IPhoto 09 (8.1.2) - Only shows blank window/no pix after iTunes/iOS4 update

Question

Before updating to iTunes 9.2 and iPhone iOS4 (iPhone 3GS) my iPhoto 09 (8.1.2) was functioning perfectly. I have hundreds of photos and no issues with importing or displaying of photos on the Macbook.
I updated to iTunes 9.2 so I could download and update my iPhone 3GS to iOS4. Once I did that update my iPhoto install has been trashed.
Now, when I start iPhoto I get an empty two column window with no thumbnails or event folders in the larger white window column and no events/faces/last import/etc in the smaller grey left column. The two window columns exist but they are empty, no text, to pictures, nothing.
I verified that the picture files exists within the iPhoto Library subdirectory under ~/Pictures.
I tried starting iPhoto while holding command+option and then rebuilding the database. Also tried rebuilding small thumbnails. Nothing worked. iPhoto still starts into a blank window and there is no way to look into pictures or events manually. Even using toolbar drop down menus.
Software Update shows no updates available so I am guessing this is a new problem or something they haven't fixed yet.
When I start iPhoto, I get this console message:
7/12/10 12:45:44 PM iPhoto[1039] * -[FlippedViewTextView setFont:]: nil NSFont given.
When I starting clicking the main drop down menus in iPhoto I get:
7/12/10 12:46:46 PM iPhoto[1039] HIToolbox: ignoring exception '* -[FlippedViewTextView setFont:]: nil NSFont given.' that raised inside Carbon event dispatch
0 CoreFoundation 0x00c04bda __raiseError + 410
1 libobjc.A.dylib 0x95010509 objcexceptionthrow + 56
2 CoreFoundation 0x00c04908 +[NSException raise:format:arguments:] + 136
3 CoreFoundation 0x00c0487a +[NSException raise:format:] + 58
4 AppKit 0x9390fff2 -[NSTextView setFont:] + 254
5 iPhoto 0x005f259a 0x0 + 6235546
6 CoreFoundation 0x00b9d584 -[NSSet makeObjectsPerformSelector:] + 196
7 AppKit 0x936ba530 -[NSIBObjectData nibInstantiateWithOwner:topLevelObjects:] + 1566
8 AppKit 0x936b8508 loadNib + 257
9 AppKit 0x936b7b5b +[NSBundle(NSNibLoading) _loadNibFile:nameTable:withZone:ownerBundle:] + 831
10 AppKit 0x936b7811 +[NSBundle(NSNibLoading) loadNibFile:externalNameTable:withZone:] + 158
11 AppKit 0x936b775c +[NSBundle(NSNibLoading) loadNibNamed:owner:] + 383
12 iPhoto 0x004858fb 0x0 + 4741371
13 iPhoto 0x00097dca 0x0 + 622026
14 iPhoto 0x00097b02 0x0 + 621314
15 iPhoto 0x0007ef8e 0x0 + 520078
16 AppKit 0x9372c086 -[NSMenu _enableItem:] + 651
17 AppKit 0x9372f370 -[NSCarbonMenuImpl _carbonUpdateStatusEvent:handlerCallRef:] + 527
18 AppKit 0x9372cf49 NSSLMMenuEventHandler + 404
19 HIToolbox 0x915b5f2f _ZL23DispatchEventToHandlersP14EventTargetRecP14OpaqueEventRefP14HandlerCallRec + 1567
20 HIToolbox 0x915b51f6 _ZL30SendEventToEventTargetInternalP14OpaqueEventRefP20OpaqueEventTargetRefP14H andlerCallRec + 411
21 HIToolbox 0x915d79bb SendEventToEventTarget + 52
22 HIToolbox 0x91603fa7 ZL18SendHICommandEventmPK9HICommandmmhPKvP20OpaqueEventTargetRefS5PP14OpaqueEventRef + 448
23 HIToolbox 0x91603de4 UpdateHICommandStatusWithCachedEvent + 66
24 HIToolbox 0x915b1701 _ZN13HIApplication12EventHandlerEP25OpaqueEventHandlerCallRefP14OpaqueEventRefP v + 1287
25 HIToolbox 0x915b5f2f _ZL23DispatchEventToHandlersP14EventTargetRecP14OpaqueEventRefP14HandlerCallRec + 1567
26 HIToolbox 0x915b51f6 _ZL30SendEventToEventTargetInternalP14OpaqueEventRefP20OpaqueEventTargetRefP14H andlerCallRec + 411
27 HIToolbox 0x915d79bb SendEventToEventTarget + 52
28 HIToolbox 0x9160187c ZL15SendMenuOpeningP14MenuSelectDataP8MenuDatadmP14_CFDictionaryhPh + 826
29 HIToolbox 0x91601171 ZL11DrawTheMenuP14MenuSelectDataPP9_CFArrayhPh + 263
30 HIToolbox 0x91600f3b _ZL11MenuChangedP14MenuSelectDatahh + 467
31 HIToolbox 0x915ffcb9 _ZL15TrackMenuCommonR14MenuSelectDataPh + 1481
32 HIToolbox 0x915f8259 _ZL14MenuSelectCoreP8MenuData5PointdmPP13OpaqueMenuRefPt + 315
33 HIToolbox 0x915f7a56 _HandleMenuSelection2 + 465
34 HIToolbox 0x915f7874 _HandleMenuSelection + 53
35 AppKit 0x9372648a _NSHandleCarbonMenuEvent + 285
36 AppKit 0x936fb03a _DPSNextEvent + 2304
37 AppKit 0x936fa2ca -[NSApplication nextEventMatchingMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 156
38 AppKit 0x936bc55b -[NSApplication run] + 821
39 AppKit 0x936b45ed NSApplicationMain + 574
40 iPhoto 0x00124b80 0x0 + 1198976
41 iPhoto 0x00003172 0x0 + 12658
42 ??? 0x00000002 0x0 + 2
Ideas?

Answer 1

Perhaps a full repair permissions is necessary or something..
That's what one of the options in the iPhoto rebuild did. Create a new library, add a few photos and see if all is well. If so log into another user account on your Mac and try iPhoto there.
If iPhoto works OK in the other user account and in the new library your library is damaged and the repairs are not working. If iPhoto doesn't work in the other account nor the new library a reinstall of iPhoto seems indicated. To do so you'll have to first delete the current application and all files with "iPhoto" in the file name with either a .PKG or .BOM extension that reside in the HD/Library/Receipts folder, reinstall iPhoto from the disk it came on and reapply the latest updaters.
If iPhoto works in the other user account but not in the new library then there may be another preference files in your account that could be the culprit. Here's how to check that out:
Trouble Shooting Preferences in Leopard/Snow Leopard
1 - Create a folder titled "Preferences A" on the Desktop.
2 - Open the working Preferences folder, HD/Users/your_name/Library/Preferences, and move the contents to the Preferences A folder on the Desktop.
3 - With the working Preferences folder empty run the application again and determine if the problems is fixed.
NOTE: you may have to drag the contents of the working folder to the trash and empty if moving the contents to the A folder only copies them instead of moving.
4 - If the problem is fixed:
A - open the working Preferences folder (HD/Users/your_name/Library/Preferences).
B - Open the Preferences A folder on the Desktop, select all of the contents and drag them into the working Preferences folder.
C - When the Copy window pops up check the "Apply to All" check box and then click on the Don't Replace button.
Click to view full size
5 - If the problem is NOT fixed, empty the working Preferencess folder and move the contents of the Preferences folder on the desktop back into it.