Tag: mpix

Oh, Mpix!

Here's an email account of my exchange with Mpix support after my frustrating attempts to install and run the ROES software. I skipped the screen shots.

From: khurt@islandinthenet.com [mailto:khurt@islandinthenet.com] ?Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 5:19 AM?To: MpixPro CustomerService?Subject: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
 
Unique Logon Email: khurt@islandinthenet.com
First Name: Khürt
Last Name: Williams
Email Provided: khurt@islandinthenet.com
Problem Description: I am not able to install the ROES software on my Mac (OS X 10.10.3). It seems that ROES will only install and run on an OS X account that has administrator privileges. Is that correct?`

Begin forwarded message:
 
From: Molly-MpixPro
Subject: RE: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
Date: May 6, 2015 at 11:02:02 AM EDT
To: "'khurt@islandinthenet.com'"
 
Hi Khurt,
I am happy to try and help.  Can you tell me what happens when you attempt to install?  Do you get any error messages?
 
With Apple, they should be able to authenticate installations on non-admin users by entering valid Administrator credentials.
 
Thank you!
 
Molly
MpixPro Customer Service Representative
Please be sure to include all previous correspondence to help us serve you better!
 

From: Khürt Williams [mailto:khurt@islandinthenet.com] ?Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 12:38 PM?To: Molly-MpixPro?Subject: Re: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
 
I don’t get prompted for any administrator credentials.  The installation dialog just sits there.  So I aborted.
 
After multiple attempts I logged into the same computer with the administrator account. The ROES application installs and executes as expected.
 
After installing from an admin accountI, I login to my standard user account.  When I click the application icon I get the following.
 

 
After that completes, I get the following dialog.  That’s as far as I get.
 
 

Begin forwarded message:
 
From: Molly-MpixPro
Subject: RE: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
Date: May 6, 2015 at 1:40:00 PM EDT
To: 'Khürt Williams'
 
Let’s go ahead and remove all traces of the software from your machine using the instructions below.  Then, you will need to download the software from the link at the bottom of this email.  Please let us know if you continue to have any issues.
 
Thank you!
 
Remove MpixPro ROES assets -Macintosh OSX 10.7 and newer
1. Be sure to quit ROES- if ROES will not close it may be necessary to click the Apple in the Top Menu and click Force Quit, select mpixpro ROES and click the Force Quit button
2. open Finder click Go from Top Menu (at the top-left of your screen)
3. click Go to Folder...
4. type ~/.roescache in the Go to the folder: dialog window
5. the hidden folder .roescache is now visible, delete this folder
6. click Go from Top Menu (at the top-left of your screen) and click Go to Folder...
7. type ~/.ProMPIX in the Go to the folder: dialog window.
8. The hidden folder .ProMPIX is now visible, delete this folder
9. Clear Java Cache
 
 
http://www.roeslaunch.com/ROES/labs/ProMPIX/launch.dmg
 
 
Molly
MpixPro Customer Service Representative
Please be sure to include all previous correspondence to help us serve you better!
 

From: Khürt Williams [mailto:khurt@islandinthenet.com] ?Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 2:59 PM?To: Molly-MpixPro?Subject: Fwd: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
 
One correction to the procedure for removal.
 
If you follow steps 2,3 and 4, you will end up in the ~/.roescache so you won’t be able to follow the last part of step 5.
 
Much easier form the Terminal.
 
rm -fr ~/.roescache/
rm -fr ~/.ProMPIX/
 
 
The installation got stuck at the same point as mentioned earlier.  I had to use my administrator account to install. The installation is stuck downloading updates from the internet.  It’s been over two hours since I started the install.
 

From: Khürt Williams [mailto:khurt@islandinthenet.com] ?Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 3:15 PM?To: Molly-MpixPro?Subject: Re: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
 
Have you actually tried installing ROES on OS X 10.10.3 from a standard account that has no administrator rights?
 
 

From: Khürt Williams [mailto:khurt@islandinthenet.com] ?Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 3:43 PM?To: Molly-MpixPro?Subject: Fwd: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
 
Molly,
 
No matter what I have tried, running from a standard OS X account always stops here. 
 

The app runs fine under the administrator account.  For many very good security reasons — I’m an information security professional as well as a photographer — performing daily user tasks with administrator account is a bad practice.
 
Surely you have tested installation and usage from a standard OS X account?
 
From Apple’s security configuration guide.
 
1 Administrator accounts should only be used for administration. Users should use standard user accounts for day-to-day computer use.
 

Begin forwarded message:
 
From: Molly-MpixPro
Subject: RE: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
Date: May 6, 2015 at 4:00:05 PM EDT
To: 'Khürt Williams'
 
Can you please attach the log files using the instructions below?  Thank you!
 
 
1. Be sure to quit ROES- if ROES will not close it may be necessary to click the Apple in the Top Menu and click Force Quit , select mpixpro ROES and click the Force Quit button
2. Open Finder click Go from Top Menu (at the top-left of your screen) and click Go to Folder...
3. type ~/.ProMPIX in the Go to the folder: dialog window, this will take you to the .ProMPIX folder
4. retrieve the roeslog.log file and attach to an email
 
 
Molly
MpixPro Customer Service Representative
Please be sure to include all previous correspondence to help us serve you better!
 

Begin forwarded message:
 
From: Molly-MpixPro
Subject: RE: MpixPro Problem Category: Other
Date: May 6, 2015 at 4:25:33 PM EDT
To: 'Khürt Williams'
 
I am going to forward this to our technician and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
 
Thank you!
 
Molly
MpixPro Customer Service Representative
Please be sure to include all previous correspondence to help us serve you better!
 

Good Afternoon Khurt,
 
Currently the Mpix PRO ROES native application will only run from an administrator account. If you choose to run ROES from a Standard account you will need to use the Java Web Start version. You may download the Launch.JNLP file by using the below link.
We apologize for any inconvenience, please reply to this note if you have any further questions or problems.
 
MpixPro?http://www.roeslaunch.com/ROES/labs/ProMPIX/launch.jnlp
 
MpixPro Signature Albums
http://www.roeslaunch.com/ROES/labs/ProMPIXSA/launch.jnlp
 
Thank you,
Randy Rhue
      

My Photo in a Juried Photo Exhibit?

Water Skimmer

I submitted three of my images for a juried photo exhibit to benefit the Adult Day Center of Somerset County. The organizer for the Somerset County Photography meetup, Loren Fisher, is organizing the exhibit. Loren suggested a donation of 20% of the proceeds to the center.

The exhibit will open May 5, 2015 and photos will hang through July 31. The night of the show opening ( 6-8 p.m. ), light refreshments and appetizers will be served. Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Matt Rainey will be the guest speaker.

Finding an image to submit was not easy. I have captured a lot of images over the last five years and while my photography has improved with time, I have some favorites that may not be "my best work". These are images that I enjoy myself but may not be the best from a technical perspective. In any case, I set aside my reservations about being judged and after several days and hours I selected three images and send them off for consideration. The image above, Water Skimmer, was the one chosen to be framed and hung at the center. It's an image I captured back in May 2012 using a borrowed Nikon D80.

That was the easy part. Loren emailed me letting me know which image was selected and reminded me of the deadline for providing a framed print. I panicked but then remembered that Loren had written a blog post with guidance on preparing my photo for the exhibit.

Loren recommended a 16"x20" frame with a 11"x14" mat and 11"x14" print. He recommended some inexpensive options for obtaining and framing but I wanted to do it "right". I have only framed print for use at home. The results I would produce may be fine for a home but I felt I needed to step it up a notch for public viewing. I wanted to offer potential buyers with my best. I settled on two options, a print from Mpix Pro and framing by Michael's.

I called Michael's and they gave me a framing quote for a 16"x20" frame with a 11"x14" mat. The price quote assumed they would mount the image for me. The price I was quoted was $160 if I had the right coupons or $399.00 without coupons. Yikes! I was hoping to sell my image for $150. Either of these options would lead to a loss. Take out 20% for donation to the center and the loss is significant even with the discounted framing costs.

I then tried Mpix Pro. I have an account with them but rarely used it. I think I've placed one order with them since 2013. I recalled that their software, ROES, wasn't easy to use and I was right. I couldn't get the ROES software to install on my Mac under my standard account. After reading the documentation on Mpix's web site and several failed attempts I decided to follow a hunch. I attempted to install the ROSE software under the OS X administrator account. ROES installed and ran with no issues. I uninstalled ROES, upgraded my standard OS X user account administrator and attempted to install the ROES software. That worked too. So it seems the ROES software will not install or run on OS X 10.10.3 unless the user account has administrator rights. That stopped me right there.

<rant>
What sort of piece of shit software is Mpix pushing on people? Why, in 2015, is professional desktop software being written in Java? Please add some funds to your R&D budget so that customers can upload TIFF or DNG image and order prints or other products directly from your web site. If you can do it for Mpix.com then why not for Mpix Pro?

</rant>

I was so irritated by using ROES that I even though I had already added several items to the shopping cart, I closed the software and ordered a framed print from Mpix (not Mpix Pro). I ordered an 11"x14" E-Surface print with a black flat frame, white mat behind non-glare glass. I spent just over $78 -- $65 + tax + shipping. The package should arrive early next week.

Fingers crossed and I am hoping some of my readers will drop by and support Somerset County's photography community.