Testing and Debugging on the device: How can I stop iTunes to make me crazy every time I connect my device?

Question

It's so harrying: Every time when I connect my iPod touch to my mac, iTunes launches and starts synchronizing. This causes collisions with Xcode when it tries to install the app on the device in this time. And my exposé-windows always jump to the iTunes window. Then I have to wait, wait, wait, dismiss the stupid question like "you really want me to delete everything and make a new library on your device?", wait again a few seconds, quit iTunes (to prevent problems with the provisioning profiles), and switch back to Xcode.

It would be so GREAT if I could disable the automatic startup of iTunes when I connect the device, since I'm really not such a music-junkee at all. I use it just for apps anyways and most of the time, I just want to test/debug or just charge the battery.

I couldn't see any option in the menus to do that. I also tried to disable the iPod background service, but this enables itself automatically again and again. So I hope there is a solution to prevent it from automatic starting. I mean... when I really want a sync, or new music, or whatever, I would manually start iTunes. %$!!§&!

Answer 1

in the ipod section you can disable automatic synching.

Answer 2

To really disable auto-synching you'll want to take out the iTunesHelper app out of your startup list. Go to System Preferences -> Accounts and the "Login Items" tab. Delete it from the list and reboot.

Turning off automatic synching in iTunes means that the helper is still running monitoring the iPhone getting plugged in (which could still interfere with development). It just doesn't launch iTunes. This method totally takes it out of the way.

Of course, it means having to manually sync your iPhone when you plug it.

Answer 3

Unchecking "Open iTunes when this iPod is attached" solves the problem for me.