Can't access Photos to use as Screensaver/Desktop

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Level 1

5 points

Can't access Photos to use as Screensaver/Desktop

I'm using El Capitan 10.11.6 and have been having trouble accessing Photos using Photos 1.5.

Most recently, when trying to set a new desktop background or screensavers, I can choose the Photo Library as the source and see all the folders, but when I select a folder, no images are shown.

This also happens if I ever try to attach a photo in an email (using Gmail in Chrome). I select Photos in the left menu bar, the folders show up, but when I select a folder, no images appear to select.

Yet, when I am in the Photos app, I can see everything. So I end up doing all these shortcuts, dragging photos to desktop or elsewhere and it's a pain. The PHOTOS app settings are set to use the iCloud Photo library and I am on wifi when trying to do all this. The "optimize Mac Storage" is also enabled, as is the "my photo stream."

Any tips appreciated. I've read all sorts of forums and can't find a solution. I did try this one thing where I typed in these commands but nothing happened.

cd ~/Pictures

ln -s iPhoto\ Library/Originals Originals

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Jul 25, 2016 9:34 AM

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Answer 1

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Jul 25, 2016 10:20 AM in response to HStokes

This also happens if I ever try to attach a photo in an email (using Gmail in Chrome). I select Photos in the left menu bar, the folders show up, but when I select a folder, no images appear to select.

Exactly how are you doing this? I do not use Chrome but test it with Safari and see if that works as it could be a Chrome issue or a workflow issue

For the Safari test reboot your Mac and log into your gmail account and select upload - in the resulting upload window scroll down to media ==> photos ==> photos and your photos should be there - are they? If they are then test with Chrome to see if the exact same workflow works with Chrome

LN

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Answer 2

HStokes Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 25, 2016 10:47 AM in response to LarryHN

Hi - thanks for replying.

It happens in Safari, and also in Mail. From the Compose window in any mail program, if I try to attach a photo by selecting PHOTOS from the media menu, and then navigate to the folder I want within Albums, the pics do not appear. There is a spinning wheel and I've waited for 5 minutes now (in Mail) and nothing appears, so I don't know if leaving that wheel spinning for hours would eventually result in something appearing?

There could be a larger issue b/c *some* things appear when I'm navigating that menu. If I wanted to upload a video or screenshot, I could. But in my ALL PHOTOS folder, they are not ALL my photos. Many are missing. The 2015-2016 folder has about 15 pictures (mostly screenshots) when I have taken hundreds. When I go to Albums, All Photos within the PHotos app, I can see those pictures from this year.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

200,807 points

Jul 25, 2016 1:10 PM in response to HStokes

The PHOTOS app settings are set to use the iCloud Photo library and I am on wifi when trying to do all this. The "optimize Mac Storage" is also enabled, as is the "my photo stream."

If your iCloud Photos Library is optimized, you will not see all photos in the Media Browser, only the ones that are currently stored in full resolution on your Mac.

Make a test: Open Photos, then enlarge a few photos to force a download from iCloud. Quit photos. Now open Mail and try to attach the photos you just enlarged in Photos to a new Mail. Are these photos now visible?

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Answer 4

HStokes Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 25, 2016 5:48 PM in response to léonie

Yes! Thank you. I was able to select the Desktop background from within the photo in the Photos app, so at least that is done, too.

After downloading that pic and also making it the desktop pic, it and a few others that I looked at were newly showing up in the folder when going to attach from an email.

So.. I guess that answers that. Still seems like a multiple step process. If I want to attach a photo, I have to first open PHOTOS and "download" it first, before attaching to an email?

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

200,807 points

Jul 26, 2016 12:49 AM in response to HStokes

If I want to attach a photo, I have to first open PHOTOS and "download" it first, before attaching to an email?

If you did not recently use the photo, yes. That is the big drawback of storing photos in the cloud, optimized. The Media Browser cannot force photos to download them for you.

I would share all photos starting from Photos, if possible. To mail the photo or photos select them in Photos and use "Share > Mail". Photos will download them for sharing. Mailing from Photos will open a "New Mail" window for you with the photos attached. You youst need to set the size you want.

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