Vassal under Apple Catalina

[uckelman]

Thus spake zgrose via messages:
> The easiest way to run an application blocked by OS X is still to go to
> System Preferences... Security and you should see a message saying that
> VASSAL was blocked. Click the Run Anyway or whatever the button is
> called (not at a Mac at the moment) and OS X will do all the work for
> you.

What do we need to do so that this isn't necessary?

--
J.

[Malnorma]

The easiest way to run an application blocked by OS X is still to go to System Preferences... Security and you should see a message saying that VASSAL was blocked. Click the Run Anyway or whatever the button is called (not at a Mac at the moment) and OS X will do all the work for you.

This is no different to simply using the right-click > open command. It allows the app to run, but does not remove the quarantine attribute, and will still run afoul of this issue on Catalina.

What do we need to do so that this isn't necessary?

The app needs to be signed and notarised using an Apple developer account. I don't remember if this requires the $99 fee.

[GGdeTOURS]

Arg: Can't find the "Terminal.app" in spotlight?

[Malnorma]

Arg: Can't find the "Terminal.app" in spotlight?

That's odd! It should be under /Applications/Utilities if you want to find it manually.

[GGdeTOURS]

Is that here?

[Malnorma]

Yes, that's it.

[GGdeTOURS]

So I must hit "sudo xattr -d -r com.apple.quarantine /Applications/VASSAL.app" on the white screen after "GG$"?

(it sound like chinese for me loool)

[Malnorma]

You've got it. It does look a bit complicated, but all you're doing is running a program with some extra information about what you want it to do:

xattr - a program to manage extended attributes
-d - delete an attribute
-r - do the delete on all files and folders within the target folder
com.apple.quarantine - the name of the attribute to delete
/Applications/VASSAL.app - the target folder for the command

If this was meant to be a long-term solution, I'd suggest adding it to the main Vassal script, but I'm hoping a better solution will be found.

[GGdeTOURS]

With so many thanks Malnorma.

I hope you will excuse me but I finally decided not to enter those lines on this computer of mine that is also my main working tool as a photographer. I will play a little less on Vassal (because of the repetitive manipulations) and wait for a fixing of Vassal for the (poor) people owning a Mac.

With best regards - GG

By the way I'm Guillaume Gleize - City of Tours - France
Command & Colors Napoleonic player on Vassal & Live

[zgrose]

You do not need to use the Terminal.

When you double-click VASSAL (or any other un-signed app that you trust), you will see:

Screen Shot 2019-10-23 at 8.38.08 AM.png (72.21 KiB) Viewed 3324 times

Just click Cancel. Then goto the Apple menu.... System Preferences... Security & Privacy. You will see:

Screen Shot 2019-10-23 at 8.38.16 AM.png (193.99 KiB) Viewed 3324 times

Click Open Anyway if you trust it and you will see:

Screen Shot 2019-10-23 at 8.38.23 AM.png (89.44 KiB) Viewed 3324 times

Click Open and you're good-to-go.

Again, this is a process you will have to use when opening apps from smaller development houses.

[zgrose]

This is no different to simply using the right-click > open command. It allows the app to run, but does not remove the quarantine attribute, and will still run afoul of this issue on Catalina.

That appears to be Option+Open on the Right-Click menu.

Tell me more about how I can see what will run afoul. So far Option-Open just seems to be a shortcut to the process and allows VASSAL to run just fine.

[Malnorma]

With so many thanks Malnorma.

I hope you will excuse me but I finally decided not to enter those lines on this computer of mine that is also my main working tool as a photographer. I will play a little less on Vassal (because of the repetitive manipulations) and wait for a fixing of Vassal for the (poor) people owning a Mac.

No problem. Another thought occurred to me - you could try storing all your modules under /Users/Shared instead of your home folder. I believe that location will be less strictly protected, but I do not have time to test it right now.

So far Option-Open just seems to be a shortcut to the process and allows VASSAL to run just fine.

Please read the thread. Launching Vassal is not the issue.

[GGdeTOURS]

Last info: It seems to depend on TIME very much.

If I shut down and re-open my computer many times during the first hours: The modules are still here. But After let say 8 hours or more: If I shut down and re-open my computer: The modules (and extensions) have disappeared again.
Sooo strange ...

[Malnorma]

Last info: It seems to depend on TIME very much.

If I shut down and re-open my computer many times during the first hours: The modules are still here. But After let say 8 hours or more: If I shut down and re-open my computer: The modules (and extensions) have disappeared again.
Sooo strange ...

Yes, it's like the OS is granting a temporary exception that expires, often after a reboot. I set up a test yesterday with three vmods under /Users/Shared, one in my Downloads folder, and one in my Documents folder. This morning, the Shared vmods are still listed, but the other two have been dropped.

Have you tried moving your modules to /Users/Shared?

[tar]

Not sure if it is relevant, but from Apple's website, here are some of the
new Catalina "features": https://www.apple.com/macos/catalina/features/

Enhanced GatekeeperGatekeeper will ensure that all new apps you install —
from the App Store or the internet — have been checked for known security
issues by Apple before you run them the first time and periodically
thereafter. This extends the protection from the app’s source to include
automated checks for what’s in the app.

Data protectionsmacOS Catalina checks with you before allowing an app to
access your data in your Documents, Desktop, and Downloads folders; iCloud
Drive; the folders of third-party cloud storage providers; removable media;
and external volumes. In addition, you’re asked before an app can perform
key logging or capture a still or video recording of your screen.

On Thu, Oct 24, 2019 at 12:06 PM Malnorma wrote:

>
> "GGdeTOURS" wrote:
> > Last info: It seems to depend on TIME very much.
> >
> > If I shut down and re-open my computer many times during the first
> > hours: The modules are still here. But After let say 8 hours or more:
> > If I shut down and re-open my computer: The modules (and extensions)
> > have disappeared again.
> > Sooo strange ...
>
>
> Yes, it's like the OS is granting a temporary exception that expires,
> often after a reboot. I set up a test yesterday with three vmods under
> /Users/Shared, one in my Downloads folder, and one in my Documents
> folder. This morning, the Shared vmods are still listed, but the other
> two have been dropped.
>
> Have you tried moving your modules to /Users/Shared?
>
> _______________________________________________
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> viewtopic.php?p=57849#p57849
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