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iPhoto 5.0: More on gray/non-existent thumbnails; Smart albums not updating; More book-related crashes

iPhoto 5.0: More on gray/non-existent thumbnails; Smart albums not updating; More book-related crashes

CNET staff
2 min read

More on gray/non-existent thumbnails We previously reported on a serious, and widespread issue where, since upgrading to iPhoto 5, thumbnails are grayed out and photos are inaccessible.

We've since received dozens or corroborating reports, as well as identified some potential solutions.

Unfortunately, downgrading to iPhoto 4.x is not an option, as the library is converted to iPhoto 5's format at the time it is opened, and is not backward compatible.
Potential workarounds

Manually dragging each image into the library Some users have found that manually dragging each image from their iPhoto library (in the Finder) into the iPhoto application window allows proper accessibility.

Once a new library is manually created, the old library's folder can be deleted.

Set iPhoto to open files in another image editor Some users have been able to workaround this issue by setting iPhoto (in Preferences) to open photos with another image editor (such as Photoshop or Graphic Converter) then re-saving the photo with the external editor.

When performing this process, your may receive a message stating that the file may be damaged. However, upon saving the image (with the external editor), many have found that it becomes re-accessible in iPhoto.

Smart albums do not update when conditions change Meanwhile, a handful of readers are reporting issues with the "Smart Albums" functionality in iPhoto 5.0. One reader writes:

"I created a smart album to tell me which of my photos are not in an album ('album' 'is not' 'any'). I moved a picture from the trash to my library and the smart album didn't update; it didn't show that there was now another photo not in an album. Similarly when I drag a picture from the smart album to a regular album the photo remains in the smart album (it shouldn't - the picture is now in an album)."

If you are experiencing a similar issue, please let us know.

More book-related crashes We previously reported that for some users, switching book themes in iPhoto causes a crash. Now MacFixit reader David Schloss reports that he caused iPhoto to crash by adding pages to a book.

"This crash took that book I had been working on, and the previous book I had been working on since launching iPhoto with it. Seems that iPhoto does not incrementally write the database of book changes, it only does it when you've clicked 'done' and it builds the book.

"I had edited some photos while in book mode, and those changes had been retained by iPhoto post the crash, most likely because it's done in a different part of the app, so it uses a different save mechanism."

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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