How to tame Photos and the clipboard

[1291030]

Photos on MacOS really have some odd behaviour. It seems obsessed with TIFFs.

If I use "edit with" and use pretty much any application, say, "Edit with -> Preview" it exports a TIFF.

Even worse, if I use "Copy Subject" and paste this into, say, a Messages conversation (blue or green bubble recipients, it doesn't matter), it pasts a TIFF. Which is rendered inline on my end, but the recipients sees the TIFF file as an attachment.

How can I control this behaviour?

 

[gilby101]

If I use "edit with" and use pretty much any application, say, "Edit with -> Preview" it exports a TIFF.

It is all to with maximum compatibility and how Apple has decided to implement that. Also it depends on the format of the original.

If the original is JPEG, then "Edit with -> Preview" exports a JPEG.

If the original is HEIC (default from your iPhone), then
a) "Edit with -> Preview" exports a TIFF. And for most other destination apps.
b) Drag and drop to the Desktop, you will get a JPEG.

Generally using a TIFF between applications maximises compatibility with no loss of detail, etc.

Using a different digital asset management product (e.g. Lightroom) would give you more control over the export process.

 

[Slartibart]

Applescript to rescue:

1. Open Automator and create a script as an Application.
2. Add the Run AppleScript Action and copy and paste:

if ((clipboard info) as string) contains "TIFF picture" then set the clipboard to (the clipboard as JPEG picture) end if

save the action as e.g. “clipboard2JPEG”. Run it when you want to convert the TIFF clipboard data. Or you create a quick action workflow with this script and add it to the macOS Finder. It then will automatically appear in the Action pop-up menu

at the top of a Finder window, at the bottom of the Finder window preview pane in Column or Gallery view, and in the Services menu.

Alternatively you can convert clipboard image content from the default TIFF to PNG or PDF.

 

[1291030]

Hey both.

Thanks for your suggestions, I love the apple script suggestion. But, it seems its been taken care of for me.

I'll explain. My biggest grievance was the "Copy Subject" travesty (why would I send these to friends and family as TIFFs showing up as attachments in iMessage conversations 🤣)

And luckily, it seems they fixed this in Sonoma. I gave the public beta a spin on one of my machines. And it turns out that next to "Copy Subject" they now have a "Share Subject" option, that shares a PNG in the messages convo. Thus, avoiding sending TIFF attachments to unsuspecting family members haha.

 

[Slartibart]

And luckily, it seems they fixed this in Sonoma. I gave the public beta a spin on one of my machines. And it turns out that next to "Copy Subject" they now have a "Share Subject" option, that shares a PNG in the messages convo. Thus, avoiding sending TIFF attachments to unsuspecting family members haha.

out of curiosity: does such PNG appear inline at the recipient like it is intended by the sender? you mentioned that it’s not the case for pasted TIFF image data. Thinking of it, the destination OS might impact here too…

 

[1291030]

out of curiosity: does such PNG appear inline at the recipient like it is intended by the sender? you mentioned that it’s not the case for pasted TIFF image data. Thinking of it, the destination OS might impact here too…

Yes, they do. The PNGs are displayed inline.

On Ventura, I get the same behavior, TIFF attachments on recipient side, regardless of sending pasting in green or blue bubble conversations (for clarity, the TIFF shows inline on my end, but is delivered as an attachment on recipients end)