Time Machine backup photos gone, Time Machine backup photos gone

Question

This morning my iphoto library disappeared. I was looking at it and all was well, I exited iphoto, decided to empty the trash bin, hit empty trash, attempted to get back into iphoto, and when I did I was faced with the message "Please choose a library." However, there was nothing listed for me to choose. I searched my entire harddrive for my iphoto library and it is nowhere to be found. I find a file that has 1.1 GB in it, but it is not my photos. I had about 8,000 photos.
So I think, no worries I will restore from Time Machine backups on my external harddrive. BUT...I plug it into my computer and the backups all look as my computer does now! They are not from history...it is the same 1.1 GB message for iphoto and when I click restore it says copying and then nothing happens!
PLEASE HELP! I AM PANICKED.

Answer 1

Do you still have your original library that started this problem? If so use Time Machine to bring forward the last backup before the problem happened. Do not replace the current library with the backup but select the option to keep both.
Open the recovered library and drag out the Library6.iPhoto file to the desktop and move the rest of the recovered library to the trash. Open your original library and replace the Library6.iPhoto with the file from the recovered library. See if iPhoto will open and recognize your photos now.
If you had any imports between the time of the last backup and your current library they will not be recognized in the library but will be inside the library non the less. You can find their event folder in the Originals folder, move it to the desktop to reimport.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) 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 or later), 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 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger 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.