Random photos missing when I sync iPhone to MacBook Pro

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Random photos missing when I sync iPhone to MacBook Pro

I have had this issue for at least the last few months: when I sync my iPhone 5 with my MacBook Pro in order to import all the photos I have recently taken on my phone into iPhoto, only a portion of the photos I have recently taken are available to import.

Right now I have 160 new photos on my camera roll. When I plugged it in 20 mins ago, iPhoto offers me to 'import 45 photos'. I unplugged it and plugged it in again. Now it's only asking if I want to import 21 photos. I've tried turning it off and on again.

All photos appear in my photo stream, but only a portion will import as a new event. It's very boring because I don't want to have to go through photo stream to find my photos, I'd much prefer them to come through as events that I can now sort.

I am using iPhoto version 9.6, and my iPhone 5 is on version 8.1.3

I cannot find a solution to this on the internet, I'm really hoping someone out there can help!

iPhone 5, iOS 8.1.3

Posted on Mar 17, 2015 2:22 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

207,421 points

Mar 17, 2015 2:28 PM in response to Helzbelz868

As a test launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and create a new, test library. Plug in the iPhone and check to see if the same problem persists. Does it?

Also launch Image Capture and see how many images it's able to recognize and let you import.

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Answer 2

Helzbelz868 Author

Level 1

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Mar 17, 2015 7:01 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for the reply. I had mixed results:

On both imports, the programs found all 613 photos that have been unable to import this whole time.

Test 1: I followed your directions, and the problem does not persist in the new library - all photos from camera roll are there and have been imported. I'm stoked, thank you. However:

Test 2: I launched image capture: all photos are there and it gave me the option of importing all. I pressed import all, and it appeared to import all 613 photos but it didn't work: when I opened the original library, only 7 photos imported.

Seems like my original library has some weird glitch... any ideas what's going on?

Thank you so much

HB

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

207,421 points

Mar 18, 2015 8:50 AM in response to Helzbelz868

The first test indicates that the original library is the culprit and needs to be repaired. Do the following:

1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down to open the First Aid window. Be sure to follow the circled recommendation in the screenshot.

2 - run Option #4, Rebuild Database.

Redo the second test and see if you can upload all photos to a folder on then Desktop first. If that's successful you can import them into the library. iPhoto should detect any duplicates

and prevent their import.

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Answer 4

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

Mar 18, 2015 9:09 AM in response to Helzbelz868

try to backup your iPhoto library and rebuild it - launch iPhoto while holding down the option and command keys - repair permissions and then rebuild the database

LN

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Answer 5

RussW

Level 1

5 points

Jun 2, 2015 3:29 PM in response to LarryHN

I have a similar issue, though I am not using iPhoto for sync. I have folder of images on HD that I am syncing with iTunes to iPhone and iPad. Image count count is accurate in iTunes, but not all images sync across, happens on both devices. I have deleted iPod cache folder, no go. Changed file names, no go. All images are generated jegs from Lightroom. It is the same images that do not sync every time. Thanks for help.

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Answer 6

RussW

Level 1

5 points

Jun 2, 2015 10:56 PM in response to RussW

Replying to my own post here as I have found one SOLUTION that worked for me. I think I read somewhere that iTunes or iPhoto, or both do not like punctuation, or unusual type characters in metadata, i.e. captions, title, etc. So I went into the metadata for two known images that would not sync, either as images in HD folders outside of iPhoto, or from within iPhoto itself. Sure enough, I removed a # and a ' from the captions, as in banana's and ink and water #3, VOILA, those two reticent images now sync completely to the iPhone.

Now if there were a way to do a custom sort of images and have that stick in the iPhone, I would be a happy man.

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