Newly installed iPhoto 08 hangs on startup

Question

Just installed iLife 08 from a family pack w/4 unused licenses. iMovie didn't update because my G4 is incompatible but everything else did. I ran Software Update and it now says everything's up to date. Also repaired permissions.
When I start iPhoto, I get a dialogue box that asks "Do you want to use iPhoto when you connect your digital camera?", the iPhoto window appears, saying "Loading photos..." and showing the timer wheel, and a progress window appears that says "Examining photo library...". Then, I get the beachball and that's it. Activity Monitor shows it's "Not responding."
Based on [this 12/20/08 thread|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8655758&#8655758], I realized I'd directly (i.e., via drag and drop) moved some photos out of the iPhoto Library recently and this might be the cause. So I downloaded iPhoto Library Manager and ran its Rebuild Library function. This created a Rebuilt Library (containing only com.apple.iPhoto.plist and iPhotoLock.data) and launched iPhoto, which did exactly what it's done before. I've also tried moving the iPhoto Library to the Trash, leaving only the Rebuilt Library, and launching iPhoto. Same result.
I wouldn't mind losing the old library if I must because I have copies of all the photos elsewhere. I just want to get iPhoto working again but can't figure out how.

Answer 1

iPhoto creates an iPhoto Library folder in /Users/username/Libraries/Pictures.
Well actually that’sin Users/ Username/Pictures / iPhoto Library Folder , but no matter.
The internal structure of the Library is very different in iPhoto 08 - I‘ll come to that in a moment.
So, try this:
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library' see if the app will actually create a Library for you.
Assuming it does:
I have another nested folder that's structured and named as I like, containing all the photos I care about.
To recreate this folder structure in iPhoto, start at the bottom of your hierarchy and drag a folder of images to the Source (or left-hand) pane in iPhoto. Iphoto will import the pics and create an Album from there. You can then create the Enclosing Folders in iPhoto (File -> New Folder) and drag the Album to the Folder. In this way you can quickly recreate your folder system
a: To use *Photoshop with iPhoto*: 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.
(BTW this was true of iPhoto 5 too)
b: The Structure of the iPhoto Library Folder is *very different* in iPhoto 08 and later. With iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is now a Unix Style Package File. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves.
Want to see inside the Library folder? Go to this Library you‘ve made and right click on the icon. From the resulting menu select ‘Show Package Contents’ and a finder window will open with the Library exposed.
Standard Warning: Don't change anything in the iPhoto Library Folder via the Finder or any other application. iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
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 core 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.
Remember: iPhoto depends on the structure as well as the contents of this folder. Moving things, renaming things or otherwise making changes will prevent iPhoto from working and could even cause you to damage or lose your photos.
How to +acces your files+ in iPhoto...
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
*For Users of 10.5 Only*
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.
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
Uploaded with plasq's Skitch!
*For users of 10.4 and 10.5* ...
Many internet sites such as Flickr and SmugMug have plug-ins for accessing the iPhoto Library. If the site you want to use doesn’t then some, one or any of these will also work:
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. However, if you're using Gmail you can use iPhoto2GMail
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.
*If you want to access the files with iPhoto not running*:
Create a Media Browser using Automator (takes about 10 seconds) or use this free utility Karelia iMedia Browser
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.
Regards
TD