Retroactive: Mac app that lets you run Aperture, iPhoto, or iTunes on macOS Catalina

[rraynor1980]

Check out the Retroactive app. It lets you run Aperture, iPhoto, or iTunes on macOS Catalina.
https://github.com/cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive

Retroactive app:

Aperture, iPhoto, iTunes 12, and iTunes 10 on macOS Catalina:

 

[bogdanw]

Error on installing iTunes 12.9: "There isn't enough free space to install iTunes"

At least 20GB?!? Is the app trying to install Mojave?

 

[rraynor1980]

Error on installing iTunes 12.9: "There isn't enough free space to install iTunes"

View attachment 872989

At least 20GB?!? Is the app trying to install Mojave?

Because iTunes 12.9.5 is not available as a separate download, Retroactive needs to download the full macOS Mojave installer to a cache folder to extract and install iTunes 12.9.5. Later, macOS will automatically clean up the cache folder.

If your disk space is limited, you can install iTunes 12.6.5 instead. It will be much quicker and only requires 2 GB.

(Check out Retroactive's About window and Credits page. Both link to your original post.)

 

[bogdanw]

Because iTunes 12.9.5 is not available as a separate download, Retroactive needs to download the macOS Mojave installer to extract and install iTunes 12.9.5.

iTunes 12.9.5 can be extracted from the macOS Mojave 10.14.5 Update, it's only 2.5GB https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2001

If your disk space is limited, you can always install iTunes 12.6.5 instead. It will be much quicker and only requires 2 GB.

2GB to install iTunes 12.6.5 ?!? It's still available from Apple and only 316MB https://support.apple.com/HT208079

 

[David403]

rraynor1980, is there a way to get Aperture to receive photos from my iPhone through PhotoStream. When I go to preferences in Aperture, select iCloud and click the checkmark on 'My Photo Stream' it says "To use iCloud Photos, you must be signed into your iCloud account in System Preferences". I am signed in. The checkmark on My Photo Stream does not 'stick' ???

 

[bogdanw]

(Check out Retroactive's About window and Credits page. Both link to your original post.)

I've noticed, thanks for the credits. The scripts I posted on this forum can be considered in the public domain, so anyone can use them freely.
The point was Retroactive is doing something wrong if it needs so much space to install iTunes. At least it should warn users about downloading large files. Some have data caps and use iTunes 12.6 to avoid downloading apps multiple times.
Another suggestion for Retroactive is to include Java https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sion-for-macos-catalina.2195954/post-27873682 It's a small download and easy installation.

 

[rraynor1980]

rraynor1980, is there a way to get Aperture to receive photos from my iPhone through PhotoStream. When I go to preferences in Aperture, select iCloud and click the checkmark on 'My Photo Stream' it says "To use iCloud Photos, you must be signed into your iCloud account in System Preferences". I am signed in. The checkmark on My Photo Stream does not 'stick' ???

You raised a good point. This is a known limitation because Retroactive applies ad-hoc signing after modifying Aperture. If I find a good solution to this, I will keep you posted.

I've noticed, thanks for the credits. The scripts I posted on this forum can be considered in the public domain, so anyone can use them freely.
The point was Retroactive is doing something wrong if it needs so much space to install iTunes. At least it should warn users about downloading large files. Some have data caps and use iTunes 12.6 to avoid downloading apps multiple times.
Another suggestion for Retroactive is to include Java https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sion-for-macos-catalina.2195954/post-27873682 It's a small download and easy installation.

Data cap warning, reducing storage requirements, adding Java 6 runtime. Thank you for these very good suggestions!
Finally, the quoted space requirement in Retroactive is an over-estimation of what is actually required. The actual requirements are much smaller:
- iTunes 12.9: 5.54 GB (download), 8,24 GB (installing), 188 MB (installed)
- iTunes 12.6.5: 315.8 MB (download), 799.8 MB (installing), 315.9 MB (installed)
- iTunes 11.7: 165 MB (download), 585.9 MB (installing), 257 MB (installed)

iTunes 12.9.5 can be extracted from the macOS Mojave 10.14.5 Update, it's only 2.5GB https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2001

iTunes 12.9.5 from the macOS Mojave 10.14.5 Update is incomplete (135.1 MB) and will crash on launch, where iTunes 12.9.5 from the full installer of macOS Mojave 10.14.6 is complete (188 MB).

 

[Lounge Deluxe]

Installing iTunes like this works flawless however I can't drag any playlists from my library to the iPhone in iTunes now, is there a magic trick to enable this?

I tend to remove playlists from my library after a while but I don't want them to disappear from my iPhone as well so syncing the Catalina way is a no-go for me unfortunately.

 

[Alex MT]

Check out the Retroactive app. It lets you run Aperture, iPhoto, or iTunes on macOS Catalina.
https://github.com/cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive

Retroactive app:
View attachment 872961

Aperture, iPhoto, iTunes 12, and iTunes 10 on macOS Catalina:
View attachment 872962

Does anyone know if I can sync iTunes and Music so they both have same content? Thanks!

 

[tghuguenin]

someone please help, I have an ipod classic 5th gen running ipod software 1.3 (after a restore). Installed iTunes 12.9.5.5 with retroactive. Wouldn't connect with my ipod after that, said needed restore. iTunes ran into some unknown error trying to restore it but I was able to restore using Finder. However, while Finder will sync with the ipod, iTunes won't open it. Says "The iPod “iPod” is in use by another user on this computer." The podcasts/music apps are garbage and I desperately want to sync my ipod with music and podcasts via iTunes (especially now that my iPod is empty and I need to put my stuff back on it the way I had it!). PLEASE HELP me because I listen to podcasts a lot with my ipod and used iTunes to constantly manage it and the new podcast app is so horrible

 

[smokerz]

iTunes 12.6.5 used so user can control Apps does work using RetroActive but if you want to sync say an iPhone the initial sync will fail eventually and after that iPhone will never mount to be seen on iTunes 12.6.5 So yes user can do music etc but sync forget it.

 

[rraynor1980]

iTunes 12.6.5 used so user can control Apps does work using RetroActive but if you want to sync say an iPhone the initial sync will fail eventually and after that iPhone will never mount to be seen on iTunes 12.6.5 So yes user can do music etc but sync forget it.

You can run killall AMPDevicesAgent in Terminal, then sync your iPhone. You can also AirDrop an IPA from Finder onto your iPhone.

 

[billd6]

Check out the Retroactive app. It lets you run Aperture, iPhoto, or iTunes on macOS Catalina.
https://github.com/cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive

Retroactive app:
View attachment 872961

Aperture, iPhoto, iTunes 12, and iTunes 10 on macOS Catalina:
View attachment 872962

I downloaded and installed Retroactive 1.5 - I'm running OS X 10.15.3 - I told Retroactive to download iTunes - when I tried to run iTunes, I got the following message - The file “iTunes Library.itl” cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes. Would you like to download iTunes now?" My options are Quit and Download iTunes - when I click on download it takes me to the App Store but there is no iTunes update available. What am I doing wrong??

 

[rraynor1980]

I downloaded and installed Retroactive 1.5 - I'm running OS X 10.15.3 - I told Retroactive to download iTunes - when I tried to run iTunes, I got the following message - The file “iTunes Library.itl” cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes. Would you like to download iTunes now?" My options are Quit and Download iTunes - when I click on download it takes me to the App Store but there is no iTunes update available. What am I doing wrong??

Hold down the option key on your keyboard and open iTunes from Launchpad, Retroactive, or Finder. iTunes will ask you to "Choose iTunes Library". Choose "Create Library...", and create a new iTunes library.

 

[bogdanw]

@rraynor1980 Hello, I think app downloads fail because iTunes 12.6 is sending TLS 1.1 requests. Would it be possible for iTunesLauncher to force the use of TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3?
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/foundation/nsstreamsocketsecuritylevel

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Under Mojave, how do I install iTunes?

 

[macintoshmac]

Under Mojave, how do I install iTunes?
View attachment 936170

When I first start Retro, I get this screen.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

When I first start Retro, I get this screen.

Is this Cat or Mojave?

 

[macintoshmac]

Is this Cat or Mojave?

Neither, it is Big Sur and Retro version 1.8.

 

[Mick84]

Check out the Retroactive app. It lets you run Aperture, iPhoto, or iTunes on macOS Catalina.
https://github.com/cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive

Retroactive app:
View attachment 872961

Aperture, iPhoto, iTunes 12, and iTunes 10 on macOS Catalina:
View attachment 872962

I get the message that it cant be installed because macos cant verify that its free from malware.

 

[sevenseconds]

Can you use this app to restore album artwork and THEN have the same artwork show up in the Music app? I have been able to use "Get Album Artwork" to restore artwork in iTunes. But then when I open up the Music app, it's still not there.

Also this developer of Retroactive is a hero!

 

[macintoshmac]

Can you use this app to restore album artwork and THEN have the same artwork show up in the Music app? I have been able to use "Get Album Artwork" to restore artwork in iTunes. But then when I open up the Music app, it's still not there.

Also this developer of Retroactive is a hero!

Yes, that developer is a good soul. Has helped a lot of people make the transition begrudgingly at their own pace.

 

[PencilNotPen]

Hi! Is it possible for Retroactive to give iTunes back control of launching via the keyboard Media keys as part of installation? Pressing play/pause on the keyboard launches the Music app, even after installing iTunes. Failing that, does anyone know how to do this without Retroactive?

Tried Media Keys Enabler but doesn't work (at least on Big Sur), still uses Music.

The media keys work to control iTunes when it is open and playing, but do not launch the program instead of Music. Was hoping by installing iTunes to completely disable Music, including for Play/Pause launching, and device syncing.

Thanks!

 

[Airsculpture]

Can you use this app to restore album artwork and THEN have the same artwork show up in the Music app? I have been able to use "Get Album Artwork" to restore artwork in iTunes. But then when I open up the Music app, it's still not there.

Also this developer of Retroactive is a hero!

Edit: wrong post

 

[ehmjay]

So I just installed iTunes using Retroactive, which is AMAZING.

However because I was on a new machine that only ever had Music.app the iTunes Library is completely empty. I suspect there's nothing I can do to fix this? No way to move things over from Music.app to iTunes?

(Man, I hate Music.app so very much!)