Original Master files lost

I dont' know how, or when. I've been using Aperture for years. I keep all files in the library, and library is on my main built in drive. I do a SuperDuper clone, a Time Machine, and a Vault. So it's backed up well. But in this case a backup doesn't help.
Today I went to access some files from 2007. I couldn't do anything with them only to find out the original is missing. Not all images in any one project, just some scattered through the library. I have no idea when this happened, they are not in the vault nor backups.
Not sure what to even ask for here. But if anyone has an idea what may have happened. I've not had any hd problems. Have obviously upgraded to news iMac since 07. But I'm carful to do a backup, update vault. But the files are not in those places. Not that I've found yet.
And frankly I don't know the scope of the damage. Can't tell just looking at a glance.
Is there any tool to check the db? Check versions vs Masters?
From now on, import into Aperture, and save in a folder.

One thing I strongly recommend is to back up originals before ever entering Aperture or any other images management application. Those pre-Aperture backups are on drives that are not otherwise part of any images workflow. And I keep the original file name from the camera as part of any later file naming.
IMO the workflows found in most manuals that have the photog opening directly into Aperture are very wrong. Such risky handling of not-backed-up originals by an images management application should not be part of a professional workflow.
In the event Aperture Originals/Masters become "lost" (meaning Aperture's pointers for those images are broken) the file names can (as a last resort) be used to do a Finder search of the backup drives. Note that backup drives for the copies of originals are never even touched without first closing Aperture and any other images management application. When the originals are found I create a new folder of images by copying, move that new folder on to the Aperture images drive, then eject the backup drive prior to opening Aperture or any other images management application.
My Nikons sequence image numbering every 9,999 (IMO it should be 99,999 minimum) so that means such a search will usually find multiple different images with the same number. That is not actually that big a deal because it is easy enough to visually identify the correct image among a dozen, and once one IDs one image the folder that backs up that specific project can easily be found.
Another option is a search of the backup drives by file date, or image number plus file date.
HTH
-Allen

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Is a corrupted file the version or the master file?

Hi,
When a version was created from a master/RAW file and it gets corrupted, what got corrupted? In other words, can we go back to the master?
I often create duplicate versions of important images in case one gets corrupted - and it's easier than going back to TM to retrieve an earlier file, but I am beginning to wonder whether I am kidding myself.
Thanks,
Raphael

Raphael, that depends.
When a version was created from a master/RAW file and it gets corrupted, what got corrupted? In other words, can we go back to the master?
If you see a corrupted version, the chances are high, the original image is corrupted, and thus a corrupted version is computed. You should be able to see this by toggling between original master file and version (press the "M" key). The version is not stored as an actual image file, it is a set of instructions on how to create the version image file by applying adjustments to the original image. These may get corrupted too, if Aperture crashes while writing these instructions. Then you can usually repair this by repairing you Aperture library with the first aid tools. Aperture 3 User Manual: Repairing and Rebuilding Your Aperture Library
Or just discard the version and revert to the original image by using the command "Photos > Revert to original".
To protect yourself against the original images getting corrupted, it is highly recommended to backup your origininal image files right from the card, even before importing to Aperture. Aperture provides a setting to create an backup of the originals while importing. Keep these in a safe place, n addition to your Time Machine backup. But it is not necessary, IMHO, to import the images in duplicates. Then both copies will be on the same disk, and if your disk fails, has bad blocks, etc. both copies might get corrupted at the same time.
Regards
Léonie

Saving metadata directly to master file

I have 20,000+ photos (JPEG format) in iPhoto, which I have annotated with creation dates, titles, descriptions, keywords, GPS coordinates, place names, and faces. I wish to liberate myself from iPhoto and Apple, so I would like to transfer the metadata directly into the original/master JPG files, but I want to do that without mucking around with the original images. I was told in an iPhoto discussion topic that Aperture could do this, but I could not figure out how to do it, and the guy then refused to provide instructions.
When I had to add creation dates, I always checked the "Modify original files" box, so I believe that is already in all of the master files. I also believe (and have to accept the fact) that there is no way I will ever be able to retain the place names or faces metadata. So, that leaves the titles, descriptions (captions), keywords, and GPS coordinates.
I can add all of that metadata by exporting from iPhoto, but the option that allows inclusion of metadata also insists on recompressing the image with another pass through lossy JPEG compression. At "Maximum" quality, my ~2.5 MB files balloon to ~6.7 MB (on average). At "High" quality, they remain about the same size, and I suppose it is doubtful that any loss in quality would be minor, it just seems illogical and inelegant to recompress the images just to alter the metadata in the file header. A workaround I have discovered is to do the export, then use ExifTool to extract the metadata and then write it directly to the master file headers without mucking with the image itself. If the freeware ExifTool can do this, it would be nice if iPhoto could do it.
In the other topic linked above, the guy implied that Aperture could export some, a little, a lot, or all of the metadata (whatever I wanted). I did quite a bit of testing, but I could not figure out how to do that. Does anybody here know whether that is possible? He refused to tell me, as things devolved into a meaningless argument about whether iPhoto was "recompressing" images using JPEG when exporting as a JPEG (I claim it does). If I am wrong about that, I would like to correct that.
Below are the highlights of my findings in Aperture from the other topic, which I would like to correct, as well, if I am wrong.
Aperture Original export
Aperture Original export does not seem to alter some images, and it can embed Description and Keywords as IPTC fields. However, it substantially changed the size of some of my images (far more than could be accounted for by adding a tiny bit of metadata), so I am not sure it is really leaving all images untouched. More importantly, it does not seem to embed Title or GPS information. So, it seems like the most useless option.
Aperture Versions export
The Aperture Versions export, unlike the Aperture Original export, does include the GPS information, but, like Aperture Original export, it does not include the Title. And, like iPhoto export, Aperture Versions export modifies the original image, albeit with much lower inflation in file size. This also seems like a relatively useless option.

splinke wrote:
In any event, although the Aperture Original export can apparently embed Description and Keywords metadata in the original/master file when the IPTC option is selected, it does not seem capable of embedding Title or GPS coordinate metadata. So, it does not seem to be useful for my purpose. Am I missing an option somewhere to include all metadata in the export? It seems like this is my best bet, if I can just figure out how to include those other fields in the export.
When you export the original, select the metadata option IPTC4XMP Sidecar file.
In addition to your original Image file, you'll also get an extra file ending .XMP.
This contains all the metadata you're looking for, including others such as the colour label, star rating, etc.
When you import your images to your new software, just make sure you choose software that supports reading the XMP file (it's a pretty common standard).
Andy

Lost master files in Aperture

I recently lost about a dozen or more master files. I do not mess with the file structure. All of the lost masters were uploaded to both facebook and picasa using Aperture's upload utilities. I was able to semi-restore the files by dragging the preview files outside of Aperture and re-importing them, but as a "professional" app I should not have to worry about losing my pics when doing basic functions like this. Any suggestions on cause and/or avoidance?

I am in a bit of a pickle with problems relocating original files that were imported to Aperture 3.
I had the original files in folders in documents and I decided to drag and drop them into external Iomega 1TB external drive.. which is used in time machine back up.
I can see all my back-ups going back to the start in time machine, however when I look for ( relocate ) originals they cannot be found..
I never deleted anything and thought dragging and dropping was safe..?
When I try to relocate the originals it shows the external drive online however the filepath is shown in red.. see attached image that shows this problem
Any help or advice would be much appreciated
Hope I have explained the problem correctly..
Thanks
Paul

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Hmmm not familar with MACs recovery systems ... but depending on how long ago it was deleted the problem you have is you're still writing to the disk all this time ... so the chances of getting a proper recovered file is getting smaller and smaller ... because of the possibly of being wiped or written over ...
Sorry I can't help more here ...
cherrs,
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Install acrobat pro when i have lost the original download file?

ow can I install acrobat pro when I have lost the original download file?

thank you so much.
I have just recently subscribed to the CC and am enjoying it so much.
I consider myself to be an accomplished computer user but OMG this is
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Allow version of Muse file to be downloaded from BC and edited (instead of always needing the original Muse file...which can get lost)

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my 2¢

Convert a copy to a master file

Ernie,
My master has been destroyed. I can view my photo but I cannot work (change) them because I receive the message that aperture cannot find the master file.
So I would like to know if there is a way to convert my file (1000 photo), that is considered by aperture as a copy, to a master file. Thank you

Colette,
your answer to Ernie Stamper was meant for this thread, right?
I am a user of aperture 3.2.4 and I want to convert a work file containing about 1000 photos to an original file (the original was lost by mistake). Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Colette
Yesterday the ASC system was down and the reply button did not work. As Ernie told you in that thread, you can indeed turn the previews you still have into new original master image files by importing them again.
The simplest way to do that:
While in Aperture select all thumbnails in the Browser and simply drag them to a folder on the Desktop. This will save the previews you now have as jpeg image files in that folders. You may want to do that for each project separately, so that your images stay organized.
Then import these exported images again. They now will be imported as new originals and you can edit them again. Check, if all your metadata tags (ratings, captions) have been preserved. Otherwise lift&stamp them from the original fles. Then delete the old versions with missing masters.
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How to export meta-data (keywords, GPS) to original master?

Dear all,
When I want to export metadata (keywords, gps, location) back into the original files (just like my ID3-MP3 tags), I simply do not know how.
I can change the date the picture was taken and write it into the original master, but I seem not to be able to do so with keywords or location. When checking the files, they are unchanged, the metadata is empty and I cannot extract the information in other programs either (Adobe Bridge shows nothing, e.g.)
There's the menu "write IPTC-Data in original" (Sorry, I don't know the English title here) - but this one does not seem to do anything at all.
Maybe there's a script out there?
This is really driving me crazy and the handbook leaves me lost.
Any Aperture-power-users out there?
Best and thanks,
Alex.

I'm having exactly the same problem, that I can't write the GPS information into my master image files. If I assign location info using Places and then do a 'Update from Master', all my location info is gone I am using Maperture Pro (a freeware plug-in) now to store the location info into my masters. If you export versions then the location info assigned from Places is stored into the exported image files, but I think there is no way to store it into the master image files.
Make sure that you have 'Include location info in exported photos' enabled in Preferences -> 'Export'.
As for keywords: This works for me, I can store keywords in my (referenced) master images.
Message was edited by: Michael Hobi

"Unsupported image format" after exporting original RAW file

My library has been working fine (albeit slow - it is very large). Today I exported a photo that I have edited and played around with many times in the past. I inadvertantly exported the Original, and I got an error message (which I don't recall what it said) but then immediately afterward, I could not view the image. I can't remember if I chose a duplicate version or the edited master to export (not sure why it would make a difference). Either way the photo did not export and it is now completely unviewable. I am trying to repair my library to see if that will help. If not I will try to reprocess my originals (I can't seem to find a way to just reprocess the one image so will have to run it for my entire library). Any help would be greatly appreciated!

What is your Aperture 3 version?
The symptoms you are describing suggest, that Aperture has lost the connection between the edited version of the image and the original image file. This will typically result in being unable to export the originals or to edit.
As a test - what happens when you select the image in question and press the "M" key to toggle between original version and current version?
I see this, when the original file is missing:
Is your library referenced or managed?
Regards
Léonie

File lost in logic pro x project

Can I find lost audio tracks from a project that I bounced?

Hi there Eriksimon, I am happy to report that the files were found and my project is back to its original form and saved in the desktop. I have learned a few valuable lessons in the last 3 days of this mess. First, save your project in a master file and leave it alone. Second, do not revert to the panik click mode. Thirdly and most important, call Apple to the rescue... I spoke with Larry today somewhere in Texas and he helped me find the files and restore my project. I have still lots to learn about managing my files but I will get there... I the meantime all I wanna do is compose music. have a great weekend!!!

Horrors: How do I get all my original photo files back out of iPhoto 9.1.2?

In my heart I KNEW I should never have upgraded iPhoto when the update came in for 9.1.2. But I had no idea what it was going to do. Now, to my horror, I have found out.
It has EATEN all the original photo files in my Home/Pictures folder and hidden them inside a single iPhoto database! Yikes.
I discovered this nightmare when I tried to find the original hi-res of a certain photo, and searched my Mac for it by filename – the one assigned to it by my camera.
All the original and modified versions of the file should have appeared in the search box – but no original appeared, sending me into a total panic. I also searched my laptop and back-up drive to no avail. Then I looked in the Home/Pictures folder and there were no photo files there, when there used to be hundreds. Just one single iPhoto Library file.
I felt sick, I thought I had lost all my original photos.
So now I have two problems, and questions:
1) iPhoto only displays photos from the last 18 months, so how do you access all the photos from years back now?
2) How can I export ALL my photos back out of the iPhoto database so I can have them where I can see them on my Mac again – as individual files in my Pictures folder like they were before?
Oh, and one other question:
What can I use instead of iPhoto? Can I revert to an earlier version? Or is there an application that I can import photos to that will leave the original files where they are? Then I can make a back-up of the originals before importing them into iPhoto.
Thanks,
Sarah
PS: How do I change my Apple Discussions username?

There's no reason to use the Finder to access your photos. That's what iPhoto is for. THe following is from a post by Terence Devlin on accessing photos for use outside of iPhoto. It's the definitive treatise on the subject.
There are many, many ways to access your files in iPhoto:
You can use any Open / Attach / Browse dialogue. On the left there's a Media heading, your pics can be accessed there. Command-Click for selecting multiple pics.
(Note the above illustration is not a Finder Window. It's the dialogue you get when you go File -> Open)
You can access the Library from the New Message Window in Mail:
There's a similar option in Outlook and many, many other apps.
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:
For users of 10.6 and later:
You can download a free Services component from MacOSXAutomation which will give you access to the iPhoto Library from your Services Menu. Using the Services Preference Pane you can even create a keyboard shortcut for it.
For Users of 10.4 and 10.5
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:
a. On iPhoto 09 and earlier: 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.
b. On iPhoto 11 and later: Select one of the affected photos in the iPhoto Window and go File -> Reveal in Finder -> Original. A Finder window will pop open with the file already selected.
OT

How do I find where the master file for a version in aperture 3

I was wondering how to find where the original master image is in the aperture 3 library. For instance we have several images that are in different albums and folders but are trying to find where the original image is in the library.

Is your Library managed or referenced?
If your library is referenced, then you can reveal the master image file by selecting the image in the browser and selecting "File -> Show in Finder" from the menu.
If your library is managed you will have to open the Library package to see the master image files: Ctrl-click the Aperture library and select "Show Package Contents" from the Pop-up menu. Then browse the folder "Masters", but very carefully - don't change anything inside the package! The Masters-folder is arranged by date: year, month, day ...
But you can always look at the master image files from inside Aperture - much safer: Select any image and type "m" - that will show you what the master image file is like - type "m" again to view the version.
Regards
Léonie

Why don't my iphoto event names match up to my iphoto master file names?

Yosemite 10.10
iPhoto 9.6
MacBook Pro 2009
I recently downloaded Yosemite, which has slowed my laptop down significantly. This has prompted me to transfer all large files - photos, movies and music off my laptop and onto an external hard drive (in addition to my time machine backup hard drive).
I was instructed (at the Apple Store) to open Finder then Pictures > iPhoto Library. Then to right click on the iPhoto Library folder and select 'show package contents', this reveals a large list of folders but I understand that the Masters folder is the one to care about with respect to back ups. When I open up Masters I can see 8 folders labelled 2007 - 2014. In each of these folders are other folders housing all the jpeg files.
THE PROBLEM:
For some reason in the 2007-2009 folders the Master file names match up to the Event names in iPhoto. This is great and makes sense! However, after 2009 everything gets really messed up in the Masters folder - despite my iPhoto Library being meticulously organised into Events that are all labelled. For example, when I open up the 2014 folder the path looks like this 2014 > 10 > 06 > 20141006-214510 > which then houses the jpeg images. It looks to me like these folders represent upload events as opposed to the Events that I organised them into in the front end of iPhoto. WHY!?!
THE QUESTIONS:
Why is this happening? And can I fix it so that it doesn't happen when I next import photos into iPhoto?
Should I just stop using iPhoto?
What happens if I change the names of the Master folders in the back end of iPhoto to reflect the Event names in the front end? Would it be better to just organise them on my hard drive?
Thank you

1. It's not a problem as you never ever access your photos in this way.
2. If you want to back up your original photos you do this via the Export function: File -> Export
This User Tip
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4921
has details of the options in the Export dialogue.
3. None of this saves space on your HD. To do that you need to move your Library from the HD to the external:
Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
a. Quit iPhoto
b. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
c. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
d. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
4. That particular Apple Genius isn't.
As to the specific questions:
Why is this happening? And can I fix it so that it doesn't happen when I next import photos into iPhoto?
It's happening as that is how iPhoto works and there is nothing ti fix. Exporting makes the issue redundant.
Should I just stop using iPhoto?
Why?
What happens if I change the names of the Master folders in the back end of iPhoto to reflect the Event names in the front end?
You'll corrupt the Library. And it's unnecessary.
Would it be better to just organise them on my hard drive?
No.

I have accidentally deleted a large number of develped images in Lightroom before I did a backup. I reimported the original raw files back into Lightroom hoping the develop settings would be re-established but no luck. Notice system mau have done an auto-

Question?
I have accidentally deleted a large number of develped images in Lightroom before I did a backup. I reimported the original raw files back into Lightroom hoping the develop settings would be re-established but no luck. Notice system mau have done an auto-backup as have an lrcat-journal file. Can I use this to restore my develop settings. I also have jpgs generated from all the deleted images.

Hello,
if you have a backup of your catalog you can do the following:
1. Backup your catalog first
2. Restore your backup catalog to some location
3. Open your current catalog and select "files->import from another catalog".
4. Select your backup catalog and your lost images. LR ask you if you want to overwrite the current settings or save them as a virtual copy.
As an alternativ you can open your backup catalog, select the "lost" images and save the development settings as xmp sidecar fiels (using ctrl-s). Then open your current catalog, seletct the images and use "Metadata->Read Metadata from files".

Original Master files lost

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