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ToasterZapper

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 27, 2021
46
31
Hi all,

As part of the 13.2.1 update I received a notification that 'Open' has been added to the 'Allow in Background' items - has anyone else experienced this? Should I allow it or remove it?

1676372844670.png
 
Check the plist files in ~/Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchAgents for the one that contains the open command.
 
It's definitely associated with Creative Cloud - I got the notification as CC was updating apps today. It's called by com.adobe.ccxprocess.plist in /Library/LaunchDaemons.
 
I have Open since upgraded to Ventura, but no Adobe apps installed, so it's not associated to Adobe CC... any tips?
 
I don't understand why it is so hard to just open each plist file with TextEdit to see if they contain /usr/bin/open or <string>open</string>
 
I don't understand why it is so hard to just open each plist file with TextEdit to see if they contain /usr/bin/open or <string>open</string>
That's quite easy for me to do, but if I do find it in any of these file I'm not sure what that means; I understand DOS/Windows and how they work, but I'm new to MacOS. Your help has certainly pointed me in the right direction though and I'm happy to Google from here. Thanks.
 
For completeness for the thread I've found 'open' in 'com.adobe.ccxprocess.plist'.

<array>
<string>/usr/bin/open</string>
<string>-a</string>
<string>/Applications/Utilities/Adobe Creative Cloud Experience/CCXProcess/CCXProcess.app</string>
</array>
 
A Google tells me that -
  1. CCXProcess is the 'Creative Cloud Experience Process'
  2. A plist file is a 'properties file' containing settings
I'm assuming then that Adobe CC has added 'Open' to the 'Allow in Background' list so that it can open(?) stuff (files? Programs?).
 
For completeness for the thread I've found 'open' in 'com.adobe.ccxprocess.plist'.

<array>
<string>/usr/bin/open</string>
<string>-a</string>
<string>/Applications/Utilities/Adobe Creative Cloud Experience/CCXProcess/CCXProcess.app</string>
</array>
That's it, you've found it.
The launch agent uses the open command to launch the application CCXProcess.app
https://ss64.com/osx/open.html
 
ah okay, so the LaunchAgent is using Open - not that CCXProcess is being given permission to use Open?
No permission given to CCXProcess.
Open is being used to launch an app.
Try from Terminal
/usr/bin/open -a /System/Applications/Calculator.app
 
I suppose that leaves me with two questions -
  1. Why is Open not listed in the other plist file in that directory? Does the LaunchAgent not need to "open" that app?
  2. Why is Open being added to the 'Allow in Background' list?
Appreciate that you've already spent a lot of time answering my questions.
 
I suppose that leaves me with two questions -
  1. Why is Open not listed in the other plist file in that directory? Does the LaunchAgent not need to "open" that app?
Because others don't use open. Apps can be launched directly. I don't know why Adobe chose this way.

  1. Why is Open being added to the 'Allow in Background' list?
Because Apple didn't think this "background" list through :)
It's still a work in progress and will probably be sorted at some point.
More info on launch agents and daemons
https://www.launchd.info/
https://developer.apple.com/library...stemStartup/Chapters/CreatingLaunchdJobs.html
 
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A former Apple engineer told me that anything can use the open command (even things not listed in the LaunchAgents). I think this had been running before but wasn't previously reported until 13.2.1.
 
Yes, anything can use /usr/bin/open, but using it doesn’t add it to “background items”.
Only launch agents/daemons that use it make it appear in that list.
Here is how to search for “open” in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons from Terminal:
Code:
grep -ilR open ~/Library/Launch* /Library/Launch*
The command will return the plist files in those folders that contain the word “open”.
 
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Yes, anything can use /usr/bin/open, but using it doesn’t add it to “background items”.
Only launch agents/daemons that use it make it appear in that list.
Here is how to search for “open” in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons from Terminal:
Code:
grep -ilR open ~/Library/Launch* /Library/Launch*
The command will return the plist files in those folders that contain the word “open”.
The only LaunchAgent using mine is SynologyDrive Client. I opened a support ticket to ask why they need to use it that way.
 
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