Found this thread, which is the correct place to address the issue I'm having as well as many others, and am seeing since 2017 the problem has been well documented and repeatable. As a former software development manager - the fix for this is simple but apparently hasn't received enough public comment to warrant a developer bug fix priority.
Also, it appears the last comment by a Verison manager was to raise an ebrow that a customer would actually leave because of this issue. Well Verizon, take a hint that your lack of responsiveness to customer issues translates to how much or little value we feel throughout the whole experience. Don't be so surprised, given this thread and the grim story it tells.
If anyone cares, issue still present in this current version:
Mac OS version: 10.15.2
Message + version: 2.5.2 (last updated bhy Verizon 4 months ago)
That's not how we want you to feel. Just to make sure we're on the same page. Please clarify the exact issue you're currently having? JoelD_VZW
You can find the exact problem repeated in detail earlier in the thread. Messages+ installs itself into the user login items at every startup on a mac. Even worse, if you hide it, at the next startup it installs another version that is not hidden (so now you have 2 versions, one hidden and one not hidden).
I find it troubling that this problem was first reported several YEARS ago with version 2.4.7, it is still happening in version 2.5.2 without any fix, and now you asking to have the problem described again (this is not that long a thread, it really shouldn't be that hard to find the original, detailed description).
maderby69, we certainly want you to have an easy transition with the application. What OS are you running?
TionnaB_VZW
The fact that am having to publish the following hack is SAD. This should be fixed by now. An application that will not respect the wish to not start on login is malware. What this application is doing is using tricks exploited by malware developers. The auto adding of Message+ as a login item should be removed, or at least controlled by a user preference. Treating this like it a troubleshooting issue is wrong. This is a design choice. It's intentionally coded in the software. Multiple OS versions, and persistent across years. Don't apologize, just fix it.
Here is my hack to work around this poorly written software (don't get me started on the stability issues). This assumes High Sierra or higher.
https://support.apple.com/de-at/HT2420 for reference. This should work for High Sierra and up.
1. Set the login items the way you want them in the Users & Groups System Preference pane (probably without Message+)
2. Enter the following in a Terminal window
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bin
cat <<EOF >> /tmp/loginitems-restore.sh
#!/bin/sh
/bin/cp /Users/\$1/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm.desired /Users/\$1/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm
EOF
sudo mv /tmp/loginitems-restore.sh /usr/local/bin/loginitems-restore.sh
sudo chmod a+x /usr/local/bin/loginitems-restore.sh
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm.desired
sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook /usr/local/bin/loginitems-restore.sh3. Later, when you need up update the login items, set them the way you want and run this line in the Terminal window
cp ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm.desiredIf you want to remove this:
rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/backgrounditems.btm.desired
rm /usr/local/bin/loginitems-restore.sh
defaults delete com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook
I also have this problem and it drives me crazy. In what world is it okay that the application can add itself back to login items after I've specifically removed it? Like Kalak said, there is no solution for this other than the developers of Message+ remove the code that purposefully adds the application back to login items every time it runs.
gneissguy, we appreciate your feedback as we never want you to have an issue with any applications that we provide you. To ensure we are on the same page, what is the operating system you are currently using at this time? How long has this issue been going on for?
KevinM_VZW
This thread is a broken record for over 3 years, Verizon Support. Here's the general scenario:
1. Problem is stated by a user, followed by many from the community identifying the same problem.
2. Verizon support appears sympathetic to user issue, presumably driven by some countries trigger of comments that finally invokes a review. They ask the user what the problem is, without reviewing any of the thread. User responds with: read the thread, and restates the issue.
4. Verizon apologizes for the problem with their software, begins asking generic questions. User gets frustrated with questions that show the support person hasn't read the context of the thread and provides no meaningful progress. User gives up and goes away.
And repeat.
For 3 years.
Context: On a Mac OS computer, versions 10.13 - present, the Verizon developed Message+.app adds itself to the current user profile's login items, which forces it to start up after an OS reboot. This is not referring to iPad or other mobile platforms (although there was some mention of Android here).
Problem: If you manually remove the Message+.app preference from your profile login items, any time the Message+.app is restarted, it checks and re-adds itself to the user's login items. Further, if you check the box to "hide" the app, it will uncheck your selection. There is no preference/setting to disabled this from happening.
Repeatability: This is Mac OS version independent and in just this thread has been noted since 2017 and continues to do so on every update of Mac OS and the Message+.app
Solution options: A) eliminate the code that forces the app to check and add itself to the user's Login Items at restart. B) create an app preference option to disable the app from adding itself to the users login items automatically
This is just a travesty. It's laughable. I reported this blatantly invasive design flaw in the Message+ app three years ago. The app has since undergone several incremental and minor version updates, and nothing has been done about it. All we have heard in here from Verizon representatives is: "Sorry. What OS are you on?", "Sorry. Can you describe the problem?", "Sorry. Let's make sure we're on the same page.", "Sorry to see you go. Buh bye!" I have been a software engineer on several platforms, including macOS, for 30 years. THIS IS A DROP-DEAD SIMPLE FIX! Should I just write the dang code for you?! Is that what you need?! Where is this "developer forum" you speak of? I want in there, so that I can give your poor excuse for a product engineering team some lessons. Pathetic.
christopher_watson, I'm sorry to hear that you've had issues for over 3 years and we want to ensure that your feedback is able to be shared. Within the My Verizon app, please navigate to Menu > Feedback. Let us know if this helps.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
