Missing pics in iPhoto

Having recently created several new folders in iPhoto and dragged the pics into the folders, when I click on the folder, the pics show up on the main page, but clicking on any pic just shows a grayed out outline.
Is this because I've enhanced the shot and thus changed it's parameters, because even though I can bring the pics up in Finder, I cant trust the folders if I need to have a book printed, or transfer to a slide show or other application where I may need to show these pics directly out of iPhoto.
Any help would be appreciated.

sapper
You can't drag pics to Folders in the iPhoto window, folders only hold albums.
The grey outline 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 and launch iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose the top three options.
Regards
TD

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Missing pics in iPhoto albums. How do I get them back?

I am heartbroken because I am realizing that some of my albums are missing photos, and I'm hoping someone can tell me how to get them back. I confess that I have so many pics, I don't even know which ones are missing, but one album that I'm sure should have 45 pics has just about 20. If they've disappeared altogether from my computer, that would be just awful, since many are old family photos that I spent forever scanning. I'm on an early 2008 White Macbook, OS X (10.6.8) with iPhoto 09 (8.1.2) Thank you in advance for any helpful instructions you can provide (and not too technical please -- I know my Macs, but I'm not a programmer or anything like that.)

The following may help you understand about deleting photos from a library:
Deleting Photos from an iPhoto Library:
1 - from an Event or the Photos mode: select the photo(s) and use the Delete key to move the photos to the trash bin. Then empty the iPhoto Trash bin as follows:
2 - from an album, smart album, book, slideshow, card, etc.: select the photo(s) and use the key combination of Command+Option+Delete to move the photos to the trash bin. Then empty the trash bin as above.
NOTE: deleting a photo from an album, slideshow, book, etc., with only the Delete key only deletes that photo from that item. Deleting a photo from an Event deletes ALL occurences of that photo in the library.
OT

Missing pics from iPhoto. Blank thumbnails.

All the photos from several iPhoto events are missing. I have rebuilt the library, followed all the directions to rebuild thumbnails, etc., multiple times, but the photos are still gone. The info for the photos is still there, including date, file name, etc., but they can't be viewed, edited, or exported. The finder can't find them. They seem to be phantom photos. Only their ghostly outlines remain. Can they be recovered, or is this a lost cause?

Have you tried restoring from Time Machine? (Restore to another location so you don't overwrite your current library)
Have you tried Downloading iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)
This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places 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.

Iphoto - missing pics

lost access to my pics in iPhoto '08. finder syas they are in there but they dont show up in iphotowhat to do.

Not really. You MUST get more space available or you will lose more than just photot. You need a minimum of 10GB of free space on your Hard Drive at all times. You probably need to buy an external hard drive and run iPhoto on to. Drag the iPhoto library to it intact as a single entity. Depress the option key and launch iPhoto and use the select library command to choose it
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How to extract a pic from iPhoto disc?

Simple question, didn't realise it would be hard to do... I've opened an iPhoto disc which I burned with some family pix on, want to extract a pic from the disc, I've tried dragging and dropping to desktop but it won't let me, have also looked for an 'extract' or 'export' tab but can't find one, have done a quick search and not found the answer, any one give me some help? THANKS!

Much clearer.
My problem is that I'm not at my Mac right now so I'm walking a bit on thin ice.
when I select one and drag and drop onto desktop<<<</div>
That does surprise me but, like I said, I'm not at my Mac.
If I open up the disk manually there is a folder saying iPhoto library, then lots of folders within folders so I can't find the pic I'm looking for.<<<</div>
That's a reasonable problem. The CD is, as you realized, a miniature library.
I was looking for an extract or export tab in 'file' in the menu bar.<<<</div>
This sounds like there is something missing from your iPhoto application. "Export" is definitely in the File menu. If you open your library normally (without the CD), can you get to the export function?

Moving and Organizing Pics in iPhoto 6

I have an older MacBook Pro (2006), running 10.4.11 and iPhoto 6. My hard drive is getting low on space and I'd like to transfer some of my 30 gigs of pics to a 300 gig portable external hd. I'd love to keep the last year or two on my laptop so I don't have to take the external wherever I go. I've had problems in the past with moving pics to an alternate folder in order to find certain pics faster. iPhoto would not be able to find the pic and I would get a grey box with a question mark in place of the image. I'm hoping to not have this problem with 10 gigs worth of pics if I move them to an external. Also, if anyone can tell me the method to rebuild my iPhoto library and get those missing pics, I would appreciate it. The genius bar told me once, something about right clicking the app icon on my dashboard. I can't remember exactly. I'm obviously not a huge tech guy, so please go easy on me. Thanks for any help I can get.

The iPhoto library is a relational database and has no user serviceable parts - if you have mucked around in it your choices are to put it back - return things to exactly the way they were - load a backup or start over
You can move the entire library as a single entity and you can use iPhoto library manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - to mover photos between different libraries - you can not use the finder to move photos around
LN

Copying pics from iphoto says can't copy, photo is busy????

Sometimes when I try to copy photos from iphoto to my external hard drive, it comes up with the message 'cannot copy to this location because one or more of the pictures is busy' what does this mean and how can I change it? It happens quite randomly and if I delete the pic or change the name of the pic i'm trying to copy, it will choose another pic to be busy.....what am I doing wrong? it's infuriating. WHat's more, there is nothing about it in David Pogues 'missing manual'. Am I the only one at a loss when it comes to finding solutions to problems that seem so simple?????

jesssroooo
*It is strongly advised that you do not move, change or in anyway alter things in the iPhoto Library Folder as this can cause the application to fail and even lead to data loss. There is no need for you to ever enter this folder. There are no user serviceable parts there. Period.*
A Note about the iPhoto Library Folder:
In this folder there are various files, which are the Library itself and some ancillary files. Then you have three folders
Originals are the photos as they were downloaded from your camera or scanner.
(ii) Modified contains edited pics, shots that you have cropped, rotated or changed in any way.
(iii) Data holds the thumbnails the the app needs to show you the photos in the iPhoto Window.
is there a simple way to make the pictures in my finder>pictures>iphotolibrary corresponde with the pics in iphoto?
No. The Finder is a File Organiser, iPhoto is a photo organiser. The point is that you let iPhoto look after the files and you organise, edit, whatever in the iPhoto Window - without reference to the files.
To delete pics from iPhoto and the HD, put them in the iPhoto trash and empty it, that's all.
i don't want to have multiple duplicates of the same image
You don't, you have different versions - as detailed above. There is no way to stop iphoto from preserving your original file. If you don't want this use another application.
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
For 10.5 users: You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Apple-Click for selecting multiple pics.
To upload to a site that does not have an iPhoto Export Plug-in the recommended way is to Select the Pic in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export and export the pic to the desktop, then upload from there. After the upload you can trash the pic on the desktop. It's only a copy and your original is safe in iPhoto.
This is also true for emailing with Web-based services. If you're using Gmail you can use THIS
If you use Apple's Mail, Entourage, AOL or Eudora you can email from within iPhoto.
If you use a Cocoa-based Browser such as Safari, you can drag the pics from the iPhoto Window to the Attach window in the browser.
Or, if you want to access the files with iPhoto not running, then create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use THIS
Other options include:
1. *Drag and Drop*: Drag a photo from the iPhoto Window to the desktop, there iPhoto will make a full-sized copy of the pic.
2. *File -> Export*: Select the files in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Export. The dialogue will give you various options, including altering the format, naming the files and changing the size. Again, producing a copy.
3. *Show File*: Right- (or Control-) Click on a pic and in the resulting dialogue choose 'Show File'. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
You can set Photoshop (or any image editor) as an external editor in iPhoto. (Preferences -> General -> Edit Photo: Choose from the Drop Down Menu.) This way, when you double click a pic to edit in iPhoto it will open automatically in Photoshop or your Image Editor, and when you save it it's sent back to iPhoto automatically. This is the only way that edits made in another application will be displayed in iPhoto.
Again, stay out of the iPhoto Library in the Finder, and remember everything you need to do can be done via the iPhoto Window - and if you can't figure out how to achieve something, post here or even check the Help.
Regards
TD

I have 2717 "items" but 2729 total??? missing pics

10 pics are missing--no thumbnails (no dotted box) but they are findable and even have a roll number if I search with Finder. But in iphoto the number of items is different than the "total" which is in parentheses.
I saved the pics on the desktop and imported them the same way I've done before. They appeared to import but where are they? I can't see them on the iphoto library.
I rebuilt everything and re-imorted them several times.

No. And this is the first time there has been more than just "2700 items" on the bottom of the pane. Now it reads "2717 items (2729 total)". When I "get info" re: the whole library it says I have #pics and # movies addind up to 2717 exactly. The missing pics are apparently neither? Also, movies have always been represented by a thumbmnail and are visible.
I tried again to import a photo from a different source and it works fine. It is only these specific photos that don't seems to import. But now I can't delete them either. The message bar at the bottom of the pane keeps showing "2717 items (2729 total)" and it keeps going up even after I deleted the pics and the thumbnails from the library file folder.

I am making a calendar in iPhoto, picking photos from a folder, let's call it "2011 Pics," in iPhoto. After arranging all the photos and captions I decided I wanted to insert a new photo -- one that was not in "2011 Pics." So I inserted it into the folder

Add new photo to existing calendar folder in iPhoto
I am making a calendar in iPhoto, picking photos from a folder, let's call it "2011 Pics," in iPhoto. After arranging all the photos and captions I decided I wanted to insert a new photo -- one that was not in "2011 Pics." So I inserted it into the folder, but the picture does not show up on the scrolling menu of pictures at the left of the calendar-making page. This happened last year and in frustration I started all over again. But surely there is a way to add a new picture to a calendar that is already laid out.

Yes, the Old Master file has a folder for each year where I find all photos from that specific year. I am attaching a screen shot of the file.
In the meantime i have managed to download all photos (it did not download any video files though in mpg, avi, 3gp, m4v,mp4 and mov format) to a new iphoto library. Unfortunately the photos are quite mixed and often doubled up. I ma considering to purchase iphoto library which checks all duplicates in iphoto. this will save me a lot of time. What do you think?

Please help me! I imported my pics to iphoto but I can't open them now. I can't see them on full Screen/edit them like before. All I get is a exclamation mark when I double click on them. I don't have copies, can someone please help me?

I imported all my pics to Iphoto and I can't open/edit them now. When I double click on them, I only get an exclamation mark. Please help me I don't have copies. I tried burning them to a cd but it didn't work. Can someone please help me?

The ! turns up when iPhoto loses the connection between the thumbnail in the iPhoto Window and the file it represents.
What version of iPhoto? Assuming 09 or later...
Option 1
Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.
If that fails:
Option 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. .
Regards
TD

Missing photos in iPhoto '08 v. 7.1.3

This is hardly a "new" topic on this discussion but after trying every recommendation I have been able to find, I am still no further forward so would appreciate any other suggestions that might be forthcoming.
When iPhoto is launched it shows, at the foot, 17,528 items. Click on a thumbnail and one of two thing happens: either, and this is the good one, the photo launches normally or, and this is the other, up pops the greyed out area with the exclamation mark. If I understand that correctly it either means that the original photo is "missing" or that iPhoto is unable to link to it.
An Info check on the iPhoto library shows 12.86 GB. However, on the originals folder only it shows 5.49 GB for 7,506 items.
I have tried all the rebuild facilities offered by iPhoto. No change.
I have installed iPhoto Library Manager and tried to rebuild the library using that: it hangs, showing "getting photo information"...which it doesn't. I had to close it using Force Quit.
I have used the "extract photos" facility in that program - it tells me that 5,589 photos have been extracted.
None of the figures tie up - and I'm not even clear if they are supposed to do so.
The real mystery to me is that the "missing" photos seem entirely random: in a group of, say 10, photos which were imported together 1 or 2 might be missing, all might be, none might be. There is just no discernible "pattern" to the problem.
So, two questions, really: (1) any bright ideas as to what to try next or what might be causing this and (2) if my library is terminally corrupted then it seems to me I should start a brand new library using the extracted photos as the basis then add others from CDs and DVDs, but in doing so is there a way of avoiding duplication?
Thanks in anticipation...
Ryetee

Ryetee
To create a library from scratch - which is what you need to do as you do have a damaged 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

How can I use a pic from iPhoto as a background for a page, How can I use a pic as a background for a page

How can I use a pic from iPhoto as a background for a page, How can I use a pic as a background for a page

cd,
Insert the picture and position it as you desire
Make sure the picture is set to Floating in the Wrap Inspector
Arrange > Send Objects to Background
Regards,

I attempted to import pics from iphoto to a folder on my desktop but somehow clicked desktop so 45,000 pics loaded, now computer freezes after trying to load everything. possible to reverse this? options? restore hd from time machine? pls help!!!

long story short...i attempted to import pics from iphoto to a folder on my desktop but somehow clicked desktop so 45,000 pics loaded to my desktop and now my computer freezes up after trying to load everything, and i'm not able to just drag the photos into the folder. is it possible to reverse this? what are my options? restore hd from time machine?
a further question to restoring my hd from a previous backup on time machine...it says it will erase the hd. does it actually erase everything or does it just erase anything that may have been added or downloaded since that backup? this is confusing to me.
another problem which is part of the original problem is it seems that when i connect my iphone to my computer and iphoto uploads my pics...it doesn't just upload new ones, it duplicates and uploads every picture again...which is why i have 45,000 pics...they are 40,000 duplicates! what's up with that?
I have a macbook pro, and recently updated the os to Yosemite. the iphoto app is out of date, but i'll worry about that once i can figure out how to get all those pics off the desktop. also, i recently purchased and installed 8g of new ram, but that hasn't seemed to help.
any advice would be appreciated!
thanks!!

thanks for replying.
the booting and walking away and then attempting to browse and clean method is what i've been trying to do. it won't let me drag and drop and just freezes up and goes to sleep after 2 minutes. it's a never ending battle with very few results. which is why i questioned the method of just restoring the hd from a time machine backup.
do you think restoring the hd from time machine will resolve the issue with all pics on the desktop? and everything will be as it was from the date i restore it from? sorry, as you can tell, i'm not overly computer savvy.
i have a really old desktop mac...i can try connecting the two...how does one boot a mac in 'target mode'?
as for the iphoto cleaning and organizing issue...that is what i was trying to accomplish with importing them to a folder. was going to browse and clean from there...but somehow imported to desktop which is what's complicating everything. once i get them off the desktop i can work on the iphoto issue...which as i mentioned...i didn't take 45,000 pics...i've just taken about 4,500 over the last few years, and they are being duplicated in iphoto. this was my attempt to clean it out entirely and start over. it will basically be a lot of deleting.
one problem, seems to lead me to more...which is just my luck. :-)
thanks again, for your help.

How to export pics from iPhoto without losing info such as ratings, names etc

Hi,
I'm trying to export lots of pictures from my iPhoto library to my mother's. I've got the two computers lined up next to eachother, filesharing on, using the "export" option in my iphoto to export the pics to a shared folder, then importing them into my mother's iPhoto.
But whatever I seem to do, all the relevant additional information attached to the photos gets lost on the way:
- they arrive with today's date instead of their real dates
- all the "names" information is lost
- the ratings I'd given them are lost
Is there any way to preserve this information? It seems ridiculous if I have to again trawl through 100s of pics on my mother's computer to reinsert that data for each picture.
A second, less important question: when I export the pics from iPhoto (setting on jpeg) I have to choose size and jpeg quality - I'm sure these options are great if I wanted to reduce the size or quality, but I just want to export them exactly as they are in my iPhoto. If I choose high quality the exported file ends up smaller than the file in my iphoto, if I choose maximum quality it ends up twice as big. Any idea which settings just leave the size and quality as is?
Many thanks for your help.

The easiest way to move files/albums/events plus all versions and metadata between Libraries is with
iPhoto Library Manager
You're running into a Catch-22.
The setting for leaving the file at the size and quality it is is to export the Original file. In the Export dialogue it's in the Kind dropdown.
When you export using the File ->Export dialogue you can write some of the info to the file on the way out: Titles and Descriptions (which also gets Keywords). You can't write ratings information because this is not standard metadata. A workaround: use a keyword: '5', '4' etc.
The catch is that this info is not in the Original file. So, if you export as anythign other than Original you have to choose a size and quality. If you export the Original you don't get the metadata - because that's not in the original.
Hence my suggestion of Library Manager.
Regards
TD

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