Iphoto lost all my photos and won't save new ones

Question

I know this has been asked before, but I am computer illiterate and a first time Mac user (just got my macbook in July). I had approx. 1000 photos saved in iphoto and now when I open the application they are gone! Plus, I just loaded more pics directly from my camera, named and organized them last week (about 25 pics) and now they are gone too! What gives? Am I supposed to be saving these somehow in iphoto? The weird thing is the pics are still in my applications under pictures. (most of them anyway). Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong?
Also, for future reference, whenever I put a cd in and import photos the photos are fine as long as the cd is in, but if the cd is not in the computer iphoto says that it cannot read, also when I try to download photos from friends website it won't show the photo, only a white page with the .jpg logo...this is really frustrating-i never had these problems with my pc, and the reason I got a mac was because of the great pic. capabilities.

Answer 1

I wonder if your database file has been corrupted.
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