Transferring images from Card reader or tethered device

[Taniaharrisxx]

When card or camera (D750)  is connected it's not launching Photo Downloader. It's opening Mac Photos instead

What settings have changed this behaviour? 

[Christina Keddie]

That's the default with El Capitan (and also I think with Yosemite).  There's no way to bypass that without going into Terminal and mucking about with your system boot settings.  Just close Photos every time.

[Brian]

Christina is correct. You basically have to rename Photos program itself to disable it. This is done from the Command Line and there really isn't a easy way to get rid of it. Also, each time you update El Capitan, it will more than likely re-appear, since Photos is part of the default Mac OS programs. Here are the instructions that I wrote in another thread:

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Ah, Photos. The Demon Spawn of Apple's Aperture and iPhoto. It is such a nuisance that really gets in the way, MUCH MORE than iPhoto ever did. Now I've heard the "Default / Easy Way" to disable Photos doesn't always stick, and you have to do this each and every time you hook up your camera. Even if you have used the same cards. Once you format them, Photos treats them as brand new devices.

Oh, speaking of which, please...I beg you, use a card reader when importing with a Mac!!! Life is so much easier when you use a card reader. I know it's tempting and "I've always used my camera, blah-blah-blah..." USE A CARD READER WITH A MAC. PERIOD.

First things first...

What you should also do, turn on the various devices to appear on the desktop when inserted / mounted. This makes importing images a breeze, since your CF / SD cards will appear like EHDs on the desktop.

• Open the Finder Program
• Next to the Apple Menu at the top should be the Finder Menu.
• Click the Finder Menu and look for Preferences.
• Look for "Show these items on the desktop" and make sure that Hard Disks, External Disks, CDs, DVDs and iPods are ALL CHECKED.
• Click the red circle to close out the window. Now things like Memory Cards, External Hard Drives and the like will appear on your desktop.
• Then all you have to do is double click on the icon, find your photos and COPY them to their ultimate location.
• Then use Bridge and go find the files that you just imported.

NOW LET'S BEGIN!!

Disable Photos - Method #1:

1. Insert the card into the reader or hook up your camera to the computer.
2. Open the Photos App and click the Import Tab.
3. You should see the device name, if you don't see your Canon 7D listed, again...use a card reader.
4. Uncheck the box next to where it says "Open Photos for this device..."
5. Click the red circle and that should save your changes.

Now, I've heard through the Grapevine that you must do this procedure each and every that you insert a new / formatted card or hook up your camera. Turning Photos off this way doesn't stick. You need to do it all the time. *Sigh* Apple REALLY wants you to use their software, they are convinced that it's the BEST-EST!! It doesn't surprise me one bit that Apple Tech Support won't be of much help. They are instructed to make sure that Photos is left installed and running.

 

WARNING!! - WARNING!! - WARNING!!

THE FOLLOWING ARE ADVANCED TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS!!!

PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!  FOLLOW THEM TO THE LETTER!!!

 

Disable Photos - Method #2:

• THESE SET OF INSTRUCTIONS ONLY WORK FOR YOSEMITE!! (Mac OSX 10.10.xx)
  • Head to your Applications folder.
  • Look in your Utilities Folder then look for a program called Terminal. It should be a square looking black icon. Click on it.
  • Now a command box will appear.
  • Some people might argue that this step isn't necessary, but I'm a tech and like doing things at a "root" or "#" (Pound Prompt, not hashtag in this case.)
    • Type the following command: SUDO SU
    • It will prompt you for the password for the profile that you are logged in as. For most people, type in your Mac's normal password.
    • Press Enter. If everything works out, you should see something like sh-3.2#:
    • The numbers and letters don't matter, what does is you are at a POUND (hashtag) PROMPT.
• Type the following at the command prompt, or better yet...copy and paste this command:
  • defaults -currentHost write com.apple.ImageCapture disableHotPlug -bool NO
• Press Enter.
• Type exit (lower case) & press enter.
• Type exit again (lower case) & press enter.
• Close the Terminal Box.
• Reboot.

Disable Photos - Method #3:

• THESE SET OF INSTRUCTIONS ONLY WORK FOR EL CAPITAN!! (Mac OSX 10.11.xx)
  • Head to the Apple Menu and select Restart
  • Wait a few seconds and the screen should go completely Black
  • Before the G Major Chord Chimes, press and hold the Command + R Keys and hold them until the Apple Logo Appears.
  • Release the Command + R Keys when you see the status bar appear below the Apple Logo. I'd wait about 5-10 seconds.
  • The Utilities Menu should appear.
  • Select the Applications Menu from the top and head to Utilities. The choose Terminal.
  • You should be at a Pound Prompt, "#" with some letters and numbers near it.
    • For example, -bash- 3.2#: (or something similar.) Again, the numbers and letters do not matter, what does is you are at the Pound (hashtag) Prompt.
  • Hit enter a few times. It should add a few lines which makes things easier to see.
  • Type: CSRUTIL disable and press Enter. (Yes, this is Case-Sensitive. Big CSRUTIL and small disable.)
  • Type exit, (lower case,) press enter, and close the Terminal Window.
  • Head over to the OSX Utilities Menu, which is next to the Apple Menu in the upper left corner.
  • Select Quit OSX Utilities. A pop-up box will appear. Click on Restart.
  • Let your Mac boot as normal and Login with your main profile.
  • Head to your Applications Folder, then select Utilities and then choose Terminal.
  • Type the following command: SUDO SU
  • You should be prompted for your profile's password type it in and press enter.
  • If everything works, you should be at a Pound Prompt. "#"
  • Copy and paste this command into the terminal window:
    • mv /System/Library/Image\ Capture/Devices/MassStorageCamera.app /System/Library/Image\ Capture/Devices/MassStorageCameraOff.app
  • Press Enter. What this command is doing is renaming the MassStorageCamera.app to MassStorageCameraOff.app. This way the Mac OS doesn't know where the App is. If you need to restore it, we can just copy it back to its original name.
  • Now we are almost done! Type exit and press enter... do this twice. You should see [Process Completed] appear. Close the Terminal Window.
  • Restart your Mac. When the screen finally goes black and before the G Major Chord Chimes, press and hold the Command + R Keys.
    • Yes, we have to go back into the Apple System Utilities Menu to turn the csrutil back on. It's important to do this.
  • Keep holding them until the Apple Logo Appears. You should see the status bar below the logo. Release the keys after 5-10 seconds.
  • The Utilities Screen should Appear. Look for the Applications Menu at the top, then click Utilities and select Terminal.
  • You should be at a Pound Prompt. "#"
  • Type CSRUTIL enable and press enter. (Yes, this is Case-Sensitive. Big CSRUTIL and small disable.)
  • Type exit and close the Terminal Window.
  • Head to the OSX Utilities Menu and select Quit OSX Utilities. When prompted, click Restart.

That's it! You are done!! Let your Mac reboot as normal and Photos should be completely disabled from auto-loading.

 

 

[Taniaharrisxx]

Thank you so much!