Hi there,
I recently upgraded to Aperture 3 and haven’t had any regrets at all.. Until recently though; I’ve experienced an immense loss of images. Yet, images are still viewable in the Aperture program per se, only when I try to export any versions or master files Aperture gives me this warning pop-up: “Version with unavailable Master files can not be exported - The selected master file is either offline or not found. Please reconnect and try again.” - But here’s the thing; this kinda happened over night! I mean, I simply turned on my computer one day and opened up the program and then boom, several (but far from all??) images were suddenly offline - but “online” when viewing them in Aperture.. I have no idea how this could have happened and I’m seriously daunted by the fact that I might have permanently damaged or even lost most of my pictures…. I would really really appreciate it if any of you smart guys out there have ANY idea how this happened, why, and most importantly; How to solve this Aperture mystery !????
Fondest wishes-
Mac
Mac,
First thing’s first—make a copy of your Aperture Library as it currently is, so no additional damage is done and you can always come back to where you started (or at least where you are now).
So if I understand you correctly, when you look at them in Aperture, they are online—meaning that there is a “reference” arrow in the bottom right corner of the image, and it does NOT have a red line OR a yellow triangle on it?
ALSO, when you’re in Aperture and go to the Adjustments tab, you ARE able to make adjustments to the image; you’re not getting a “this image is offline” error?
Finally, assuming the above is correct, it’s not until you actually EXPORT the image that you see the offline error?
1) Are previews getting updated (to check, make a dramatic change, like to black and white, then to be sure it’s updated choose menu Photos > Update Previews, then drag that preview to the desktop—are you seeing the B&W version?
2) What happens if you try to relocate files using menu File > Relocate Masters… command—if that’s successful, see if your export problem goes away after that.
@PhotoJoseph
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So, what do you suggest I do?? Obviously, I don’t wanna end up losing most, if not all, of my images….
Hi Josh,
A yellow triangle does appear on most of my images, the ones that are offline. I AM able to make adjustments to all of my images. Previews ARE getting updated the moment I make any changes to masters.
The relocate masters feature does NOT work - I’m prompted error upon error every time I try it out.
Mac,
I’m assuming that last comment was directed at me… (I’m “Joseph”, not “Josh” ;-) )
OK so your Aperture library thinks that images are offline, but they aren’t really, and relocating masters confirms that it thinks they’re offline. What if you open the file manager (menu File > Locate Referenced Files…), can you point the supposed missing files to the right file (even though it’s already connected) and re-link it that way?
Also have you tried all Aperture library rebuild options (there are multiple choices), and did you run Disk Utilities yet (in the finder Application > Utilities folder) to fix permissions?
@PhotoJoseph
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Hey mac
the same thing happened to me
so what that might help is
a repair you library buy holding cmd and alt down and start Aperture
if repair dont work to try rebuild .
try to run Disk Util you might have some corrupt images
this hard to explain but i worked on some photos and closed tha mighty mac. some days later some of the images where messed up big time. (this where other images that i had worked on)
so i goggled it and found a guy who had same problem he had deleted the pictuers that last worked on and wupti duuu it worked,
i tried and yes it worked, i was lucky to have back up oft he shoots so i importede them again and i have not seen the problem again
Henrik
As a matter of fact, I did try to rebuild the database and all that but I still cant figure out what to do for the life of me - rebuilding it dont do squat! :S Not helping a’all….
What you mean by Disk Utilities? How can I run a background check of all my images and such ?
Ofc I backed up all my images beforehand, both in Time Machine awa Aperture Vaults, but I seriously dont see how I can restore my library based on whats in my vault ? Like, theres no restore button or nothing anywhere… Also, say I would wanna transfer my entire library onto an other Mac - How to?
Same thing happened to me. Lost about 10,000 photographs. I always used Managed files, but images taken after Aug 4th 2008 were somehow categorized as Referenced during conversion of Aperture 2 to 3. No amount of fussing could convince Aperture 3 get them back. I’ve checked a lot of different message boards, and this seems to be “not rare.” I ran Data Rescue II and now have approximately 80,000 images to sort through…just in case I can find images that I might want to save.
http://colinpurrington.com
Sorry for bringing this back up but I have come across this site searching for an answer have just downloaded the trial and I am having similar issues.
I have followed all the above and still nothing.
I share my iMac with my macbook and I got my photos from iPhoto on my macbook (aperture on iMac) and I edited about 90 photos and was suitably pleased that for someone new to photo editing, how easy it was.
I exported the slideshow I made and was even watching this through apple tv.
I have come back to it 2 days later to try and export to iPhone use so I can show others what I had done and I got the same error messages. I also have a yellow triangle in the bottom right.
I have ensured my computers are connected. I have even burned the photos to dvd from my macbook to put into aperture (but still no luck)
Any help?
Sorry if I should have started a new question…
Michael,
Which error message are you seeing; what does it say?
When you moved the photos from the MacBook to the iMac, what did you do to move them? Copy the iPhoto Library and import it, or did you connect the MacBook in Target Disk Mode, or ??
Finally since you do have the photos also on a DVD, if you copy those to the computer, have you tried reconnecting them using the File > Locate Referenced Files… command?
-Joseph @ApertureExpert
@PhotoJoseph
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I am having the same problem! Has anyone found a solution to this?
Jim
James,
Would you mind re-stating exactly what you’re experiencing, and what you’ve tried? There’s a lot of conversation in here from multiple people and it’d be good to get a fresh start on the problem.
In fact, if you can start a new thread, that’d be even better.
thanks,
@PhotoJoseph
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AE Joseph,
I have a similar problem. Originally, I was only using one computer, my primary iMac.
No problems. I have my Aperture Library on an external drive.
Recently, I was going to be on vacation and I took my external hard drive with me.
I had access to my friends MiniMac that also has Aperture
I down loaded some new images taken on vacation from the camera to the MiniMac with my hard drive attached. Aperture was using the hard drive during the download.
I assumed that all the RAW files, the masters, etc would be totally on the external drive.
When I got home and re-attached the external drive to my primary computer, the folders containing the newer images were there when I activated aperture. The images that I downloaded on the miniMac were there as well in the folders.
However, I can not edit them.
In the Adjustments panel up top where the histogram normally comes up it says “Image Offline”. There is also some tiny little symbol in the lower right hand corner of each image that has a red diagonal line in it and a tiny arrow.
I do have access to my friend’s miniMac, and when I put my external hard drive on that machine, I can edit the images that were downloaded using the miniMac.
My goal is to do what ever is required to get everything I need to be able to edit all my images on the hard drive or my primary computer. That is, I will not need to have access to the miniMac.
Please help. Thank YOU !!!
Jim
j mccormick,
What you’re seeing is the symbol that says the images are offline. Even though you know where the master images are, Aperture does not. That’s because the file path has changed (the Mac Mini vs your computer).
For your reference, you should read this post so you understand what that icon, and many others, mean: Badges. Or, “What Are All Those Funny Icons, Anyway?”
What you need to do is “reconnect” the files. Select the files that are offline (the red-lined photos) and choose menu File > Locate Referenced Files. If you’ve never been in here before, look at the bottom right for a button that says Show Reconnect Options and click that to open the second half of this window.
At the top left you’ll see a collection of images labeled “offline”. Select those.
On the right, pick one image — any one you want. This is the file in Aperture, and the path you see is the last known path that Aperture had for the master file.
On the bottom, navigate through your system to locate the exact match for that same file, and select it.
Finally look for the buttons that say Reconnect and Reconnect All. Select the All one, and all your images should be reconnected. If not all of them are picked up, repeat the process until you see no more images labeled as “offline” in the top window.
I highly recommend you pick up my ebook “In-Depth Getting Started with Aperture 3” to fully grock these (and may other) concepts in Aperture, and also “ApertureExpert’s 15 Tips on File Management in Aperture 3”, specifically tip #13, to learn more about reconnecting masters.
Good luck,
@PhotoJoseph
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