Half my photos suddenly not showing up (version 7.1.5)

Question

arghhhh, half my albums have disappeared!
this is what happened:
i had just imported some new photos into iphoto. then i proceeded to upload some of them onto my facebook page using the facebook exporter within iphoto. i have done this many times without problems. the export kept failing as it did not like one of the jpegs (must have been a corrupt file?).
i tried a few times again to do the export, but no luck.
then when i went back to iphoto i noticed that about half my library was missing (all albums from 2008-2010 were not there).
all the actual individual jpeg files are still on my HD, thank god.
i just want to know how to rebuild my iphoto back to how it was...
have tried the "rebuild" as mentioned on apple's help page but it made zero difference.
can anyone please advise me on what to do? any help appreciated!

Answer 1

i just want to know how to rebuild my iphoto back to how it was...
Only one way to that precisely: restore from your back up.
Otherwise:
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 and keywords back.
Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.
3. If neither of these work then you'll need to create and populate a new library.
To create and populate a new *iPhoto 08* 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