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How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Whilst I enjoyed the recent Photos app presentation by Tony at Bournemouth I will not be using it much since Lightroom is my main app for imaging. Before the Photos app was introduced I would insert my SD card in the iMac side slot with Lightroom open and the images would appear. Now the Photos app appears on top of LR and the images go into Photos where I don't want them. I have to quickly quit Photos and continue with LR. I can't see anything in Photos preferences which allows me to stop this auto opening. Any ideas anyone? Roy

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Tony Still
Hi Roy,

Unfortunately this one is a bit circular: You can only control whether Photos opens once Photos has opened. That's almost true anyway: once the device is connected a control appears in Photos' tool bar (top left) that asks if you want Photos to open for that device. If you uncheck the box, it will stop bugging you (for that device). That's why we couldn't find the control on Tuesday.

A better solution is to use our friend Image Capture. Connect the device, click its name in IC's sidebar and then hop down to the bottom of the sidebar. There's a control there that lets you choose which application, or none, that opens when the card is inserted. It even offers to let you choose Lightroom, though I have only just noticed that so I'll let you see if it works.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Thanks Tony. I will look into your suggestions.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Have looked again Tony at Image Capture but can't see a solution there because I don't see the iMac listed as a device. Am puzzled when you say 'connect the device' because I use the SD slot in the iMac to load images not a camera or card reader.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Tony Still
Roy,

The device would be the SD card in that case. I said device because I was thinking camera at the time.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Yes Tony the SD card shows but even after putting import to Lightroom, next time I open LR and insert the SD card the Photos app opens! It seems that Image Capture can only be set for whatever 'device' is connected.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Mick Burrell
Roy, do you have a working version of iPhoto? If so, run that and in the preferences, set LightRoom to open when a camera is connected (the Mac sees your inserted SD card as a camera.)

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
I do have iPhoto Mick but Lightroom doesn't appear as an option in Preferences. For "Connecting camera opens" the options are: 'No application' or iPhoto or Image Capture. Btw it's version 9.6.1.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Eureka! Having opened Lightroom again and inserted the SD card - the Photos app didn't open. Tried a second time and still ok so I guess opening iPhoto and setting the prefs, "Connecting camera opens" to "No application" has done it. Many thanks Mick. Goodbye Photos - welcome back Lightroom.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Mick Burrell
Odd that LightRoom wasn't an option. Is there an option in the LR preferences now it's not being overruled by iPhoto?

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
A possible option in LR is: "When starting up use this catalog:" - and in the window it shows the name of my LR catalog. Another option (which is ticked) is: "Show import dialog when a memory card is detected".

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Mick Burrell
Sounds as if LR needs to be running for the latter to take effect.

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Tony Still
Roy, Mick,

I don't think the answer lies in Lightroom: the function needs to be active when the application isn't running, I don't see any LR helpers so it will have to be in the OS. The only place I have seen a list that admits non-Apple apps is in Image Capture (I thought iPhoto only admitted Aperture?). Putting the user interface inside an application feels to me like an unintuitive bodge (but what do I know!).

Anyhow, making the setting in Image Capture works here. It does, as Roy suspected, need to be done for each device. That should be a one-off operation per device... but I have read that if you reformat a flash card, it appears as a new device. I haven't tried it, does it accord with anyone's experience?

Re: How can Photos app be blocked?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Tony, your last comment about reformatting a card had me thinking that the 'Photos' app might open again when inserting a newly formatted card (SD). I tried this and am relieved to say that Lightroom took the images from the card without 'Photos' opening. Phew! I assume that the setting in iPhoto prefs which I made (see above) is the answer for my situation. Btw - I opened LR first then inserted the card. I then quit LR, removed the card (cmd-E) and re- inserted the card before opening LR and the card opened LR. So whichever way I deal with LR I no longer have 'Photos' popping up.
 
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