Can't view Photos in large size, Export as Jpeg or to iWeb

Question

Hello,
This has been frustrating me for months and I don't know what to do to resolve this.
I have an iPhoto library with about 6,000 images in it. Here are some of the sympyoms I am experiencing:
If I double click on an image all I get is a lo res black background with a dark gray exclamation mark on it.
If I select several images and create a gallery to sync to my iPod Touch, none of those images appear and will not sync.
If I create another gallery to export to iWeb, same thing. I am unable to create a new iWeb page.
I also cannot export to any file format if I do multiple selections. I can only do one at a time.
I can edit most images I just cannot preview them at a larger scale.
I can view the original CR2 files in the finder and they open in Preview and PhotoShop no problem.
This is all after rebuilding my iPhoto Library multiple times, deleting and reimporting every image from a backup, running BatChmod with the settings that were recommended...
I am at a loss. I don't know what I did. Everything was fine until a few months ago. I'm not sure if it was an OS update that did this or what.
Any help would be most appreciated.
vchip

Answer 1

vchip
The ! or ? turns up when iPhoto loses the connection between the thumbnail in the iPhoto Window and the file it represents.
The most common cause of this is User Activity in the iPhoto Library Folder in the Finder.
Have you altered, moved or renamed anything in the iPhoto Library Folder?
If you haven't, then try rebuilding the database. Hold down the apple and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild.
If that fails then it's likely that you have a damaged database:
Try these in order - from best option on down...
1. Do you have an up-to-date back up? If so, try copy the library6.iphoto file from the back up to the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) allowing it to overwrite the damaged file.
2. Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums back.
3. If neither of these work then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
To create and populate a new library:
Note this will give you a working library with the same Events and pictures as before, however, you will lose your albums, keywords, modified versions, books, calendars etc.
In the iPhoto Preferences -> Events Uncheck the box at 'Imported Items from the Finder'
Move the iPhoto Library to the desktop
Launch iPhoto. It will ask if you wish to create a new Library. Say Yes.
Go into the iPhoto Library (Right Click -> Show Package Contents) on your desktop and find the Originals folder. From the Originals folder drag the individual Event Folders to the iPhoto Window and it will recreate them in the new library.
When you're sure all is well you can delete the iPhoto Library on your desktop.
In the future, in addition to your usual back up routine, you might like to make a copy of the library6.iPhoto file whenever you have made changes to the library as protection against database corruption.
Regards
TD