Warning: iPhoto 08 Makes it Too Easy to Delete Entire Library

This is just a warning to everyone else since it happened to me this morning. I accidentally deleted my entire iPhoto library because my roommate stupidly placed the icon "iPhoto Library" into the trashcan, and this morning I emptied the trashcan.
I don't know why Apple made the entire photo library into just one icon. That icon is so precious, if you know how to do it, make it impossible to delete it! It is WAY too easy to delete your collection of photos because of this oversimplification in the new iPhoto 08 "upgrade." I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else.
Too bad I dont have time machine/Leopard right now...

Sorry for your troubles, but f your room mate is capable of putting the v7 library in the trash, then he/she is as capable of putting an ordinary folder in the trash. 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. It's hard to legislate for room mates.
Now you need a utilit like File Salvage and an external HD to recover the files to.
Regards
TD

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Too Easy to delete a book's content in Book Module?

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Don't get me wrong -- I love the book module already and it is worth the price of the upgrade just for that. But I want it to be perfect!
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I suspect it said all the folders would be recreated, not the files. Once you have imported, you must delete in RoboHelp in the same way as any other topic. Otherwise how does the database it maintains know what you are doing?
If the book is going to change again, maybe linking would be a better option.
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How to delete entire library

I know it sounds strange, but I need to delete entire library and start a fresh. I mucked around with my files and it has all got very messy, so I would like to delete the whole library and 'home share' my library from my other computor. Can I do this?
When I delete all the songs, they are replaced with name of song and icloud icon. I can download each individual song from icloud, but this is a lengthy process.
Any ideas??

However as far as I know there is no way to do a secure delete from iPhoto - the delete process removes them from easy access but if your kids want and know how - or ask on this forum on how to recover deleted photos - they could find them
If you need to be sure they do not see the photos the only way would be to drag the iPhoto libary to the trash, pull their photos our of the originals folder back to the desktop, do a secure delete and create a new library
LN

Too easy to delete Masters by accident?

Hello:
I am sorry if this ultra novice question has been asked and answered numerous times but I couldn't find the answer...
Is the following true:
In Aperture we never see Masters, only versions. One version is automatically created when we import the file.
If we delete the last version the Master is also deleted -- WITHOUT ANY WARNING!
There is no easy way to discover how many versions of a Master are left.
If my understanding is true, then it is astonishingly easy to accidentally delete a Master. That is lunacy! Please tell me that I am wrong!
Thanks,
Jeff Stulin

This issue has been discussed here in the past, in fact I had a user tip for this back when user tips were displayed (see Deleting version also deleted the master)
So basically what you are seeing is how Aperture works, as this has been brought to the attention of Apple a number of times in the past they either don't think it's a problem or else that is how Aperture is designed.
As for your item 3 all versions of a master will be in the project that contains the master so seeing if a master has multiple versions isn't a major problem. If you allow Aperture to name your versions then each new version will have Version x attached to the image.
As a last resort each version having the same master will also of course have the same file name, so you could do a search or smart album on that.
Of course as Corky wrote the master first goes into the Aperture trash and from there to the system trash so it takes a lot of work on you're part to really delete the master off the system.
On minor correction to what Corky wrote:
Note - if you deleted a version that is not deleting a Master file, then there won't be any file moved to the Finder trash.
This is not correct. The version you delete will show up in the trash even if there are multiple versions of a master
regards

Is it too easy to delete images?

I appreciate the simplicity of being able to use CMD+DELETE to delete an image. But I wish Aperture offered the option of throwing up a warning window before actually moving images to the trash. I don't get any sort of warning when deleting images -- or even entire projects. They just pop straight to the trash.
I use a managed library, so perhaps folks with referenced images are seeing some sort of dialogue box. It also seems odd that the text that shows up in the right click menu for this is "Delete Version" -- even when I'm deleting a master that has no versions.
I know these files only go to Aperture's trash, which is a nice stopgap against accidentally removing something forever with a single click. Still, if anyone knows of a preference somewhere that would throw up a warning box when trying to delete a group of images or a project, please let me know.

I agree that the Aperture team needs to more precisely define "Master" and "Version". As I conceive of it, you never see a Master file. That's why when you copy a newly imported image, the copy is labeled "Version 2" (and not "Version 1"). Version 1 already exists, because every Master must have at least one Version.
The problem is that when you delete "Version 1", you are also deleting (and must, or you would have an image file with no image) the Master.
I don't know that Ap3 handles this differently for managed v. referenced files. Here is the dialog I get when I delete Version 1 of a referenced file. This is the only indication I get that deleting this file will also delete the Master.
The wording of this dialog is not as clear as it should be.
I would like to see the Aperture team specifically separate "Master (file)" from "Version 1 (image in Aperture)". I imagine a replacement dialog for the one above saying something like:
+"This is the only remaining Version of the Master (file) in your Library. Moving this Version to the Trash will move the Master (file) to the Trash as well."+
At least, that is how it looks from my POV as a user.

How do I DELETE ENTIRE Library

OK here is the detailed version. I have been in computer **** for four weeks and I want this over. This is one last try. I am so weary. I have had to wipe the drive and reinstall the system 4 times now. It began with 10.3.9, then 10.4.4 then 10.3.9 then 10.4.5 I keep trying new things to make it stop happening. Updates, no Updates, New System, Old Sysytem, Old system with updates and without, ILife 04 etc... I thought IPhoto might be the culprit but it happened again without me having my original library reinstalled on it yet. What I have realized is the only common thread is this . I like to use a 800x600dpi projector with ITunes and ever since I updated my ITunes when a playlist ends and the computer goes to sleep with the program running it can not wake up ever. If it tries, it fails and upon restart it gets worse fast. I'm guessing that ITunes 6 is unable to wake up at 800x600 dpi. Reboot gives a blank screen eventually. PRAM PMU Disk Utilities Etc etc. You name it. (FOUR TIMES NOW) So now I have updated everything possible, I bought ILife 06 hoping to resolve the issues and I have done every darn update known to man. I'm almost there. I have the computer set to never sleep. So as a temp measure while I troubleshooted the causes of my woes I was using a library that was a year old. I want to delete it and replace it with the proper backed up version. The correct one has 13,000 pics but says 85,000 items and it is 13Gigs. It won't replace the old one because disk space issues it says(there is now 40Gig available) I try deleting it by moving it to the trash. It will do one item a second and gets hung up every few files that it will not delete because it can't read them. PLEASE HELP. I want my pictures back. I want't my treasure laptop back.
15" Powerbook G4 1.25 GHz 512+256 RAM 80Gig SuperDrive Mac OS X (10.4.5)
15" Powerbook G4 1.25 GHz 512+256 RAM 80Gig SuperDrive Mac OS X (10.4.5)
15" Powerbook G4 1.25 GHz 512+256 RAM 80Gig SuperDrive Mac OS X (10.4.5)

I just noticed your post and wondered if you have solved your problem yet.
You might take a look at Lori Diloreto's directions for fixing a corrupt library and see if anything there is helpful, especially about creating a new library and then moving the correct photos into it: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1885752&#1885752
Post back if you are still not able to resolve it.

Deleting Rejected Clip Deletes Entire Library

Hello,
I rejected parts of clips in FCP X and changed the view to "show Rejected" and selected then and hit command+d to move them to the trash. The only problem is that when I switched the view to "show all" everything was gone. I tested it again by selecting just a small clip from the event and pressing command+d. It deleted the entire event again. Do you know what is going wrong?
Also, the first time I opened FCP X, my Western Digital Passport external hard drive showed up in the Event Library and I was able to save an event there. The next time I opened FCP X up, the hard drive was gone from the list and my whole project was red and disconnected. I opened iMovie and the events I had on my Passport showed up and were working fine. Is there just a setting I need to change? I have the hd formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
Thanks for the help!
Dan

which brings me to propose a (very annoying, yet usable) workaround ...
- from iTunes you want to rename an album (that would cause the old folder to be removed, and accidentally cause more unwanted deletions)
- go into Finder, and in the folder to be renamed, add a dummy file (like, duplicating one of the songs);
- go into iTunes, and perform the renaming operation
- the dummy file is not visible in iTunes, hence it will not be deleted;
- because of the additional dummy file, the directory will not be empty, and therefore will not be deleted;
- go again into Finder, and manually delete the now useless folder with dummy file as the only remaining file;

ITunes deletes ENTIRE library!!!!

My computer deleted my ENTIRE iTunes library awhile ago (November 08) and a few days ago I re-installed iTunes to burn some CDs since WMP wasn't burning them properly. I found all my old purchased songs and I had successfully restored my entire iTunes library! While in the middle of burning a CD my computer froze (the screen looked like it had frozen mid-transition of a screen saver although I was just scrolling through my library) and when it does that I can't even CtrlAltDelete to reboot it. Since I had no other choice I had to unplug it to turn off the power (since otherwise it'd sit like that until power was cut off to it) and when it loaded back up I went to go re-burn my CD but everything was gone AGAIN.
Now, iTunes people tell me to open the ghost folder and just restore my library again but once again nothing is there! I don't know what to do to fix it and it's so annoying that my computer keeps mysteriously deleting my songs from iTunes!
When I say "deletes everything" I mean EVERYTHING! My 4000+ songs in my library, all music videos, movies, TV shows, EVERYTHING!
Please help!

Is your security software set to do a full scan every three days?
itunes is probably not doing this. It has no reason to! But other software can cause a conflict with itunes saving its database files, and then you get a blank library. If it's not security software, it might be a backup program like Carbonite or Mozy.

HT1229 My iPhoto Library (version 8.1.2) is 280GB (greater than 50% of my 500GB total storage memory on my iMac. It was too large for me to drag it to a new hard drive so the Apple geniuses did it for me. However they did not delete the Library from my

My iPhoto Library (version 8.1.2) is 280GB (greater than 50% of my 500GB total storage memory on my iMac. It was too large for me to drag it to a new hard drive so the Apple geniuses did it for me. However they did not delete the Library from my iMac (that's my responsibility). I dragged it to Trash and when it started to move I clicked over to the new hard drive to confirm it had indeed been copied. I became nervous when I didn't see among the few files on this otherwise empty new hard drive anything that resembled a 280GB Library so I cancelled the migration to trash.
How can I be sure that my iphoto has been copied and that all my "metadata" survived in tact?

the new backup drive
I thought the new drive would be your data drive to host the iPhoto library. Do you also use it for TimeMachine backups?
I am unable to search either in email as well as Finder. I AM able to search within iPhoto though, thankfully
Spotlight may still be busy rebuildig its index.
You could try to rebuild the Spotlight Index, if you do see no progress:
Spotlight: How to re-index folders or volumes
I hope, other frequent posters will drop in. I have not used iPhoto 8.x in long time.

Hi. I down load all of my pictures to iPhoto. I was removing some even folders to make room, but DID NOT delete any of the ones I needed (and there are a lot of photos as I am a photographer just starting out). All of my photos are gone. ALL of them.

Can anyone help me. All of my photos from iPhoto are gone. There are three weddings that I photographed and may other sessions (I am a brand new photographer and this is going to kill my business). I am so sick to my stomach. I was deleting some even files due to the fact that the start up disk was almost full but DID NOT delete everything. I finished what I was doing and then went to dinner. I came home to do more editing and EVERYTHING is gone. EVERYTHING, but the iphoto program was still there. Is there any chance that these pictures could still be somewhere on the hard drive?
Thank you,
Kari

Did you use the finder to delete any photos that are in iPhoto?
If so you have trashed your library - you choices are to put it back EXACTLY like it was, restore your backup or start over (right click on the iPhoto library and show package contents, drag the masters folder to the desktop, create a new library and start importing
NEVER make any changes of any sort to the structure or content of the iPhoto library - ONLY use iPhoto to manage yoru photos
LN

Why hasn't apple created its own USB or USB adapter for their products.? Since an iPhone or iPad make traveling and doing school work or on the job work, why not create a USB to make transferring information easier too.?

Why hasn't apple created its own USB or USB adapter for their products.? Since an iPhone or iPad make traveling and doing school work or on the job work, why not create a USB to make transferring information easier too.?

In some folks' version of the world, you have plenty of ways. YOu have the aforementioned services, you have iCloud, all you need is an internet connection and you're good to go. And that works perfectly...if you always have the internet.
If you want more non-internet dependant ways, then the best way to let Apple know is to send them feedback. They don't monitor or respond to this forum (Beyond removing rule breaking posts) but they do at least log feedback. However, the lack of a file manager will always be an obstacle. There are some apps out there that have at least a pseudo file manager - as in the ability to move documents into multiple other apps. I have Readdle Docs which I can use to download and move things around with, but again, back to the internet or wireless.

Somehow I created a live copy of "Finder" on my desktop. It is titled "iPhoto Library", and has live copies of all of my files/photos/music. How can I make it go away without deleting all of my content?

Somehow I created a live copy of "Finder" on my desktop. It is titled "iPhoto Library", and has live copies of all of my files/photos/music. How can I make it go away without deleting all of my content?

Either you moved or copied your iPhoto library folder to the Desktop.
Quit iPhoto. Rename the folder on your Desktop to something else, such as "foo." Launch iPhoto. If you still see all your photos, you can delete "foo."
If you don't see your photos, quit iPhoto, rename "foo" to "iPhoto Library," and put it in your Pictures folder. Try iPhoto again.

Keyword Handling Needs Improvement - Too Easy To Create A Mess That's Too Hard To Clean Up

Presently, its easy to assign keywords and use them (other than "improper" handling of spaces I mean), - almost too easy. - easy to create a keyword mess.
Although I'm sure I haven't given anywhere near as much thought to the subject as some people have, here are my first thoughts at some features that would help:
- Proper handling of space character:
- Presently its used as a legal keyword character and a keyword delimiter - this just needs to be fixed!
- Detection of first use:
Presently, if I enter 'Robb Cole', I don't want a new keyword to be added, since I already have 'Rob Cole' - I would always like to be warned the first time a keyword is added, and given the opportunity to make a different choice or go ahead and add.
- Detection of duplicate:
If I enter 'Rob Cole', but I already have 'People/Rob Cole', I don't want a new keyword added, I want to be warned.
- Detection of similarities:
This is big topic, and includes handling of plurals and mispellings. I suspect there is some standard conventions for dealing with plurals, and I don't know what they are. But, if I enter Complection and that's not in the "dictionary", but Completion and Complexion are, I'd like to be notified and offered a list of choices, bringing me to my next idea: Dictionaries...
- Detection of synonyms: If I enter a keyword that's already a synonym of another keyword, I usually don't want to create a new keyword.
- Dictionaries: Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I import "Controlled Vocabulary" all the keywords will just be mixed in with whatever already exists. Likewise if I import photos from some other photographer, I now have their keywording paradigm all mixed in too. I'd like to have a Personal dictionary, and a "Controlled Vocabulary dictionary, and "From Imported Photos" dictionaries... And, I'd like to be able to set a preferred dictionary, such that when entering a keyword that's not in the preferred dictionary, I would be offered an opportunity to consolidate, or create a new dictionary, or add to existing dictionary...
- Because keyword search engines differ in the way they handle plurals, I would think the ability to automatically add a plural, and maybe even common mispellings as synonyms would be helpful as well.
- Better Tools for consolidation and re-organization would also be greatly beneficial and appreciated.
I will no doubt think of other things, but this should be enough to kick off this thread.
Rob

I couldn't wait: Keyword Consolidator.
R

How on earth do i retrieve my treasured photos from a 'corrupt' IPhoto (08)!! Boo Hoo, i had backed up to my IPad but on sync, my IPhoto swallowed those too! boo hoo twice, i have MacBook (2008), ive upgraded, some months ago, to Snow Leopard

Tech; support had me on the phone for hours! (ok, 45 mins) but he couldnt help me, as only a few photos showed up in 'originals' in the package contents, i googled it to death and ended up extracting photos via photo manager, but only managed to get 125 back . i had backed them up on my IPad, but when i foolishly sync'd on my MacBook, IPhoto ate those too . All i can see now in IPhoto, is a few random, upside down photos and a load of empty grey thumbnails that when clicked on show an exclamation mark . Ive done a thing off youtube, this meant re naming the 'originals' setting up a new IPhoto as the default and putting the re named 'originals' and 'modified' in the 'new' package thingy, worked for everyone but not for me (roll of eyes and a tut). I do have 1,000 photos on my ipod though, which i dont have on me at the moment, or id have probably fed that to the macbook for breakfast too!! HELP!!! i didnt do anything (honest) i just went to open IPhoto and it told me it couldnt open it as it was in the trash, RUBBISH (pardon the punn). i dragged it out, but it just had empty thumbnails in albums and events, not fair! not happy! stamping of feet and a beg for help please!!???? Christine (distressed, turning to wine female)

Best solution is to load your backup from before this problem
if you ran iPhoto library manager and it did not get many photos there may be gone - any idea has any photos could have been deleted? Have you tidied up by any change using tidy up or other program other than iPhoto - or using the all images list (never do this BTW)?
when this started was the iPhoto application in the trash or the iPhoto library? How did it get there (it doesn't spontaneously happen - a user must do it)
Knowing how things happened will help resolve this
LN

IPhoto Trash Can deleted my entire library

I bought a brand new 27" iMac at the end of Oct 2010, which came pre-loaded with iPhoto '11 (Version 9.1 (475). I copied photos from my old iMac onto CD-ROMS and then imported them directly into my brand new iPhoto '11 by the select, drag and drop method. I deleted maybe 5 photos which the trash can correctly counted. However, when I deleted my trash can, it included ALL the photos in my entire iPhoto library (4000+) and deleted my entire library. These photos were not visible in the trash can before I hit the delete button.
After that happened, I thought maybe I did something wrong, so I manually transferred the photos to my iPhoto '11 all over again. This time, photos which I haven't even deleted appear in the trash can and when you try to empty the trash can, the message says something like "Are you sure you want to delete 4000 photos?" (i.e. my entire library). Plus it seems that I can't manually move things out of the trash can because they just magically reappear in the trash again. Why is this happening?
BTW I just downloaded and installed the latest iPhoto update, but the problem still persists.
As a side note, before deleting my iPhoto library, I had used Migration Assistant to transfer some files from my old iMac G5 (circa 2005/2006) to my new iMac using a firewire cable. However, as I did not transfer any applications, I don't think this would have affected my iPhoto '11, right? It was only after I noticed that my iPhoto library didn't get transferred to my new iMac that I decided to import photos to my new iPhoto '11 manually.
Apple products seem to be getting worse. I've filed a report with Apple, so hopefully they can fix the software. But what can I do in the meantime?

same thing here. out of the clear blue my trash said it had 800 photos in it (my library has 9000 photos in it). I looked at the ones in the trash and they appeared to be still in the real album, as though I had duplicated some of my photos then trashed them. If i tried to empty iPhoto trash it asked me if I wanted to delete my entire 9000 photos (even though only 800 were in iPhoto trash).
I rebuilt the entire iPhoto album (option command button on launching iPhoto) and picked all rebuild etc. options, took a couple hours) but the problem persisted. Fortunately I was totally backed up from a day or so ago, I checked the backup to make sure it did not have the trash problem, and then had iPhoto empty the trash of the one with with trash problem, and like others it dumped the entire iPhoto library! Yikes
Now there are 2 things on my computer that i could not afford to lose, 20 years of photos, and 20 years of quicken data, so I am VERY careful with those, and fortunately it paid off.My back-up is good and I rebacked up that file, but what a disaster that would have been had I lost all m photos.
so, This is not a minor glitch but a huge software issue that has to be fixed fast, not everyone, despite being told so, has good regular back-ups.
roger

Warning: iPhoto 08 Makes it Too Easy to Delete Entire Library

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