dbail22
Level 1 (5 points)

Q: Cannot Edit Photos

I imported hundreds of photos from a DVD without problem.  I can view and increase the view size of all photos but for 20% of them I cannot export them and cannot edit them.  If is select to edit them the control gray out and if I attempt to export them the message is the photo cannot be found in spite of being visible and able to be increased to full size.

 

How do I fix this

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Nov 16, 2015 9:18 PM

by léonie,Apple recommended
léonie léonie
Level 10 (106,958 points)
iCloud
A:

Are you seeing this warning, when the file is enlarged, or only when you try to edit or export?

Screen Shot 2015-11-17 at 06.41.28GMT.png

If the warning appears only when you try to export or edit,  Photos has lost the connection to the originals inside the Photos library.

Make a backup of your Photos library  and try to repair your Photos library.

See this Help page:   https://help.apple.com/photos/mac/1.0/?lang=en#/pht6be18f93

Repair your library

If you experience problems with photos in a library, Photos can try to repair it. If problems persist, you can also restore your library from a Time Machine backup.

Important: You should back up your photo library before repairing your library.

 

  1. If Photos is open, choose Photos > Quit Photos.
  2. Press Option-Command and double-click the Photos icon in the Applications folder (or click the Photos icon in the Dock).The Repair Library window opens.
  3. Click Repair to rebuild your photo library.

 

Is your library an iCloud Photos Library?

Note: If you use iCloud Photo Library with Photos, this action will cause Photos to re-upload all your pictures.  It may take as long as the original upload.

Posted on Nov 16, 2015 9:53 PM

Close
dbail22

Q: Cannot Edit Photos

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by léonie,Apple recommended

    léonie léonie Nov 16, 2015 9:53 PM in response to dbail22
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Nov 16, 2015 9:53 PM in response to dbail22

    Are you seeing this warning, when the file is enlarged, or only when you try to edit or export?

    Screen Shot 2015-11-17 at 06.41.28GMT.png

    If the warning appears only when you try to export or edit,  Photos has lost the connection to the originals inside the Photos library.

    Make a backup of your Photos library  and try to repair your Photos library.

    See this Help page:   https://help.apple.com/photos/mac/1.0/?lang=en#/pht6be18f93

    Repair your library

    If you experience problems with photos in a library, Photos can try to repair it. If problems persist, you can also restore your library from a Time Machine backup.

    Important: You should back up your photo library before repairing your library.

     

    1. If Photos is open, choose Photos > Quit Photos.
    2. Press Option-Command and double-click the Photos icon in the Applications folder (or click the Photos icon in the Dock).The Repair Library window opens.
    3. Click Repair to rebuild your photo library.

     

    Is your library an iCloud Photos Library?

    Note: If you use iCloud Photo Library with Photos, this action will cause Photos to re-upload all your pictures.  It may take as long as the original upload.

  • by dbail22,

    dbail22 dbail22 Nov 16, 2015 10:55 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 16, 2015 10:55 PM in response to léonie

    Tried the repair twice and also repaired overall file permissions.  The message is more truncated than the one you display. It only says "Photos cannot find the photo ......... " with the name following.  It has no option to find the ?/Missing photo.  Photos stored on the local drive.  Checked permissions on the photos folder, and nothing has worked.  When I zoom it it shows the full resolution image.  I will continue trying....

  • by léonie,Apple recommended

    léonie léonie Nov 17, 2015 12:07 AM in response to dbail22
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Nov 17, 2015 12:07 AM in response to dbail22

    you are having the rare problem, that Photos cannot find original image files that are managed inside your iPhoto library. That why you are not seeing an option to reconnect the missing files.  if repairing does not fix it, there is no tool in photos to fix the problem.

     

    restore the previous version of your library from the last backup.

     

    or try to  open your library in PowerPhotos. The trial version of PowerPhotos is free. If Powerphotos can open your library, try, if it can find the originals.

     

    if yes, you can use PowerPhotos to merge your library into a new, empty library.

  • by dbail22,Apple recommended

    dbail22 dbail22 Nov 17, 2015 10:37 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 17, 2015 10:37 AM in response to léonie

    I have found that this problem is due to importing images into Photos from a DVD.  Three separate times I deleted all of the imported photos and then imported new images from the DVD.  Each time about 20% of the images were unusable and not the same images.  I then copied the images from the DVD to a local folder and then imported them from that folder.  No problems.  The DVD has no problems and copied quickly to the HD without stalling on any files.

     

    I then tried the same thing from a DVD that was 4 years old and found images that were also problems with that import.

     

    Trying importing about 10 files at a time from a DVD also produced good results.  So my new rule is "if you have more than a dozen images to import, copy them to the HD before importing them".

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Nov 17, 2015 11:22 AM in response to dbail22
    Level 10 (106,958 points)
    iCloud
    Nov 17, 2015 11:22 AM in response to dbail22

    That is an interesting observation!

  • by dbail22,

    dbail22 dbail22 Nov 30, 2015 11:36 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 30, 2015 11:36 AM in response to léonie

    I have a lot more images now that were imported in various ways (desktop,camera,card,etc) where I cannot edit or export the image.  I can view the image at a very large size in full resolution (36inch monitor) but all the editing tools are grayed out and I receive the file not found error when trying to export.  I am not sure why I can see a full scale image (and zoom into it) but the image cannot be found?? Is there a utility that can find all of these broken images (I have over 8,000 images)?  If there are dozens instead of hundreds or more, I can take a screen shot and re-import it with acceptable results.