Restore lost iphoto library (iphoto v.8)

Question

Hi, I was making an iMovie and when I hooked up my DV camera it would not load the camera and an error came up and said you should put away in finder or data will be lost. Well I thought that was the camera not my external hard drive. The cables are next to each other and when I unplugged the Hard Drive LaCie Hard drive d2 Quadra, then my camera was found. So I proceeded to install the video. After I finished I went back to the photo library part of the iMovie and all the pictures were missing. I could not save the new stuff I did on iMovie. When I went into the iphoto library on my hard drive all 4,000 pictures where gone...So my question is can I retrieve my photos? Are they on that hard drive somewhere and I'm not seeing them. Time machine does not have them. Please help?
Thanks,
Fam5

Answer 1

Fam5:
What has happened is the library's database file, Library6.iPhoto was damaged when the external HD was disconnected. If you have a backup copy of the library or the dB file that's current, i.e. no imports or major changes to the library since the copy was made you can replace the dB file in your working library with the backup copy.
If you don't have a backup copy you have two possible fixes to try:
1 - rebuild the library as follows: launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select the first three options.
2 - if #1 didn't do the trick you'll have to start over with a new library and import the Originals folder from the old one as follows:
Creating a new library while preserving the Events from the original library.
Move the existing library folder to the desktop.
Open the library package like this.
Launch iPhoto and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
Drag the Originals folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open iPhoto window.
This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library if you have the Finder checkbox unchecked in the Events preference pane.
Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.