Iphoto 08 quits everytime i click somewhere else

Question

Hey, imac G5 running Tiger. I purchased iLife 08 and have had lots of trouble with iPhoto. The main two problems are:
when I import photos, after the import is finished, the "finalizing import" window comes up and it just spins and spins forever. I have to force quit to get out. That's annoying but not too big of a deal since when I reopen iPhoto the import is there and the pictures are normally fine. But I still wish it didn't happen.
The bigger issue is that when using iPhoto, if I have the audacity to click on anything other than iPhoto, it unexpectedly quits. Every single time. Since I bought iLife 08 primarily for iPhoto, I feel like I wasted my money and should have stuck with iPhoto 6. Seems lame that a brand new piece of software just doesn't really work right...
Also, I have rebuilt my library twice and trashed the preferences. I've reinstalled from the disc. None of this has helped either of those two problems. Please help...

Answer 1

Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Try the following:
1 - create a new test library, import some photos and see if it will operate as it should. If it does then your primary library is damaged. You can try to recover the damaged library by rebuilding it with iPhoto Library Manager as follows:
Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
1 -Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
2 -Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your User/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File->Rebuild Library menu option
4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
5 - Click on the Create button.
Note: It may take some time to create the new library if you have a lot of photos. Report back on how long it took and how many photos you have in the library so we can give other users an idea of how long it may take.
If the test library doesn't operate correctly either go to step 2.
2 - log into another account, create a test library, import some pictures and see if it will work. If it does then there's something in the primary account that's the culprit. It might be a preference file other that iPhoto's. Here's how to determine if that's the case:
Trouble Shooting Preferences
Go to HD/Users/Your_name/Library. Move the Preferences folder (in its entirety) to the Desktop and make a second copy of it so you have Copy A and B. Now try the the process again and determine if problem is fixed.
If the problem IS fixed, then go to the new Prefs folder that the OS will have created and open it up.
Open Copy B on the Desktop and select all of the items inside. Drag them into the open new library folder. When the Copy window comes up check the Apply to All check box and then click on the Don't Replace button as seen here. That will keep the new files created and bring back all of the others.
If the problem is NOT fixed, trash the new Prefs folder and move the intact Copy A folder back to the Library folder .
Also, if you're still at 10.4.9 I suggest you download and run the 10.4 11 COMBO updater followed by a permissions repair.
Note: when you reinstalled iPhoto 08 from the iLife disks did you first delete all of the files with iPhoto in the file name that reside in the HD/Library/Receipts folder as well the current iPhoto application? If not then you did not reinstall a new version of iPhoto.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.≤br>
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.