IPhoto import Browser failure, after security update?

Question

Hi, Anyone else had this problem?
iPhoto import Browser failure.
No Events or Albums show, although PhotoBooth is visible, error message 'Open iPhoto 5 or later to see photos...'
This used to work, but not since installing Security Update 2010-006 (1.0),
with "iTunes" (10.0.1) and JavaForMacOSX10.6Update3.
Using iPhoto '09 (8.1.2), iMovie '09 (8.0.6).
Heard mention that now only alpha-numeric characters are allowed for file names and titles, so started replacing "&", apostrophes, etc. But there are a LOT of photos to change!
Console shows:
[0x0-0x15015].com.apple.iPhoto[264]
MRMovieServer[273] <Error>: kCGErrorFailure
Tried repairing permissions, but got a warning about a SUID file has been modified and will not be repaired, (not sure if this is relevant).
Removed com.apple.iApps.plist and com.apple.iMovie8.plist, which then gave a slightly different view of the browser in iMovie.
Can no longer drag items from iPhoto either!
Any ideas of how to proceed (and remain sane)?

Answer 1

Hi,
I've had something like this, since October.
Firstly, In the Utilities folder, open Disk Utility, select the disk where the Applications are (Main hard disk) click First Aid, then "Repair Permissions". Leave it running with nothing else open.
When finished, open iMovie, click the photo browser icon, any luck?
Seen an Apple support doc 'Cannot see iPhoto in other Apps', basically you may be right about ampersands & apostrophes.
In iPhoto, look at all your smart album names for non-alpha-numeric characters, and replace or delete the possible culprits. I had lots of these, including brackets (which were not a problem until recently). Keep checking your smart albums to find others, such as these: !@£$%^&()[]{}'\"|~.
Quit iPhoto and all other iLife Apps, then in your home folder, Library, Preferences, move 'com.apple.iApps.plist' to the desktop (this will be recreated when you next open an iApp/iLife application, such as iPhoto).
You may need to remake the iPhoto AlbumData.xml file, after all that name editing. See later.
Open iMovie and click the photo browser icon, if you still get the message, rather than Albums and Events, Quit iMovie.
Open iPhoto, double check your source list for folders which you may have smart albums in, (click the triangle to the left of any folders that you've made to reveal their contents). Repeat the search and replace of special characters. I'd missed a few, hiding in folders.
Now would be a good time to remake the iPhoto 'AlbumData.xml' file.
Quit all applications, go to your Pictures folder, iPhoto Library, ctrl-click, 'Show package contents', drag 'AlbumData.xml' to the desktop.
Close the finder windows.
Open iPhoto, create a new album, then Quit, (this should remake the xml file).
Open iMovie again and click the photo browser icon. This is the point where I had success, I hope it works for you as well.
All the best, Ian