Suddenly need to "mount & open" camera for download...

Software Rapid Photo Downloader
1

Hi!
Thank you for RPD & please excuse me if I am asking a stupid question!

I have been using RPD for several years with various Panasonic pocket zoom cameras & for a couple of years with my current Sony DSC-WX350.
To download photos, I have always set the camera to Replay, then connected the camera by USB cable to my Acer desktop PC.
This always resulted in automatic opening of PMHOME, then automatic opening of RPD, showing thumbnails of whatever photos were in the camera and allowing download.
That was the case up to last week, most recently with Ubuntu 21.04 & RPD 0.9.26 from Synaptic package manager.

A couple of days ago, I upgraded Ubuntu to 21.10.
In checking things generally, I was surprised to find that connecting the camera as usual, produced absolutely no action, not opening PMHOME nor RPD.

Synapt did not propose any more recent version of RPD, so I removed 0.9.26, then downloaded 0.9.28 from your site & installed it with your installer.
RPD opens OK manually from the icon on the panel.
But there is still no reaction at all on connecting the camera, either with RPD closed or open.

In Settings > Removable Media > Photos, the requested action is RPD.

I noticed in File Manager, that “PMHOME” & “2.0 GB Volume” appear & seem to be mounted as soon as I connect the camera.
If I click on the 2.0 GB Volume, it opens in FM, with a notice saying “Contains digital photos” and a large button to open RPD.
If I click on that button, then RPD opens, with thumbnails, and I can download as usual.

So, to resume - before I can download, I need to:

  • Connect the camera by USB:
  • Open File Manager
  • Click on 2.0 GB Volume
  • Click on the Rapid Photo Downloader button

Is this what is supposed to happen?
What can I do to get back to automatic opening of RPD?

Thanks!

2

What is PMHOME? Does it run in Linux?

Are you running Ubuntu with Gnome, or something else?

3

Hi & thanks for your concern.

As far as I can see, PMHOME seems to be Sony’s PlayMemories Home software:
https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/disoft/int/download/playmemories-home/win/en/

I never deliberately installed it or deliberately used it; I just was always aware of a notice saying it was opening immediately before RPD opened.
I assumed it was part of RPD, but apparently not.
I now assume it is in the camera.
It is not present in File Manager until I connect the camera.

Yes - I am running Ubuntu with Gnome.

4

The problem is that starting with Ubuntu 21.10, Rapid Photo Downloader is not starting when you plug in your camera, unlike in earlier versions of Ubuntu. Is that correct?

Because nothing has changed in Rapid Photo Downloader, this is something that has changed in Gnome itself. There are three possibilities:

  1. The change in Gnome was deliberate, and programs like Rapid Photo Downloader need to adapt to it
  2. The change is a bug in Gnome.
  3. The change is a bug in Ubuntu’s version of Gnome.

I’m guessing the 2nd option is more likely. But it’s just a guess. I might be wrong. As to what can be done about it, it’s more difficult, because Gnome has lots of complex parts to it, any one of which could be at fault.

It would be extremely helpful if you can try to replicate the problem with another program, like Shotwell for instance. If that also fails, then we know for certain the problem is independent of Rapid Photo Downloader.

5

As you say - the problem is that, starting with Ubuntu 21.10, Rapid Photo Downloader does not start when I plug in my camera, unlike all previous versions of Ubuntu.

I just installed Shotwell & checked in Settings > Removable Media > Photos, that the required action is “Shotwell” (I did not need to set that myself).
I plugged in my camera, which produced no reaction.
I opened File Manager & saw “2.0 GB Volume” & “PMHOME” mounted.
I clicked on 2.0 GB Vol which opened in FM with a notice saying “Contains digital photos” and a large button to open Shotwell.
I did not go any further.

So I agree with you that the problem is indepenent of RPD.

I can easily live with needing 2 extra clicks in FM for my downloads.
Would you suggest any further actions?
I am surprised not to find any similar comments on Internet as 21.10 has been in use for months now…

Anyway - thanks for your help & my apologies for taking your time!

6

If you want to see the problem resolved, the best way is to report a bug.

To determine if it is in Ubuntu only, or is in Gnome, the best way is to run a live USB of Fedora 35 (since it has the closest to upstream Gnome) and see if you can replicate the problem in Fedora. There is no need to install Fedora. Just run the live environment. Try to replicate the problem using shotwell. If you can replicate it, then that’s a bug in Gnome itself. What happens next depends on what you find. If you want to try it, and let me know the results.

7

Thanks again for your interest.

I already had Ubuntu 21.10 available as a live USB stick (from installing it on my wife’s Lenovo laptop - my problematic desktop 21.10 was obtained as an upgrade from 21.04)
So I tried that.

Once I had been to Settings > Removable Media > Photos and selected Shotwell, then connecting the camera opens Shotwell automatically (immediately after a PMHOME notice) - just like it always used to do.

So it seems there is not a fundamental problem either in Ubuntu or in Gnome?
I must just have something wrong in my local settup (or just possibly in my current kernel 5.13.0-25.26?).

Having said that, I thought to try the Lenovo laptop (Ubuntu 21.10 with kernel 5.13.0.22.22) & after Settings >>> Shotwell, it opens Shotwell as soon as the camera is connected.
I updated the Lenovo’s Ubuntu kernel to 5.13.0.25.36 (nearly the same as my problem PC) & it still works fine…

As I said, I can easily live with this little problem, but I am happy to try digging further if there are any suggestions…

8

Thanks for looking into it more. Are you saying that after further investigation the only problem is with Rapid Photo Downloader, and not Shotwell?

9

No - I am saying that on my desktop PC with Ubuntu 21.10, connecting the camera does not open either RPD or Shotwell, whichever is set in Settings>>>Photos.
On the same PC with 21.10 as a live USB, connecting the camera opens Shotwell OK. I did not try RPD but I assume that would work OK too.
On a laptop running 21.10, connecting the camera opens Shotwell OK. I did not try RPD but I assume that would work OK too.

My interpretation is that there is a local problem with my desktop PC’s installation but no general problem with RPD or Shotwell or Gnome or Ubuntu 21.10…

Having written the above, I installed RPD 0.9.26 on the laptop and can confirm that connecting the camera opens RPD OK.