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TICKET ARCHIVE -> iphoto

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 1:45 pm

Some accidental keystrokes resulted in there no longer being photos in my iphoto library. I was making changes in the title of a photo when it occured. How can I restore my photo library?
Steve

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 3:44 pm

Did your photos end up in the Trash? iPhoto's Trash, that is.

- Ben

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 5:24 pm

Thanks for answering, Ben.
Don't know how to access Trash through iPhoto, but I opened Trash and found some iPhoto files from today. None look big enough to include my missing photo library. One from today had a .iphoto extension and wouldn't open for that reason.
Steve

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 5:27 pm

On the sidebar in iPhoto, where your albums and so forth are, you'll also see Trash. Just like when you delete a file in the Finder and it first goes to the Trash, iPhoto sends deleted photos to a Trash that can be similarly emptied.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 5:42 pm

Okay, I found iPhoto's Trash and it is empty . . . maybe not a good sign?

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 6:14 pm

Take that file with the .iphoto extension out of the trash. Go to your Pictures folder and select (click once on) iPhoto Library. Choose File > Show Package Contents. In the window that appears, which is the contents of the iPhoto Library bundle, do you see a file of the same name with the .iphoto extension? Is it a noticeably smaller file?

I'm thinking you need to replace it with the one that ended up in the Trash, but without being brash, let's just move it somewhere else; anywhere other than its current location or the location of the other .iphoto file. Then, drag the other one in and try to open iPhoto.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 6:47 pm

I removed the .iphoto extension out of Trash and left it as an icon on my desktop. I opened the Pictures folder in Finder and clicked once on iPhoto Library. When I chose File I did not see a Show Package Contents option.
Would a conversation be more convenient for you? 760-207-2577.

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 7:07 pm

Sorry, I should have asked what version of iPhoto you're using?

For the moment, a phone conversation is not more convenient and I'd like to keep the correspondence recorded on the site.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 7:30 pm

I have iPhoto 6.0.6 (322).

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 7:42 pm

That's the reason the previous step didn't work. Apple has since changed the way the iPhoto Library is stored. Back to the Finder, when you open iPhoto Library, are there any .iphoto files? My guess is that both the one in the trash and perhaps one currently in the iPhoto Library folder are called Library6.iPhoto and that swapping them might solve your problem.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 7:58 pm

There's no extension assigned to iPhoto Library folder. But it won't open. The other file that I removed from Trash won't open because of the extension .iPhoto. I tried swapping them in Pictures but that didn't seem to help opening them.

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 8:03 pm

Sorry if I wasn't clear before. I'm assuming that inside the iPhoto Library folder is a file called Library6.iPhoto. But you're saying you can't open the iPhoto Library folder at all? (It's a folder; it's not going to have an extension, and it should open like any other folder.)

The process was to get the trashed .iPhoto file into the iPhoto Library folder.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 8:18 pm

I'm with you now I think. I opened the iPhoto Library folder and tried to lift it to the desktop so I could replace it with the other one. But since they're identical it asked me whether I wanted to replace it and I didn't know if I should.

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 8:47 pm

You might remember this from earlier:

Put the .iPhoto file from iPhoto Library somewhere other than the Desktop. You could even put it in the Trash, as long as you don't empty the trash right away. And drag the other one in.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 9:19 pm

I put everything .iPhoto into my iPhoto Library folder and can now open iPhoto with my sidebar titles restored. But instead of thumbnail photos I have what looks like outlines of old 35mm slides in their place with no images. This partial restoration is encouraging, but my images aren't there. I hope you're not missing any meals.

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 9:38 pm

Meals? I made dinner a few hours ago and just finished watching Catch & Release.

Good to hear you've restored iPhoto's knowledge of the location of your photos. Sounds like it only needs to rebuild its thumbnail storehold. A simple Google search does the trick. To be safe, backup your iPhoto Library first. This can be as simple as quitting iPhoto and then selecting the folder in the Finder and choosing the File > Duplicate command.

Once you've backed up, open iPhoto and immediately hold the Command and Option keys. iPhoto will rebuild the library and you should be back to normal.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 10:21 pm

Copy's done and I indicated I wanted to restore the thumbnails by checking all the options. It seems to start and then not finish. Or maybe I'm rushing it. Maybe this is as close as I need to get for today.

earthsaver - Mar 9, 2008 - 10:28 pm

How big is your library? Maybe try restarting and then rebuilding again? That's all I can really think of, besides waiting. How long did you wait for the progress bar to get to the end?

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 10:35 pm

The library has just over 2000 images mostly .jpgs. The progress bar concluded in just a few seconds. I'll be away for 15 minutes. Thanks for your indulgence.

Okiegeezer - Mar 9, 2008 - 11:29 pm

So it's recognizing the data base but just won't restore the images. Something for a later date? I'm good for one more hour.

earthsaver - Mar 10, 2008 - 12:01 am

Wait a sec. You chose to restore the thumbnails by checking all the options. How many options were there? What were the others?, besides "Rebuild all of the photos' thumbnails."

Okiegeezer - Mar 10, 2008 - 12:11 am

*Rebuild the photos' small thumbnails
*Rebuild all photos' thumbnails
*Rebuild the iPhoto Library database
*Recover orphaned photos in the iPhoto Library folder

It didn't like all, and it didn't like any one . . .

earthsaver - Mar 10, 2008 - 12:33 am

This has been a productive troubleshooting session for us and I'm now stuck, so I'm reopening your question for another tech to address and hopefully bring you to resolution.

Okiegeezer - Mar 10, 2008 - 12:36 am

Thank you so much for your time Ben. In the spirit of good deeds, you have excelled today. Good luck. I'll answer anyone else's effort after work tomorrow.

Okiegeezer - Mar 10, 2008 - 8:21 pm

Monday 3-10
With Ben's help yesterday, all my album titles have been restored and are visible in the sidebar. But instead of thumbnail images I have thumbnail 35mm slide outlines with seemingly correct numbers and labels but no images. Any help would be appreciated.

Okiegeezer - Mar 11, 2008 - 8:46 pm

Tuesday 3-11
Tried several methods on my own to no avail. I think I'm dying a slow death.

Okiegeezer - Mar 12, 2008 - 7:23 pm

Wednesday 3-12
Has Ben been in contact with anyone? Maybe I'm supposed to start over, but I'll keep this thread open until resolution or my time runs out.