't check the preferences settings, not from within the program.  

     

    I searched for the IMG_ files and found about 3000 of them and put them in a photo on my desk top.  Does that mean they are in a Referenced Library? 

     

    Do you know of any way of getting this 'updating thumbnails' process to stop?

     

    There was a time when dragging a plist file to the desk top or the trash could help to fix problems, and i was hoping there would be something like that  i could do. i don't know what changed since the last time i opened iPhoto that has caused this problem that i have not had before.  Maybe it was after the change from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion.  I can't remember. 

  • by jaw444,

    jaw444 jaw444 Mar 15, 2015 12:49 AM in response to jaw444
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 15, 2015 12:49 AM in response to jaw444

    i meant to include a photo of the condition my iPhoto is in.  I don't consider singly clicking almost 5000 photos, i don't even know what "Cancel" does, would that even help?  The other option, "Find Photo," didn't work. When i clicked find photo, it brought up a window with a field to type the file name into it, and when i typed in IMG_9544.jpg, or whatever it was, nothing happened. There was nothing to click on, it was a pointless waste of time. The Open button was grayed out. Clearly, if i could figure out what it wants me to do, it would still be impractical, as it would take more time than is available.  If i delete the 3000 photo files i've found so far from my computer, will that solve anything or will iPhoto still not be able to function because it can't find the original?  i don't understand how a program can get itself into a condition like this with no solution.  What does "Cancel" even mean?  Not enough information.
    Screen Shot 2015-03-15 at 12.12.01 AM.png

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Mar 15, 2015 1:08 AM in response to jaw444
    Level 10 (139,557 points)
    iLife
    Mar 15, 2015 1:08 AM in response to jaw444

    The message you're getting is typical of a referenced library and we have seen folks on here in the past who have inadvertently run a referenced library, or who have referenced part of a library. In a managed Library when the app can't find the file you get a large !

     

    I'm not sure how deleting 3,000 photos will help you find some more.

     

    Do you have a back up?

  • by sean.wells,Helpful

    sean.wells sean.wells Mar 15, 2015 1:16 AM in response to jaw444
    Level 1 (85 points)
    Mar 15, 2015 1:16 AM in response to jaw444

    jaw444 wrote:

     

    i meant to include a photo of the condition my iPhoto is in.  I don't consider singly clicking almost 5000 photos, i don't even know what "Cancel" does, would that even help?  The other option, "Find Photo," didn't work. When i clicked find photo, it brought up a window with a field to type the file name into it, and when i typed in IMG_9544.jpg, or whatever it was, nothing happened. There was nothing to click on, it was a pointless waste of time. The Open button was grayed out. Clearly, if i could figure out what it wants me to do, it would still be impractical, as it would take more time than is available.  If i delete the 3000 photo files i've found so far from my computer, will that solve anything or will iPhoto still not be able to function because it can't find the original?  i don't understand how a program can get itself into a condition like this with no solution.  What does "Cancel" even mean?  Not enough information.

    I would suggest rebuilding your iPhoto library database by following this guide. Let us know if you have further questions.

  • by jaw444,

    jaw444 jaw444 Mar 15, 2015 1:28 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 15, 2015 1:28 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    Terence, in another thread about this problem i saw a recommendation for a third party program called iPhoto Library Manager to rebuild the library.  I downloaded the trial version and that program showed my photos. The appear to be synced from the iPhone up to December.  I have Time Capsule, so as far as i know, that means my photos/library should be backed up, am i right? 

     

    I don't see how deleting those photos would solve the problem, it would just reduce the number of image files i would have to click the cancel button on, to try to get it down to a more manageable number.  it just seems ridiculous to me that this could happen, unwittingly. But as long as there is a fix, all is well.  It's just that, so far, i have only just learned that there is such a thing as a referenced and a managed library, and if i do have a managed one, i don't know how to avoid unwittingly getting one again.  I am not impressed with this program.

  • by jaw444,

    jaw444 jaw444 Mar 15, 2015 1:33 AM in response to sean.wells
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 15, 2015 1:33 AM in response to sean.wells

    Sean,  thanks for that link, that sounds promising.  I will get into that tomorrow.  And i do expect to have some questions--like, i read through the info at the link and it showed a number of options with checkboxes as to what you want to have repaired, and i don't know what each of them actually means, or which one/s address my problem. i was wondering, why wouldn't i check all of them.  anyway, it gives me something to try.  I also have downloaded a trial copy of iPhoto Library Manager.  Looked it over, wasn't sure which options to use and what the risks were, but will start a complete back up right now of the whole computer. it sounds like there may be hope for recovery yet.   

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Mar 15, 2015 2:25 AM in response to jaw444
    Level 10 (139,557 points)
    iLife
    Mar 15, 2015 2:25 AM in response to jaw444

    If the files are missing neither rebuilding with iPhoto nor iphoto Library Manager will recreate them, hence the query about the back up.

     

    If you have a back up then restore. The simple solution to the problem.

     

    Rebuilding with Library Manager creates a new library leaving your old one untouched and so is risk free.

     

    Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)

     

    This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places back.

     

    Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.