Thumbnails display briefly, then disappear.

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Jerrold Green1 Author

Level 7

30,210 points

Thumbnails display briefly, then disappear.

...Also full size images are replaced by gray triangle symbol.

iPhoto version is 9.6.1

Thumbnails show as I scroll, but disappear within a second or so. I'm left with:

Double-clicking on the blank thumbnail results in:

I have two iPhoto libraries; one on AirDisk and one local. Both have same problem.

All this seems to have begun after reinstalling Yosemite, which was apparently a very bad idea in this case.

Edit: Also, I've run all the iPhoto repair options. They reported success on repair, but problem persists.

Can anyone suggest a way out of this?

Many thanks,

Jerry

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), null

Posted on Apr 1, 2015 5:33 AM

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Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,308 points

Apr 1, 2015 6:59 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

It means that iPhoto has lost the connection to the original file. It's unlikely to be related to upgrading the OS.

An Air-disk is not an appropriate location for an iPhoto Library. It cannot be on a network connection - that includes a wireless one. This is a likely cause of database corruption.

In the case of the local library: go to your Pictures Folder find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.

Look there for a Folder called Masters (or Originals in some versions) Are your photos within that folder?

Make no changes, just confirm that they are present (or not).

Post back and we can move forward with that information.

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Answer 2

Jerrold Green1 Author

Level 7

30,210 points

Apr 1, 2015 8:26 AM in response to Yer_Man

Terrence,

Thank you very much for your assistance. Here's what I find with Show Package Contents.

I also appreciate your suggestion on the AirDisk. It's a simple change to plug the outboard drive directly into the MBP as needed, so I'll definitely do that in the future.

The content on the external drive is the bulk of my photographs, and the internal drive I just use on the road for quick work on small projects.

Here is a screen shot of the Masters folder expansion on the local HD:

Here's the view before expanding Masters:

Those are my photos, and they appear full size and all there.

Thanks for helping.

Jerry

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,308 points

Apr 1, 2015 8:30 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

That looks correct:

Download iPhoto Library Managerand 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.

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Apr 1, 2015 8:31 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Looks like the following may be able to get your library straightened away:

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.

If you're still having problems with the thumbnails then repeat with Option #2, Rebuild Thumbnails. I could take more than one attempt for the thumbnails.

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Answer 5

Jerrold Green1 Author

Level 7

30,210 points

Apr 1, 2015 8:52 AM in response to Old Toad

OT,

I've run all four of the options there. I did them in order from top to bottom. Made no difference.

Jerry

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Answer 6

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Apr 1, 2015 2:18 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Next step is to try Terence's recommendation.

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Answer 7

Jerrold Green1 Author

Level 7

30,210 points

Apr 1, 2015 10:35 AM in response to Yer_Man

Terrence,

Thanks for the advice and the link. I'll give iPhoto Library Manager a try. I'd thought about it earlier, based on other threads, but wanted to make that my last resort. I've heard that iPhoto is going away soon and wasn't sure I wanted to invest more in it, but good work should be rewarded.

I'll report back.

Jerry

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Answer 8

léonie

Level 10

194,743 points

Apr 1, 2015 10:41 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

I've heard that iPhoto is going away soon and wasn't sure I wanted to invest more in it, but good work should be rewarded.

iPhoto is not exactly going away - just no longer developed. But you will be able to enjoy it and use it, as long as you stick with a MacoS X version that is compatible. For the life cycle of Yosemite anyway.

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Answer 9

Jerrold Green1 Author

Level 7

30,210 points

Apr 1, 2015 2:33 PM in response to Yer_Man

Terrence and OT,

I'm back, with good news, for now anyway. I used iPLM to repair my little internal iPhoto Library, as well as my massive external one. I avoided using the AE USB disk connection and went with one of the MBP local USB ports for the 2T LaCie drive that houses my main photo library.

I still wonder how both the internal and external libraries became corrupt in the same way at the same time, on the day that I re-installed Yosemite. Will keep fingers crossed that things will remain intact if I don't rock the boat too much.

The large external library encountered 50-some errors and about 600 photos couldn't be transferred. I never erase my camera cards, so was able to reload the missing photos. The missing photos were, generally speaking, the most recent ones and were mostly Fujifilm files from an X100T.

Makes me wonder if there is a problem with large libraries. Mine is on the order of 52GB. Still doesn't explain the small library having the same problem, but I wonder about the library getting too big.

I can't thank you both enough for getting me back on track. I realized while watching the thumbnails fly across the screen during the rebuilding, how much of my life and that of my family is chronicled in those old photo files.

My best to you.

Jerry

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Answer 10

Jerrold Green1 Author

Level 7

30,210 points

Apr 1, 2015 2:36 PM in response to léonie

léonie,

I won't be in a hurry to jump to Photos. I appreciate your comments, and hope you are correct about iPhoto being supported for a while, even if it doesn't see any further development.

Jerry

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