Cannot open App in MacOS 14.0 because of Security issues

[skranz0]

Please confirm the following

• [X] I checked the current issues for duplicate problems.

Describe the bug

After downloading the .dmg and moving the app in my applications folder, I cannot use Optolith since MacOS complains the developer could not be verified and thus blocks the app to protect me from malware.

To Reproduce

1. Download the Optolith 1.5.1
2. Move file to applications folder
3. Start app from Launchpad

Expected behavior

The app should start

Screenshots

Operating System

macOS

Version

1.5.1

Additional context

No response

[elyukai]

First of all: Thank you for your report!

This is a known issue with older versions, since I didn't have an Apple Developer license back then. The current prereleases are signed and notarized, and so are future stable releases.

As a workaround, you can open the Settings app, section Privacy & Security, and almost at the bottom you can manually allow running Optolith.

I cannot sign and notarize an existing stable version, and porting everything back and doing builds in general is quite time-consuming, even with a CI/CD workflow, since DriveThru has no API and I'm currently working on quite a diverged version for a future MAJOR release, so I don't want to spent more time on the V1 unless absolutely necessary, because I don't have that much spare time right now.

So it's basically fixed, but only for prereleases and future V2 versions.

[skranz0]

The 1.5.2 alpha works, thanks!

Sadly, the Apple Developer license is quite expensive, if I heard correctly. The workaround does not work in newer macOS releases, though. You can only choose between allow only from App Store and allow from App Store and signed developers.

Completely understandable, you don't want to go back through basically deprecated releases. A hint only >= 1.5.2 will work on macOS >= 14.0 would be useful, I think.

[elyukai]

You’re welcome!

It’s €99 per year, so … yeah, quite a bit. But it’s currently funded via my Patreon for Optolith, so at least that works for now.

A hint only >= 1.5.2 will work on macOS >= 14.0 would be useful, I think.

I just wasn’t aware of the stricter handling on Sonoma, I’m afraid. I do try to not miss any changes that affect Optolith from WWDC, but that slipped through, apparently. Gonna catch up on that. Thanks for pointing that out!

[elyukai]

Did you try to open Optolith while having that page of the Settings app open?

[skranz0]

You were right, if I have the Security Setting open at the same time a prompt to add an exception appears. Only for a short time though. Basically impossible to guess for an end user.

[elyukai]

Ah okay, yeah, then nothing changed with Sonoma. But yeah, it's basically impossible to guess. I may add a line to the Scriptorium page.