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mattmartini / itivo

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itivo asking for GrowlHelperApp.app #78

Open GoogleCodeExporter opened 9 years ago

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. Launching itivo
2.
3.

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?
itivo brings up a dialog box that says "Where is GrowlHelperApp.app?". I
cannot find this application on my system anywhere. If I choose "cancel"
from the window, it simply comes back up again whenever I attempt to use
the program. 

What version of the product are you using? On what operating system?
1.7
Mac OSX 10.4.11

Please provide any additional information below.
There's not much else I can offer. I can't seem to go any further with the
program than this. I have searched online for info on this and haven't
found anything.
Thanks,
Dave
imdave@davescooltoys.com

Original issue reported on code.google.com by imd...@davescooltoys.com on 27 Jan 2009 at 3:58

Attachments:

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Interesting.  It's only supposed to look for it *IF* it detects you have Growl
installed, and if it's installed, it should just automatically find it.

  Do you have Growl installed?

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 27 Jan 2009 at 6:26

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
to be more clear, that is only supposed to happen if it thinks you have Growl 
installed

the most common location for Growl is "Main 
HD/Library/PreferencePane/Growl.prefPane"

  IS it possible you have something there that is an old/broken installation?

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 27 Jan 2009 at 6:31

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Oh and if you want to install Growl you can always download it from

   http://growl.info/

(It's pretty useful, so I'd recommend it anyways... but you shouldn't be 
hitting this
problem... I did uninstall it on my computer to test and iTiVo happily chugs 
away
without that prompt).

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 27 Jan 2009 at 6:34

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I had already searched my HD for Growl and found nothing. I never installed it 
to my
knowledge. 

If it's not finding part of Growl, what is it looking for to see if I have it?

I will try installing Growl and see what happens next.

Original comment by imd...@davescooltoys.com on 27 Jan 2009 at 6:41

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Looking directly at the code, it instructs Finder to look for any file whose
application id matches "com.Growl.GrowlHelperApp"  (that should be unique to
GrowlHelperApp).  If it finds something matching that ID, then it actually 
talks to
"GrowlHelperApp" (which is the step that's causing your bug...  somehow it finds
something with that ID, but I guess it then fails to find GrowlHelperApp to 
talk to).

  I tried changing those names to garbage names to see maybe because I had growl
installed at one point it always worked, but even with garbage names I don't 
get that
prompt...  It just stops using growl...

  So there's something interesting about your setup.  My guess is an old Growl
installation (possibly done courtesy of some other application install?) left
something behind, but not a full Growl installation...  I'm hoping that if you
install Growl it will 'repair' itself..

  (yeah, not too helpful here.. but so far that's all I have as a guess).

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 27 Jan 2009 at 7:03

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Is it working for you now?  (I'd like to clear out this bug if it's fixed)

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 11 Feb 2009 at 5:48

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I downloaded and installed Growl and now it is working. Didn't actually fix the
problem, of course, but apparently it found the file it was looking for now.

Sometimes it doesn't find TiVo on the network, and it is a bit slow, but I was 
able
to download and play TiVo videos. Thanks for your help.

Original comment by imd...@davescooltoys.com on 11 Feb 2009 at 11:39

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
marking 'fixed' since I can't seem to re-create the problem.  (hoping it's a 
one-off
with a bad old install of growl).

  If it's not finding the tivo once in a while, and seems slow, it's almost certain
you have a very slow/weak connection to the tivo (it will ask for tivo and wait 
two
seconds for a reply.. so if it doesn't see a tivo, it took longer than 2 
seconds to
reply).

  Try using a wired connection, or if you have to use wireless, check to make sure
your wireless signal is strong...

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 11 Feb 2009 at 5:40

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I have the same problem. I'm being prompted for Growlhelperapp.app. I have 
never installed Growl. Using 
spotlight and searching for Growlhelper results in no hits. I looked in 
Library/PreferencePanes and I can't find 
any files with the word Growl in them.

I'm leery of installing Growl. I did a web search on Growlhelperapp and I see 
comments about it using a lot RAM. 
If I can use iTiVo without Growl, I'd prefer it.
Thanks!

Original comment by johnbell...@gmail.com on 21 Feb 2009 at 5:22

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I'm also experiencing the same issue as above and have not previously installed 
Growl (to my knowledge).  I also 
looked at Library/Preferencepanes and found nothing related to growl.

Original comment by santho...@gmail.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 12:55

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Ok re-opening..

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 2:43

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Ok, three data points:
  1)  I have found multiple users who do not have Growl installed and do not have
this problem

  2)  When I change the code to look for complete junk instead of Growl's application
ID, it works fine.

  3)  I'm using standard applescript recommended code for 'using a program if it is
installed'.

  The above leads me to believe that there is something 'interesting' in common with
people who have this problem.  Most likely SOME application that has at some 
point
installed and registered growl...  There are a LOT of applications out there 
that do
this..

  A quick google search shows that some programs that install growl include 'Adium',
'Shimo', 'DropBox', 'MyBook software', and plenty plenty of others.  Are you 
sure you
never installed and then deleted them?

  I'm 99% sure you have a partial growl installation, which is why iTiVo is getting
something, but then failing to use it properly.  Either fully install Growl from
their homepage, or track down all your growl installations and clean them up
properly.  If you really don't want growl (which is a really nice notification
system), it may be possible to clean it up by installing growl, and then 
uninstalling
growl from its control panel -- I haven't tried this.

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 3:30

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
OK. I am using Adium.

But it didn't find Growl when it looked for it and I couldn't fine it with a 
search.
Could it be that Adium used it in the past and no longer does?

Original comment by imd...@davescooltoys.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 3:48

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I believe even the current version of adium uses growl, but I haven't checked.  
IT
could have also been installed by another tool in another temporary location, 
used
once (and therefore registered) and then deleted.  I don't know.  All I know is 
there
is something unique about your scenario beyond "not having growl"...

  Something to keep in mind about 'search' though.  It isn't comprehensive.  It looks
only for certain files and certain locations.  For example, try the following:
  open up the Finder, and look for 'com.iTiVo'.
  nothing?

  Now open up the finder, go to your home directory, Library/Preferences.
  type 'com.iTiVo' in the search window, and change "Search: This Mac" to "Seach:
Preferences" ...  hey!!

  (that's the preferences file for iTiVo, just as an example).

  Honestly, Growl is a really nice notification system used by a LOT of programs (if
installed).  The easiest fix would be to just install growl.   (Pretend iTiVo
requires growl to be installed, and voila you're done).  If you really hate 
growl,
install it, and then uninstall it through: 
http://growl.info/documentation/growl-package-removal.php

  See if that fixes your problem?

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 5:47

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I did install Growl. That's what "fixed" the problem with iTiVo. Just trying to 
help
you with the others that have the issue and help you find where the trouble 
lies.

Original comment by imd...@davescooltoys.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 6:00

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Ahh ok thanks  :)
  If so then I'm curious... Mind following the 'uninstall instructions' I provided in
the link above and see if iTiVo now works?  (you can re-install growl after if 
you
liked it...).

  Wondering if the install/uninstall successfully cleans up whatever was causing the
problem before...

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 6:16

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I will try it when I have a moment and report back here.

Original comment by imd...@davescooltoys.com on 24 Feb 2009 at 6:39

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I installed Growl and then iTiVo worked as expected. I downloaded a show to 
make sure it worked end-to-end.
I then uninstalled Growl, re-booted, and tried iTiVo again, and as before it is 
still looking for Growlhelperapp.

Original comment by johnbell...@gmail.com on 26 Feb 2009 at 4:22

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Ok, so I guess uninstalling growl doesn't fix whatever is causing this.  Hmmm..

  Here is the core of the problem:  Open up Terminal.app, and into it, type the
following (that's all one long ling):

osascript -e 'tell application "Finder" to set GrowlAppName to location of
application file id "com.Growl.GrowlHelperApp"'

Two things can happen.  The first possibility is if it DID find something partly
installed, in which case you will probably see something like:

49:57: execution error: Finder got an error: Can’t get location of 
application file
"GrowlHelperApp.app" of folder "Resources" of folder "Contents" of document file
"Growl.prefPane" of folder "PreferencePanes" of folder "Library" of startup 
disk. (-1728)

  Which should tell you where it is finding it.  

The other will look more like 

49:57: execution error: Finder got an error: An error of type -10814 has 
occurred.
(-10814)

  In which case it really found nothing.  The latter is what people who do not have
Growl installed AT ALL should be getting.  I'm guessing even though you didnt 
install
growl yourselves, you are getting the former... perhaps that will help you find 
where
Growl is installed, and possibly identify the culprit?

  Either way, I'm just going to add a question in the FAQ telling people to install
growl if they get that error, since I suspect removing the growl will mess up
whatever program installed it in the first place...

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 26 Feb 2009 at 5:42

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Since no one followed up on your last comment....

I was getting the error message about growlhelperapp as well. I tried the 
terminal command in your last 
comment and got the second error message:

49:57: execution error: Finder got an error: An error of type -10814 has 
occurred. (-10814)

So, FWIW, your theory about previous growl installations (I've never touched 
it) appears to be wrong.  I'm off to 
install it to see if I can get this working.

I noticed in the FAQ that you are only testing on Leopard. I, and the original 
poster, are running 10.4.11 
(Tiger), so I wonder if this bug is related to Tiger?

Thanks

Original comment by brucetbl...@gmail.com on 11 Apr 2009 at 12:13

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Hmm.
  Might be 10.4-related.. hmm.

  At this point I think I'll just add a question to the faq telling people to install
growl if they get the error.  I'm stumped and it seems the 'workaround' of 
installing
growl is pretty trivial.

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 11 Apr 2009 at 6:23

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
After posting above comment, I installed growl and then had no problems with 
iTiVo (successfully transferred 
show from TiVo to iMac and loaded show onto iPhone).  So if iTiVo has 10.4 
related issues, they are not fatal if 
growl is installed.

Yes, growl installation was trivial - I just don't "get" the purpose of growl 
(even after looking at their website) and 
I generally avoid installing unnecessary software.

Thanks for the great program (iTiVo)

Original comment by brucetbl...@gmail.com on 11 Apr 2009 at 3:37

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
fwiw:  Growl is basically a notification system.  Any applications can "notify 
growl"
that something has happened (information like "I'm done processing", or errors, 
etc).

  You then configure growl by telling it how to present the information (the default
behavior is a small window in the top right that comes down and then goes 
away).  You
can have it log information to files, send it to another computer, make it 
pretty, or
make it show nothing at all. (You can configure it by opening the Apple.. System
Preferences... )

  This is generally 'better' than a system without, where every application usually
creates its own way (popping up a window, logging to a file, etc).

  You'll see a LOT of applications use Growl when it's available. 

  That said, iTivo *SHOULD* only be using it if it's there.  I still haven't figured
out why some people are getting prompts for it and some people are not...

Original comment by yoav.yer...@gmail.com on 11 Apr 2009 at 4:52

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I have Tiger 10.4.11 and getting the same request for GrowlHelper. I tried the 
string command suggested and get 49:57: execution error: Finder got an error: 
An error of type -10814 has occurred. (-10814)

Original comment by george.b...@gmail.com on 17 Oct 2010 at 12:30

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
I have Tiger 10.4.11 and have he same problem. Tried to install Growl but it 
wants Tiger 10.5. Any chance of putting in a checkbox to exclude the use of 
Growl. Thanks

Original comment by grant.du...@gmail.com on 22 Oct 2010 at 11:56

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
Anyone seeing this anymore?  Is 10.4 still relevant?

Original comment by tony1ath...@gmail.com on 18 Apr 2012 at 7:45

GoogleCodeExporter commented 9 years ago 
my computer was asking for this "growl" thing too. I did as you suggested and 
installed it. It seemed to install correctly. Now I will have to see if is is 
going to ask me that again. I really don't even know what growl is for. thank 
you for the info.

Original comment by miske2...@gmail.com on 12 May 2012 at 1:13

ghost commented 9 years ago

Growl is for notifications on the Mac. It was fairly popular pre-Mountain Lion (10.8). Mountain Lion came with Notifications, so Growl was less needed.