Closed: PM6 (Mac) requests to control computer

[Hayo Baan]

I know someone else reported this as well, but I can't find the topic, so here's a repost. If you install PM6 (and PM+) fresh on a Mac Mojave system, it asks to control the computer (see screenshot).

While it looks like you can safely deny this, it's still weird that it asks for control in the first place. What's even stranger still is that the access request is not done as PM6, but as PM+ (that is, there will be an entry named PhotoMechanic Plus in the Privacy|Accessibility list). You can easily verify this by going to the Privacy tab in the Security & Privacy System Preferences. The application list will show you an entry for PM+, not PM6.

You can repeat triggering the request easily as well: simply delete the entry for PM+ in the list (with PM closed) and then restart PM. Likely the dialog box will get hidden by the program window, but if you move that away, you'll see the dialog again.

[Luiz Muzzi]

Hi, Hayo
It happened to me too, but I simply denied it and that was it.
Regards,
-Luiz Muzzi

[sdwheeler]

This happened to me after I updated my machine from 10.13 to 10.14. I allowed it as I trusted Camera Bits, but was put off by it. If I remember correctly it happened when I first launched PM6 after the OS change. It also happened during the install of the new OS, trigged by EOS Utility.app. I denied that. I guess I trust Canon less as a software developer. Plus I almost never use EOS Utility. I hadn't even bothered to see if it would run until I made this post. It does launch. I haven't bothered to connect a camera yet.

[Kirk Baker]

PM6 shouldn't be requesting access, but PM+ is going to need it.  We'll see what we can do to make the message more clear (if we're allowed to customize it.)

-Kirk

[Hayo Baan]

Hi Kirk,

It really shouldn’t trigger the question at all if possible (nothing bad seems to happen if you don’t grant access). But if it does, it should at least do it with the correct application name. As I found PM6 is currently requiring access as PM+. By the way, I don’t think you can tweak the message; other applications show the exact same message.

[Kirk Baker]

Hayo,

It really shouldn’t trigger the question at all if possible (nothing bad seems to happen if you don’t grant access). But if it does, it should at least do it with the correct application name. As I found PM6 is currently requiring access as PM+. By the way, I don’t think you can tweak the message; other applications show the exact same message.

The side effect of not granting access for PM6 is nothing.  For PM+, PM won't be able to hide Catalog popup menus when you click on the main menu bar on macOS.

-Kirk

[Hayo Baan]

It really shouldn’t trigger the question at all if possible (nothing bad seems to happen if you don’t grant access). But if it does, it should at least do it with the correct application name. As I found PM6 is currently requiring access as PM+. By the way, I don’t think you can tweak the message; other applications show the exact same message.

The side effect of not granting access for PM6 is nothing.  For PM+, PM won't be able to hide Catalog popup menus when you click on the main menu bar on macOS.

Interesting, what catalog popups are that? I can't recall any (annoying) popups.

Regarding PM6's and PM+'s identification in the Privacy|Accessibility list, I just found that there now is (just) an entry for PM6. This used to be PM+ But since PM+ doesn't ask for permission (again), both PM6 and PM+ at least seem to use the same identification? If that is the case, shouldn't they differ (for clarity)?
(I have both PM6 and PM+ (and PM5) installed, for testing, so this may be rather a unique case since most people will only have one installed)

[Kirk Baker]

Hayo,

It really shouldn’t trigger the question at all if possible (nothing bad seems to happen if you don’t grant access). But if it does, it should at least do it with the correct application name. As I found PM6 is currently requiring access as PM+. By the way, I don’t think you can tweak the message; other applications show the exact same message.

The side effect of not granting access for PM6 is nothing.  For PM+, PM won't be able to hide Catalog popup menus when you click on the main menu bar on macOS.

Interesting, what catalog popups are that? I can't recall any (annoying) popups.

Popup menus like the one used to choose Filters.

Regarding PM6's and PM+'s identification in the Privacy|Accessibility list, I just found that there now is (just) an entry for PM6. This used to be PM+ But since PM+ doesn't ask for permission (again), both PM6 and PM+ at least seem to use the same identification? If that is the case, shouldn't they differ (for clarity)?
(I have both PM6 and PM+ (and PM5) installed, for testing, so this may be rather a unique case since most people will only have one installed)

I do not know what Apple uses to track an application, but we're simply making a call to tap into mouse events so that we can be informed when the user moves their mouse up to the main menu bar.  It is at that point in our startup code that macOS shows that dialog.

The next build of PM6 won't make that request because it doesn't need it since it doesn't offer Catalog features.

-Kirk

[Hayo Baan]

]
Popup menus like the one used to choose Filters.

How do I trigger those then? Can’t say I ever got any pop ups there? Or is that the indication I have access disabled for now?

]
I do not know what Apple uses to track an application, but we're simply making a call to tap into mouse events so that we can be informed when the user moves their mouse up to the main menu bar.  It is at that point in our startup code that macOS shows that dialog.

The next build of PM6 won't make that request because it doesn't need it since it doesn't offer Catalog features.

Thanks for explaining what triggers the question in the first place. That sounds like a reasonable thing to need. Strange that that is considered “dangerous” by the OS. Anyway, good PM6 won’t requests something it doesn’t need 😊

[Kirk Baker]

Hayo,

]
Popup menus like the one used to choose Filters.

How do I trigger those then? Can’t say I ever got any pop ups there? Or is that the indication I have access disabled for now?

The popup menu that you use to change one filter type to another?  I believe you have filed one or two bugs on that UI element alone?

]
I do not know what Apple uses to track an application, but we're simply making a call to tap into mouse events so that we can be informed when the user moves their mouse up to the main menu bar.  It is at that point in our startup code that macOS shows that dialog.

The next build of PM6 won't make that request because it doesn't need it since it doesn't offer Catalog features.

Thanks for explaining what triggers the question in the first place. That sounds like a reasonable thing to need. Strange that that is considered “dangerous” by the OS. Anyway, good PM6 won’t requests something it doesn’t need 😊

Apple is just trying to make sure you know what apps are doing what on your system.

-Kirk

[Hayo Baan]

Hi Kirk,

Sorry for bothering you so much about this rather harmless (I think/hope) issue.

]
Popup menus like the one used to choose Filters.

How do I trigger those then? Can’t say I ever got any pop ups there? Or is that the indication I have access disabled for now?

The popup menu that you use to change one filter type to another?  I believe you have filed one or two bugs on that UI element alone?

Right, that one
 But, what behavioural difference should I then see? I just tried with both access enabled and disabled and the behaviour is the same as far as I can tell…

]
I do not know what Apple uses to track an application, but we're simply making a call to tap into mouse events so that we can be informed when the user moves their mouse up to the main menu bar.  It is at that point in our startup code that macOS shows that dialog.

The next build of PM6 won't make that request because it doesn't need it since it doesn't offer Catalog features.

Thanks for explaining what triggers the question in the first place. That sounds like a reasonable thing to need. Strange that that is considered “dangerous” by the OS. Anyway, good PM6 won’t requests something it doesn’t need 😊

Apple is just trying to make sure you know what apps are doing what on your system.

Yes, but they aren't really successful; “control your computer” to me sounds like the application can take over (e.g. like teamviewer), that's more than what I think you want to be able to do…

[Kirk Baker]

Hayo,

]
Popup menus like the one used to choose Filters.

How do I trigger those then? Can’t say I ever got any pop ups there? Or is that the indication I have access disabled for now?

The popup menu that you use to change one filter type to another?  I believe you have filed one or two bugs on that UI element alone?

Right, that one
 But, what behavioural difference should I then see? I just tried with both access enabled and disabled and the behaviour is the same as far as I can tell…

If you don't grant PM+ access then when you click on the main menu bar and bring down a menu and you currently have a popup menu appearing in the Organizer, the Organizer menu won't be cancelled.  You'll see two menus at once.  It's really not a big deal.

-Kirk

[Hayo Baan]

If you don't grant PM+ access then when you click on the main menu bar and bring down a menu and you currently have a popup menu appearing in the Organizer, the Organizer menu won't be cancelled.  You'll see two menus at once.  It's really not a big deal.

Oh wow, it took me many many tries, before I could replicate this. But yes, in some quite rare cases (usually the popup menu already closed before getting to the main menu bar), I can have both the popup and a main menu opened. Indeed quite an uncommon case. But I can see you wanted to prevent this possibility (or otherwise people might complain).

Thanks for so patiently explaining this, case closed