But I Did Everything Right! Right?

March 31, 2009 11:06 AM

I backed up all of my iPhoto library onto my iPod (by using the iPod as a hard drive) in anticipation of a Mac hospital system reinstallation. I retrieved my music files just fine and loaded them back into iTunes, but the saved iPhoto library on the iPod won't open and won't let me import it into iPhoto.

I'm viewing the contents of the iPod through the finder, and the iPhoto library is there -- in all its 13 GB glory -- but when I try to open in within the iPod, it flickers and nothing happens. When I try to import it via my newly reinstalled copy of iPhoto, the library isn't "clickable" in the import window. I tried copying the library from the iPod to the desktop first, and it seemed to work -- the copying process took 50 minutes -- but I can't access or import anything from the desktop either.

Anyone have any thoughts on what I might have done, or am doing, wrong? Please let me know if you need any clarification.

posted by foxy_hedgehog to technology (6 comments total)

try holding Option when you start iPhoto. it should ask you which library you want to use - choose the one on your desktop (or on your iPod, whichever) and your stuff should show up. if memory serves, Import is really for importing a folder of pictures, not another library.
posted by mrg at 11:25 AM on March 31

My first guess is that perhaps you have a newer version of iphoto and your library is incompatible with it. Try importing it into an older version of iphoto (perhaps on another machine). If that fails, your iphoto library is built like a pkg file. If you right click of option click on it you can select "show package contents" inside you will see folders of your photos. The folder marked "originals" are your original unedited photos. You can re-import them than as they are just .jpeg files. Do not import it all or you will have lots of doubles and thumbnail photos in your library. Iphoto library manager may help as well.
Good luck.
posted by StUdIoGeEk at 11:28 AM on March 31

TRY MRGs idea first!!!
posted by StUdIoGeEk at 11:30 AM on March 31

MRG, worked like a charm! Thanks!
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 11:44 AM on March 31

Usually double-clicking the file in the Finder (either on the iPod or the desktop, although the ideal place would be in ~/Pictures) should accomplish the same thing that mrg is suggesting. I think that studiogeek's suggestion, that it's incompatible, makes more sense. Except for the fact that I imagine it's vice-versa. A newer version of iPhoto will read (and upgrade) an older version of the library. An old version of iPhoto may not read a newer library. Make sure the version of iPhoto you're using is at least as recent as the one you were using before re-installing.

Also, I hope you copied, not moved. Until everything is working perfectly, it's a good idea to keep that backup on the iPod, just in case the file somehow gets corrupted with all the iPhotos you throw at it.
posted by mhz at 11:46 AM on March 31

nvm, then. Should preview.
posted by mhz at 11:46 AM on March 31