Locked Preview Images

[hughvane]

OS Mojave 10.14.5 & Preview

Each time I save a .jpg (or other) image from Image Capture or Screenshot into Preview, the default result is locked. I don't understand why, and I can change it through Get Info, but I'd really like to be able to stop that default behaviour. I cannot find anything in Preview preferences.

Ideas/suggestions/resolutions please.

 

[ferrarr]

Where are you saving these files? It sounds like you need to change the "permissions" for the folder you are saving into. See if this helps, macOS Sierra: Set permissions for items on your Mac, it should work with most modern versions of macOS.

 

[hughvane]

Where are you saving these files?

Usually to desktop. Often the image files are temporary (unless I forget ), used in emails etc.

It sounds like you need to change the "permissions" for the folder you are saving into. See if this helps, macOS Sierra: Set permissions for items on your Mac, it should work with most modern versions of macOS.

Thank you, I investigated and tried that, but Mojave doesn't want to cooperate. See attached images. I:
-unlock an image file (see padlock symbol),
-change permissions to myself,
-try the cog wheel action, but the option is greyed out
-close the Get Info pane, and
hey presto, the image reverts to Locked with no help whatsoever from me.

 

[chscag]

It sounds like something you have installed or running that's locking the images. What kind of images are they and does that happen with all images when using Image Capture? If you save the images to your desktop are they locked? You can try setting up a temporary account as a test to see if the same thing happens when logged on with it.

 

[hughvane]

It sounds like something you have installed or running that's locking the images. What kind of images are they?

The Get Info images in my previous post pretty much answer most queries that might arise. Mojave, and ElCap (on older Mini) both save Screenshot in .png, but I change that to .jpg as a matter of course because the images are much lower resolution.

and does that happen with all images when using Image Capture?

Image Capture I use only to cross-load images from camera, which records in .jpg format as default.

If you save the images to your desktop are they locked?

Yes (see original and subsequent posts). I use Screenshot almost daily, and for some reason it defaults to .png with locked images, but there are no Preferences available to change that (nor in Preview).

I'll give thought to a temporary account, mainly because I'm likely to mess something up - then comes the job of undoing the mess .

 

[ferrarr]

Usually to desktop.

Then you should look at the Permissions settings, for your "Desktop" folder? The same as my link in my first reply?

 

[hughvane]

Then you should look at the Permissions settings, for your "Desktop" folder? The same as my link in my first reply?

See Post #3. However, I have opened Desktop Folder via Finder>Go, but nowhere do I see where to change Permissions. What I shall do however is to run OnyX and then see what eventuates.

 

[chscag]

Your Desktop folder has permissions just like any other folder. I have no idea why you would use Finder>Go as that will not open the folder to show permissions.

Right click on the the Desktop Folder and select "Get Info". Permissions are at the bottom.

 

[MacInWin]

You DO know that the Desktop folder is in your home folder, right? And if you right click on it, then Get Info, you will see your settings, just like any folder.

 

[pm-r]

See Post #3. However, I have opened Desktop Folder via Finder>Go, but nowhere do I see where to change Permissions. What I shall do however is to run OnyX and then see what eventuates.

You might want to hve a read through here and maybe reset some of your folder/file preferences:
Resolve issues caused by changing the permissions of items in your home folder
Resolve issues caused by changing the permissions of items in your home folder - Apple Support

Can't hurt to look or try...


- Patrick
======

 

[hughvane]

You might want to have a read through here and maybe reset some of your folder/file preferences:
Resolve issues caused by changing the permissions of items in your home folder
Resolve issues caused by changing the permissions of items in your home folder - Apple Support
Can't hurt to look or try...

Thank you Patrick, I have worked through the procedure for Mojave.

What is of curiosity is that I can find the Home>Desktop folders, and then GetInfo on the Desktop ƒ, unlock it, apply the changes to Enclosed Items; but when the GetInfo pane is closed, and then reopened, there it is back to Locked again. The same occurs with individual files within the Desktop ƒ after unlocking it, ie. GetInfo>unlock>close pane>locked again.

I'm at a stage where I guess I can live with the quirk of locked vs unlocked, but a streak in me says it shouldn't be happening, and that it can be fixed.

 

[MacInWin]

Are you allowing Finder time to make all the changes? Are you also clicking on the little gear icon and selection "Apply to enclosed items?" Depending on how man items need to be checked/changed, global changes can take a while to complete.

 

[pm-r]

but when the GetInfo pane is closed, and then reopened, there it is back to Locked again.

As far as I know, I believe that is the default and normal setting and the behavior of any file or folder that is associated with a Mac OS user. It gets gets locked again as soon as the GetInfo window is closed.

That's assuming I have understood your question correctly and the behavior you are seeing.


- Patrick
======

 

[MacInWin]

Patrick, I think the locked/unlocked is getting confusing. The lock icon on Get Info certainly does re-lock when you close Get Info, but the settings changes made when unlocked should remain in place.

For hughvane, can you be a bit more clear on what you mean by locked/unlocked? You originally reported that

Each time I save a .jpg (or other) image from Image Capture or Screenshot into Preview, the default result is locked.

In that context locked really means that the permissions for the image are not set to allow you to open the file. At least that's how I took it. But the lock on the Get Info screen doesn't unlock the files, it unlocks the metadata so that you can change the permissions on the file to allow you to open the file (in your parlance, unlocking the files for you).

BTW, this type of confusion is why we sometimes get a bit pedantic about using terms accurately. Had we been doing so from the beginning, the lock/unlock could ONLY have applied to Get Info while "changing permissions" would apply to the files.

 

[hughvane]

For hughvane, can you be a bit more clear on what you mean by locked/unlocked?

Confusion was spread - entirely my doing, my fault, my apologies. I initially included Image Capture. Incorrect, it was and is Screenshot. I attempted correction but the Edit function had (I assume) timed out. I did however state "Correcting erroneous information" in Post #5.

The term 'locked (or) unlocked ' I apply to the Get Info pane.

To reiterate: images are saved in .jpg. They are locked by default.

But this is where things get just a shade foggy. Despite the image being locked, I can edit it, add text or arrows for example, without first having to unlock it. However, after saving the image with changes, I can no longer edit or amend the changes, to correct a spelling error for example, even if I unlock it via Get Info. I take that to be an example of what you state

the Get Info screen doesn't unlock the files, it unlocks the metadata

BTW, this type of confusion is why we sometimes get a bit pedantic about using terms accurately.

And you're quite right to do so. Accuracy of information in questions is just as important as that in answers.

 

[MacInWin]

Hughvane, what are you using to do these edits? What may well be happening is that the edits are being permanently saved with the original screenshot as a fixed part of the image rather than as an element that can be edited, which means that the next time you open the image, those elements appear to be "locked" when in fact they are fixed in the image. So, what tool are you using to do the editing?

And, just to be clear, when you try to open an edited picture, the picture opens up just fine, it's just that you cannot edit the added elements any more?

 

[hughvane]

Hughvane, what are you using to do these edits? .... And, just to be clear, when you try to open an edited picture, the picture opens up just fine, it's just that you cannot edit the added elements any more?

1. Screenshot image is saved in .jpg
2. Image is opened in Preview
3. Editing is done in Preview using Markup (which allows the addition of text, arrows, etc)
4. Image is saved.
Thereafter I can open the amended/edited image in Preview, no problem, but I cannot change the additions, they cannot even be selected, they have become a permanent "fixed' part of the saved image.

Even if I Save As in a different location, the original also retains the editing, and it cannot be changed or removed.

 

[MacInWin]

That is correct. That is how Preview does editing. The edits, when saved, become a permanent part of the new image. What you might think about doing is to rename the image at the time you OPEN the document and well before you start to make the edits and preserve the original image with NO edits just in case you want to restore later. From your sequence, you are saving the edits and then renaming the file, but at that point the edits have already been saved and the original file overwritten.

Ok, that said, you might try opening the image in Preview, then click on File/Revert to... and see if you have an old image in Time Machine that you can pull back from before it was saved. That only works if TM is turned on, obviously, but it might be of some use.

If this is how you want to work, you might consider changing the editor you use from Preview to Photos. Photos does non-destructive editing, preserving the original image for you so that you can redo/undo what you did, although I don't think you can actually edit something you've added, just revert it away and re-enter. For editing you are talking about you need to move to something with "layers" in editing like Photoshop or Gimp. You might find this article educational:

The Ins and Outs of Non-destructive Editing in Photos for Mac and iOS - TidBITS