Is caffeinate broken in macOS Sierra?

Question

Level 1

11 points

Is caffeinate broken in macOS Sierra?

I'm running a late 2016 MBP with current level of macOS Sierra. While in clam shell mode and connected to power I'm not able to prevent the mac from going to sleep via the caffienate command. I've tried to use various different options: -i or -s. I leave the terminal window up and do not fork the task to background.

I've also tried various utilities from the Mac App store, most recently one called Caffeine. None of the these seem to work either.

My energy saver settings are:

Most of the time I want the behavior as detailed in the image. However, there are times I want it remain awake without having to modify these settings.

Is anyone else having this problem?

Mark

Posted on Feb 9, 2017 6:47 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 10, 2017 9:19 PM in response to parrym

parrym wrote:

Just a shame I need to go 3rd party for this.

Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback/

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Answer 2

parrym Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 10, 2017 8:46 PM in response to MadMacs0

So when I asked about the commandline, I was referring to the one built into OSX.

https://developer.apple.com/legacy/library/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPag es/man8/caffeinate.8.html

As far as I can tell, this is completely broken under macOS Sierra.

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Answer 3

Feb 10, 2017 8:54 PM in response to parrym

parrym wrote:

So when I asked about the commandline, I was referring to the one built into OSX.

https://developer.apple.com/legacy/library/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPag es/man8/caffeinate.8.html

As far as I can tell, this is completely broken under macOS Sierra.

Thanks parrym—This is how I understood your question.

I still don't quite get these references since the command line is "caffeinate"

MadMacs0 wrote:

"Caffeine hasn't worked properly..."

" they are not unique to caffeinated."

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Answer 4

Feb 10, 2017 10:06 PM in response to MadMacs0

MadMacs0 wrote:

leroydouglas wrote:

Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Or for a somewhat stronger voice

Apple Beta Software Program

I see this as a non-sequitur at best and confusing to the OP at worst. Stronger voice, Beta program?

If the OP thinks this is a bug then you can with your same Apple ID sign up for a free Developers Account and start a conversation with Apple engineers:

Bug Reporter https://bugreport.apple.com/

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Answer 5

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,227 points

Feb 10, 2017 10:34 PM in response to MadMacs0

leroydouglas wrote:

Stronger voice, Beta program?...

If the OP thinks this is a bug then you can with your same Apple ID sign up for a free Developers Account

Technically, there is currently no free Developer Program Account, but there is a way to use an Apple ID to access the Developer Forum now: Choosing a Membership. Last time I checked you could not post to the forum nor file a Bug Report with only an Apple ID, but since I was grandfathered into a free Developer Account years ago, I can't really check on that. It's now $99 for all full Individual Apple Developer Program accounts.

The Beta program does give access to a formal feedback system which occasionally can result in a dialog with engineering and worst case, expedites comments back to those currently working on the next release. If there is any work being done to restore caffeinate, then the Public Beta program is a free way to follow it's progress and communicate directly with those responsible for it. If it has been fixed in the current beta, then the OP can start using it immediately.

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Answer 6

Ian Leckie

Level 4

2,262 points

Feb 10, 2017 10:15 AM in response to parrym

As Kilted Tim has posted I´d use Amphetamine from the App Store. I use it all the time in Sierra...no problems at all, and does what you want! A tiny wee app that sits at the top in your menu bar. 🙂 Cheers, Ian.

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Answer 7

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,227 points

Feb 10, 2017 8:26 PM in response to parrym

parrym wrote:

No one using the built in osx commandline though?

No, primarily because several others in the group I work with said it wasn't working properly for them in Sierra any more.

Try

caffeinated &

which allows you to use Terminal for other things or

nohup caffeinated &

if you want to quit Terminal.

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Answer 8

Feb 10, 2017 8:34 PM in response to MadMacs0

MadMacs0 wrote:

parrym wrote:

No one using the built in osx commandline though?

No, primarily because several others in the group I work with said it wasn't working properly for them in Sierra any more.

Try

caffeinated &

which allows you to use Terminal for other things or

nohup caffeinated &

if you want to quit Terminal.

Do you have a references for these command lines? I am not seeing any references??

However I do see:

man caffeinate | more

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Answer 9

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,227 points

Feb 10, 2017 8:54 PM in response to parrym

parrym wrote:

So when I asked about the commandline, I was referring to the one built into OSX.

???

That's what I'm referring to, as well. It's definitely not completely broken, but from everything I've come across, it's certainly been crippled in some way.

Did you try using either or both the command line commands I suggested?

Sorry, I see that autocorrect changed what I typed. Should be:

Try

caffeinate &

which allows you to use Terminal for other things or

nohup caffeinate &

if you want to quit Terminal.

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Answer 10

parrym Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 10, 2017 8:59 PM in response to leroydouglas

Caffeine was an app on the AppStore....

IDK what 'caffeinated' is but I suspect its a type-o on MadMacs0 part. Think he meant caffeinate.

@MadMacs0 - My original post was done after trying numerous command switches. The one most relevant seems to be -S and it does not work.

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Answer 11

parrym Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 10, 2017 9:14 PM in response to MadMacs0

Yeah.

Amphetamine seems to do the trick. So thank you to everyone on the thread who directed me to it. It's got a couple of settings that seem to contradict system preferences (i.e. when the screen saver starts). But overall looks pretty good. Just a shame I need to go 3rd party for this.

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Answer 12

parrym Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 10, 2017 9:23 PM in response to leroydouglas

So interesting... read this comment on the Amphetamine support site...

Release a website version of the app and add closed lid function

Hey,
U understand that in the Mac App Store version it is not possible for Amphetamine to keep MacBooks awake, while the lid is closed. So why not releasing a version of Amphetamine on your website to "fix" this inconvenience of not having this possibility. There is an app "InsomniaX" which is really great at doing exactly that but unfortunately it has not the other great features Amphetamine offers, and the app is no longer developed.

Maybe the reason I'm having issues is because I'm in clamshell mode??? See that bolded part?

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Answer 13

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,227 points

Feb 10, 2017 10:19 PM in response to leroydouglas

leroydouglas wrote:

Stronger voice, Beta program?

If the OP thinks this is a bug then you can with your same Apple ID sign up for a free Developers Account and start a conversation with Apple engineers:

Bug Reporter https://bugreport.apple.com/

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Answer 14

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,227 points

Feb 11, 2017 12:06 AM in response to MadMacs0

MadMacs0 wrote:

I've been using KeepingMeAwake, which is still under active development.

I checked through the old issues involving KMA and found this Does not work if lid is closed #66 where the developer concluded:

Hi, thanks for the suggestion!

I will probably never support this option because caffeinate doesn't support this. KYA uses caffeinate under the hood and as long as Apple doesn't remove the tool from macOS this won't change.

So based on your objective, that one isn't going to help you either.

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Answer 15

Baldey1

Level 1

4 points

Oct 11, 2017 12:30 PM in response to parrym

yeah i just discovered the caffeinate command. I was hopeful, till i also discovered that it doesn't do ****. Is there a support thread open for this?

caffeinate & does not work either.

PS: i'm not using any store apps cause they aren't getting anywhere near my wallet. I didn't pay for this paper weight, and i sure as **** am not paying for any apps for it.
<Edited by Host>

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