Apple's Photos App

[msturk]

Forgive me if I have missed this but has anyone figured out a way to prevent the Photos App from launching every time I insert a card. I want only Photo Mechanic to launch. But it's like having a popup ad launch over top of it. I've tried Photo Mechanic's fix from Launching>Configure, but it only works to the point where you use a different card or format the same card. I'm an El Capitan user and expect that's the problem.

[Kirk Baker]

Mike,

Forgive me if I have missed this but has anyone figured out a way to prevent the Photos App from laughing every time I insert a card. I want only Photo Mechanic to launch. But it's like having a popup ad launch over top of it. I've tried Photo Mechanic's fix from Launching>Configure, but it only works to the point where you use a different card or format the same card. I'm an El Capitan user and expect that's the problem.

There was a discussion or two about this problem a few months ago.  Basically you can disable Image Capture from launching anything at all.  Here is a guide:

http://petapixel.com/2015/12/21/stop-apple-photos-from-auto-launching-in-os-x-with-one-command/

HTH,

-Kirk

[msturk]

Thanks Kirk that seems to be working for me now.

[Hayo Baan]

Disabling still works, but the good news is that Apple has fixed this in one of its later versions of El Capitan.

Instead of having to resort to disabling launching altogether, all you need to do is specify in Image Capture (once!) you want e.g., PhotoMechanic to start when the card is inserted. The way to do this is to insert the card, Photos will start, just quit it, open Image Capture and specify what action should be taken when the card is inserted. This action will be remembered, even if cards are formatted afterwards. This is how it used to work, and now does so again

[schlotz]

Hayo,

I just tried this with OSX 10.11.5 (latest) and Apple has not fixed it.  Popped in a CF card and iPhotos comes up. Cancelled iPhotos, brought up Image Capture and changed it to use photomechanic. Formated the card back in the camera. Re-inserted card to the reader and iPhotos came up AGAIN.  Looking in Image Capture, it again is showing iPhotos and NOT photomechanic.

Oh well, back to the terminal command.

Matt

[Hayo Baan]

Now that is odd! It works fine for me on both my Laptop and desktop and for the three different card formats and two different card readers I use too... I did have to specify the application to use for each card type, but I didn't have to do it separately for each of the different cameras I use. And it certainly holds even when I format the card.

Are you sure you committed the change in Image Capture (e.g., quit Image Capture) before trying it again? Also check if after changing the program to use if it indeed opens if you reinsert the card (Photos should not open). First without formatting the card, then, if this works, format it and try again.

[schlotz]

Nope. Doesn't work, photos still pops up.  Re-did the test, verified the change made to Image Capture so PM is the default and then quit the app. Putting to same card back in (without reformating) and yes PM comes up instead of Photos BUT, reformat the card an pop it back in and Photos comes back up.   Using CF cards from the Canon 1DX.

[Hayo Baan]

Hmm, this is indeed interesting. Why does it work for me and not for you? I'll do some more testing, also with another card reader and see what happens.

Update: Just did some more testing with a different card reader. The first time I inserted a card into this reader, Photos started. I then opened Image Capture and selected PM as the app to open for this card. I then quit both Photos and Image Capture. I ejected the card and then reinserted it. PM opened nicely and offered to ingest the card. Photos did not open.

I again ejected the card and then formatted the card (in a camera I hadn't used before). Reinserting the card started PM again, but Photos still did not show up.

So why this doesn't work for you is really a surprise. On my system, the opening of Photos seems to actually be linked to the card reader, not to the card/camera. Why it isn't so for you, I have no idea…

[Kirk Baker]

Sounds like we need to know the make and model of the card readers each of you is using.

-Kirk

[Hayo Baan]

The card readers I tested:

• Internal MacBook Pro 2012 Retina SD card reader
• USB2.0 Hama card reader (35 in one)
• USB2.0 MSI card reader (11 in one?)
• Sony XQD card reader

Camera brand: Nikon (various models from an old D70 to a new D500).

[Andrew]

Hayo's technique works for me (Kingston card reader).  It also works using the SD slots in my iMac and Macbook Air.

[schlotz]

Using a lexar tower with a CF insert connected via usb3 to my 27" iMac OSX 10.11.5
Camera:  Canon 1DX & 1DX II