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We have a volume license for N users, and we have the deployment process ready to go. Including programmatically serializing/activating the software, as well as deactivating the software. The vendor is very helpful and can provide this info if you need it.



Now the hard part. How to suppress updates. I reached out to the vendor, and it looks like their tech is busy or maybe out for the day.



So thought I'd post here to see if anyone responds. We're looking to disable updates, hopefully at the Local domain, rather than at the User domain.



When the app is launched these files get generated:



/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.prefs

/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.prefsdb

/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.prefsdb.bak

/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic/PreferencesGeneralSettings/

/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic/PreferencesIPTCXMPSettings/

/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist


Looked in the com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.plist first, nothing there related to updates.



Looked in com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.prefs, its an XML file with one key, not related to updates.



Looked in com.camerabits.PhotoMechanic.prefsdb, its an SQLite database, nothing in there jumped out at me.



So thought I'd post here...I ended up creating a Third Party Software item, and no mention of the product on the forum. :)



In any case, started this thread hoping someone knows where the secret switch is to disable updates.



At some point we'll figure it out, and we'll make sure this thread is updated.



Pretty fantastic product, from what the end users are saying.

@donmontalvo I'm looking to deploy Photo Mechanic in our environment, and after reaching out to their support, was told that we couldn't deploy the app with the activation/licensing in place, or done without having the user activate it after they install. We have 2 license keys, and I've asked to consolidate to a volume license, and figured I could use that to deploy to our end users. Were you able to get this workflow functional? or do your end users still need to take action after installing the app?

Photo Mechanic is awesome, I'm a longtime user. We've only got three licenses so I've never bothered to deploy it and just install manually for our photo staff.



The GUI option for disabling software update checking is under Help --> Software Update. Unfortunately I don't see any changers happening on disk when I adjust the settings there.



I've got an account on their user forums and will be happy to ask if neither of y'all got the answers you're looking for yet.

Camera Bits has the information on activation and deactivation available on their wiki now:



http://wiki.camerabits.com/en/index.php/User_Manual_Flat_View#Activation_via_Command_Line

Meant to circle back after we got this deployed...here's what we're using.



Green for @kevinmcox by the way, for the Wiki link!



Note confirming /var/root/Library/Caches/Photo Mechanic/ folder is there before activating/deactivating.



Activate:



#!/bin/sh

# Acivate Photo Mechanic 5. 20170414 DM



if [ ! -d /var/root/Library/Caches/Photo Mechanic ]; then

    /bin/mkdir -p /var/root/Library/Caches/Photo Mechanic

fi



/Applications/Photo Mechanic 5.app/Contents/MacOS/Photo Mechanic 5 --activate --name="Disney Destinations LLC - FL" --department="Yellow Shoes" --license="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXXX"



exit 0


Deactivate:



#!/bin/sh

# Deactivate Photo Mechanic 5. 20170414 DM



if [ -e /var/root/Library/Caches/Photo Mechanic ]; then

    /Applications/Photo Mechanic 5.app/Contents/MacOS/Photo Mechanic 5 --deactivate

fi



exit 0
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