macOS install: "muCommander" is damaged and can't be opened

[rhstanton]

Description

I just installed the new version, 1.3.0-1, on my Mac, and when I try to run it I get the error message

"muCommander" is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash

This used to happen all the time in the past, but I thought it had gone away with recent versions.

Steps to reproduce

Install muCommander 1.3.0-1 on macOS, then try to run it.

Expected behavior

It should run.

Actual behavior

I get the error message listed above.

Screenshots?

No response

muCommander version

1.3.0-1

Java version

I can't run muCommander to get this output, but I don't think it's Java-related.

Operating System type and version

macOS 12.6.7

Relevant log output

No response

[ahadas]

ah right, I should have written it as a known issue but I found that I won't be able to sign the dmg too late in the release process - so version 1.3.0 cannot be installed like the last few versions. I don't have a machine that I can try this on but there's this user guide that should help with installing an app from unidentified developer on macOS Ventura

[rhstanton]

Those instructions don't work for me, I'm afraid. After installing, I then need to run the command

sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander

Then muCommander works fine.

[ahadas]

Those instructions don't work for me, I'm afraid. After installing, I then need to run the command

sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander

Then muCommander works fine.

thanks for the follow up @rhstanton, could you please share what's the version of your operating system?

[ahadas]

Those instructions don't work for me, I'm afraid. After installing, I then need to run the command
sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander
Then muCommander works fine.

thanks for the follow up @rhstanton, could you please share what's the version of your operating system?

ok, I asked this because it didn't work for another user - but apparently what blocked him is that there was no permissions for the terminal to access files in /Applications/muCommander.app
I'll document this procedure then

[andrus-k]

"muCommander" is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash
12.6.7
?

[sebastian-lempert]

Same for me on macOS Ventura 13.4.1 (22F82).

In the past this guide helped me when encountering this problem, but unfortunately with muCommander version 1.3.0-1 it doesn't work anymore.

The same applies for the tip of @rhstanton, so using sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app doesn't work for me either.

[ahadas]

@sebastian-lempert it worked for @danielerez on 13.4.1 (22F82) - does it fail for you on xattr: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted? if so, please make sure that the terminal has permission on these files

[sebastian-lempert]

@sebastian-lempert it worked for @danielerez with 13.4.1 (22F82) - does it fail for you on xattr: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted? if so, please make sure that the terminal has permission on these files

No, I have granted the needed permissions to Terminal as described in this guide, so this is not the problem.

[ahadas]

"muCommander" is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash
12.6.7
?

@andrus-k that's the version I have, it worked for me with: xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/muCommander.app

[sebastian-lempert]

"muCommander" is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash
12.6.7
?

that's the version I have, it worked for me with: xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/muCommander.app

The command sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/muCommander.app is part of the first guide that I referenced in my first post. This one didn't work for me as well (although it worked for versions < 1.3.0-1).

[ahadas]

@sebastian-lempert it worked for @danielerez with 13.4.1 (22F82) - does it fail for you on xattr: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted? if so, please make sure that the terminal has permission on these files

No, I have granted the needed permissions to Terminal as described in this guide, so this is not the problem.

@danielerez did you do any other magic to make it work on 13.4.1 (22F82)?

[danielerez]

@sebastian-lempert it worked for @danielerez with 13.4.1 (22F82) - does it fail for you on xattr: [Errno 1] Operation not permitted? if so, please make sure that the terminal has permission on these files

No, I have granted the needed permissions to Terminal as described in this guide, so this is not the problem.

@danielerez did you do any other magic to make it work on 13.4.1 (22F82)?

So I've just added the Terminal under Settings>Privacy & Security>App Management.
Restarted the Terminal, and then: sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app

[mu-citizen]

So I've just added the Terminal under Settings>Privacy & Security>App Management. Restarted the Terminal, and then: sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app

I had the same problem as sebastian-lempert, but thanks, it helped me!

Just a quick question, how can I use the "Open with..." command? I've never could use it (it was grayed out), now this new version says "Enable apps here" and "The "duti" tool must be present on PATH...".
I'm not a coder... is it so hard to write it in the Settings, or somewhere, where I could connect extensions with programs? Or take the same "Open with" as in Finder?

[pskowronek]

I'm not a coder... is it so hard to write it in the Settings, or somewhere, where I could connect extensions with programs? Or take the same "Open with" as in Finder?

The info states as follows:

The "duti" tool must be present on PATH
It can be installed via homebrew, macports, fink, etc.

You don't need to be coder - there's enough information to let you google it out. Just install duti using either homebrew, macports or fink.

Or take the same "Open with" as in Finder?

This is what duti is being used for - to get the list of apps for extensions :)

Try it out - you'll be happy :)

[ahadas]

So I've just added the Terminal under Settings>Privacy & Security>App Management. Restarted the Terminal, and then: sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app

I had the same problem as sebastian-lempert, but thanks, it helped me!

thanks for the feedback @mu-citizen! (nice nickname btw :) )
@freebrowser1 FYI ^

[mu-citizen]

You don't need to be coder - there's enough information to let you google it out. Just install duti using either homebrew, macports or fink.

Maybe I'm just too lame, but it's too complicated... what should I dl, how should I install it, what should I type in Terminal or somewhere else... ehhh, I didn't buy a Mac to be more complicated than having a Linux (and yes, I tried to google it, but I could find just complicated things, no simple advice or instruction, what to download and do).

[Andreas0602]

how should I install it, what should I type in Terminal or somewhere else

1. In muCommander, press F12 to start the terminal.
2. In the terminal, install Homebrew by running the install command given here: https://brew.sh
3. Install the duti tool by running the install command given here: https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/duti
4. Restart muCommander.

[mu-citizen]

how should I install it, what should I type in Terminal or somewhere else

1. In muCommander, press F12 to start the terminal.
2. In the terminal, install Homebrew by running the install command given here: https://brew.sh
3. Install the duti tool by running the install command given here: https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/duti
4. Restart muCommander.

Thanks so much! This is exactly what I was looking for, now "Open with..." works the same as in Finder. Now I'm feel like a hacker. ;) :DDD

[pskowronek]

true hacker indeed! :) glad that it worked finally.

[freebrowser1]

In Privacy&Security I added that I would run mucommander anyway, so that worked.

And logging in to an sftp server with a private key worked as well !

[ahadas]

@freebrowser1 great, good to hear this

[GH20223]

Hi,

just wanted to add something.
I followed the instructions from @danielerez :
So I've just added the Terminal under Settings>Privacy & Security>App Management.
Restarted the Terminal, and then: sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app

After that I had to allow opening mucommander again under:

Thanks all for the great tool and support :-)

[sebastian-lempert]

Hi,

just wanted to add something. I followed the instructions from @danielerez : So I've just added the Terminal under Settings>Privacy & Security>App Management. Restarted the Terminal, and then: sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app

After that I had to allow opening mucommander again under:

Thanks all for the great tool and support :-)

Unfortunately I don't have this option Dennoch öffnen (English: open anyway):

Also (again) I would like to point out that I am on macOS Ventura 13.4.1 (22F82) and if you look at my Datenschutz & Sicherheit (English: Privacy & Security) settings than you can see that there is an additional option Überall (English: Anywhere) in the section Apps erlauben, die geladen wurden von (English: Allow applications downloaded from). My guess is that this option was added in macOS Ventura and that this option probably is used in order to replace the above mentioned option Dennoch öffnen?

Another thing that might be worth to be mentioned is the fact that my MacBook is a work computer, which is administered by my employer. This is the reason why the whole section Apps erlauben, die geladen wurden von is grayed out (see screenshot above). Nevertheless, since there the option Überall is selected everything should be fine I guess. Furthermore I am able to use sudo and to gain administrator rights for a certain period of time. But I am not able to change these grayed out options.

[GH20223]

Maybe this video may help you:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/udg8ev1234z32p8/mucommander.mp4?dl=0

(i will delete the video in appr. 7 days)

[ahadas]

Another thing that might be worth to be mentioned is the fact that my MacBook is a work computer, which is administered by my employer.

that's also the case with @danielerez 's machine

This is the reason why the whole section Apps erlauben, die geladen wurden von is grayed out (see screenshot above).

@danielerez is it the same for you?

[danielerez]

Another thing that might be worth to be mentioned is the fact that my MacBook is a work computer, which is administered by my employer.

that's also the case with @danielerez 's machine

This is the reason why the whole section Apps erlauben, die geladen wurden von is grayed out (see screenshot above).

@danielerez is it the same for you?

Nope, it wasn't grayed out for me.

[mrserb]

You can workaround the problem by using the wget instead of browser to download the file, in that case the "com.apple.quarantine" will not be set.

[pskowronek]

re-opening to have this bug more visible for people searching a solution.

If you read this - please become Sponsor so we could sign DMG via apple.

[sebastian-lempert]

re-opening to have this bug more visible for people searching a solution.

If you read this - please become Sponsor so we could sign DMG via apple.

Done, just sponsored $30. 💖 I'm sponsoring mucommander because I am a passionate muCommander user, the muCommander team has been doing a fantastic job for years, and because I want to enable this team to sign the installer for macOS.

[ahadas]

thanks @sebastian-lempert and @Andreas0602 for your kind sponsorship!

[maiemi]

"my" solution is to press control and click on muCommander.app. After that, a menu will appear and you can click on "open".This will open the muCommander. This is only necessary at the first time, when you're running muCommander after the installation. Afterwards, the app can be opened with a "normal" double-click as any other app, too. I am running macOS 14.0

[maciejmiklas]

What worked for me on Ventura: 13.5.2

1. Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access: add Terminal here
2. sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app

[sebastian-lempert]

"my" solution is to press control and click on muCommander.app. After that, a menu will appear and you can click on "open".This will open the muCommander. This is only necessary at the first time, when you're running muCommander after the installation. Afterwards, the app can be opened with a "normal" double-click as any other app, too. I am running macOS 14.0

In my case, unfortunately, this does not help. As described earlier my MacBook is a company computer, for which my employer automatically issues policies stating that only signed apps can be launched. I can temporarily get local admin rights, i.e. use sudo, but I still can't override the above mentioned policies. So the only solution for me is to wait for a signed version of muCommander, hence my donation.

[sebastian-lempert]

What worked for me on Ventura: 13.5.2

1. Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access: add Terminal here

2. sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app

Both steps have been reported in this discussion for some users to be working before:

• Step 1 was described here
• Step 2 was described here

In my case, unfortunately, this does not help. As described earlier my MacBook is a company computer, for which my employer automatically issues policies stating that only signed apps can be launched. I can temporarily get local admin rights, i.e. use sudo, but I still can't override the above mentioned policies. So the only solution for me is to wait for a signed version of muCommander, hence my donation.

[sebastian-lempert]

Same for me on macOS Ventura 13.4.1 (22F82).
In the past this guide helped me when encountering this problem, but unfortunately with muCommander version 1.3.0-1 it doesn't work anymore.
The same applies for the tip of @rhstanton, so using sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander doesn't work for me either.

if you strip the app-path and manually drag/drop the file into the terminal line instead, you'll find that the file suffix '.app' is added to the path, which is when it finally worked for me after initially not working — so feel free to add the suffix and retry

True, you have to append the file suffix *.app. Of course this is what I did when I tested the above command, but I did not mention it in my posting here. Thus I just updated my original posting and included the suffix *.app in the command.

[dmetcalfe-work]

I think I'm having a similar issue to @sebastian-lempert
I'm running MacOS Sonoma 14.3.1, and I cannot get muCommander to work on my company issued device.

I have tried several different methods of installing, and ran the following commands:

• sudo xattr -cr /Applications/muCommander.app
• sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/muCommander.app
• sudo spctl --master-disable (I think this "should" set the system to allow from Everywhere)

However, I still get "muCommander is damaged". My options are not greyed out and I get a password prompt when I click "open anyway", but it still doesn't work:

[ffays]

The version 1.3.0-1 is x86_64 only, would it be possible to create an arm64 version as well?

Cf.

% lipo -archs /Applications/muCommander.app/Contents/MacOS/muCommander 
x86_64

[ffays]

Here are the build instructions for Apple Mac silicon with arm64 CPU architecture (assuming you already have JDK 17 installed):

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/mucommander/mucommander.git
cd mucommander
export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17 | head -1)
jlink --add-modules $(java --list-modules | cut -d '@' -f 1 | tr '\n' ',' | sed 's/,$//') --output jre/macOS/$(uname -m) --compress=2
./gradlew -Parch=$(uname -m) dmg
open ./build/distributions/muCommander-*.dmg

[jonelo]

I also got the error message "macOS install: "muCommander" is damaged and can't be opened" on a x64 Mac running Sonoma 14.4.1. As a workaround I installed the JDK 21 LTS from adoptium.net , opened a terminal and simply entered

java -jar /Applications/muCommander.app/Contents/app/mucommander-1.3.0.jar

to make it running. A JRE is also fine, but make sure to select the correct binaries for your architecture. Select aarch64 if you use an Apple silicon, select x64 if you use an Intel Mac.

[ahadas]

@ffays the nightly builds already include a signed dmg for aarch64, version 1.4.0 will also include it

[sebastian-lempert]

@ahadas: Thank you very much for this fix. I just went to the nightly builds and downloaded the most recent version mucommander-1.5.0-snapshot-x86_64.dmg: I could install and run it by just opening the *.dmg file and extract the muCommander.app to the applications folder and afterwards by simply running it on my MacBook, which is a company computer, for which my employer automatically issues policies stating that only signed apps can be launched! Thus, with your new fix that creates signed *.dmg files no additional settings / workarounds / command line arguments were needed in order to install and run muCommander!

[ahadas]

@sebastian-lempert great to read this, thanks for the confirmation! just note that by using a nightly version you won't get updates when new versions are released so I'd recommend to install v1.4.0 once it's released

[sebastian-lempert]

@ahadas: Thanks for your above information regarding v1.4.0. I just downloaded this official release including the fixes that were already included in the nightly build mentioned above and can confirm that it works as well without a hassle! Again: thank you very much for this fix!

[ahadas]

Version 1.4.0 that includes a fix for this issue has been released