MacOS 13 - "OwlPlug is damaged and can't be opened" is back! about owlplug

[DropSnorz]

Hi @sveinbjornpalsson

I have reports from macOS Ventura users about restrictions far heavier for non-notarized app. The procedure seems to be the following for Ventura (but needs confirmation)

• Attempting to run OwlPlug may show a window explaining it cannot be opened because "Apple cannot check it for malicious software." Click Ok.
• Open System Preferences and select Security & Privacy.
• If the padlock in the bottom left is locked, click it and authenticate to unlock it.
• Next to the message explaining the app "was blocked from use because it is not from an identified developer," click Open Anyway.
• Close System Preferences.
• Run the app.
• A notice will reiterate the warning about an inability to check if it is malicious each time you run the app. Click Open.

I'm aware that these issues (#31) are very frustrating and discourage app usage on macOS. For now, the main problems on my side are:

• Apple Developer program annual costs
• I don't have a mac under my hands, I'm using virtualization to test stuff for macOS which is not ideal and sometimes really tricky to set up.

We have more and more users on macOS so I may dig into the problem in the next months.

[carlca]

I'm getting the same message on macOS 13.3 Ventura. Based on past experience with this type of messages, I went straight to System Settings -> Security & Privacy, expecting to see the message about the app being blocked. There was no message. You are right! This is enormously frustrating. I know I shouldn't complain considering the fact that this is free software, but still...

[carlca]

I tried the terminal command suggested (sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/OwlPlug.app/) and I was flooded with the error message xattr: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted: '/Applications/OwlPlug.app//Contents/MacOS/OwlPlug'

So I fixed that with System Settings > App Management > toggle the slider next to Terminal Then I ran sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/OwlPlug.app/ again. But the error persists.

This was my experience, exactly.

[carlca]

Also, the mechanism for joining the Discord server is broken. When I open Discord, it insists on treating me as a new "unsigned" member with no other subscribed servers. I am in fact a member with a different Discord ID on maybe 30 other servers!

[carlca]

So now I am subscribed to the Owl Plug Discord server using an old email address, and completely separate from my other 29 servers! I even sent an invite email from my lonely Owl Plug instance, thinking that this would enable me to join with my main Discord ID, but no, clicking the link opens my main Discord, but without the Owl Plug server being visible. I don't think this is anything to do with Mac differences either...

[carlca]

*** Panic Over ***
Here's another strange work around. I had to change the Security Settings away from "Anywhere" to "App Store and identified developers" (this needs a password), and then change it back to "Anywhere! again. This time, attempting to run Owl Plug gave me the option to "Open Anyway" which I did, and the app is now open 😃

I still cannot access the OwlPlug Discord on my main Discord though...

[DropSnorz]

Hi @carlca

Thank you for using OwlPlug !

I still cannot access the OwlPlug Discord on my main Discord though...

This is strange, the Discord invite link works well on my side.
Can you use the + Add a Server button at the bottom of your discord server list? You will be prompted for a link if you use the Join a Server button.

Here is the invite link: https://discord.gg/nEdHAMB

[carlca]

Thanks Arthur! Using the + Add a Server button worked perfectly. For some reason, just clicking the link open Discord, but didn't add the server. I've found that some invite links work directly and others don't. Any how, all is well now 😉 Cheers, Carl

…

On Sun, 9 Apr 2023 at 17:37, Arthur Poiret ***@***.***> wrote: Hi @carlca <https://github.com/carlca> Thank you for using OwlPlug ! I still cannot access the OwlPlug Discord on my main Discord though... This is strange, the Discord invite link works well on my side. Can you use the *+ Add a Server* button at the bottom of your discord server list? You will be prompted for a link if you use the *Join a Server* button. Here is the invite link: https://discord.gg/nEdHAMB — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#194 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAB7UBBYPDQJLNYOCTAUOR3XALQU3ANCNFSM6AAAAAAVVNMFXI> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[DropSnorz]

Closing as duplicate of #60