Open app from unidentified developer

[gingerbeardman]

This is a common sight when running some downloaded apps:

 

“APP” can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer. [OK]

 

One workaround is to reveal the app in Finder, and choose Open from its contextual menu. This gives:

APP“MKVtools” is from an unidentified developer. Are you sure you want to open it? [Open] [Cancel]

Then I click open.

 

But this takes numerous steps: first reveal in finder and then some mouse work to open the app using context menu and Open button.

 

So, I thought it would be great if Alfred could easily allow this type of Open on an app? This would save me some time!

 

(The longer workaround is to go into System Prefs/Security & Privacy, unlock and allow apps from anywhere, but this is not advised)

 

Thanks

Edited May 12, 2014 by gingerbeardman

[vitor]

I’d like to understand your use case a bit better.
 
That warning only shows up the first time (if you decide to open the app). Are you opening new apps from unidentified developers so often that it justifies building a tool to bypass that?
 

The longer workaround is to go into System Prefs/Security & Privacy, unlock and allow apps from anywhere

 
That isn’t longer, it’s shorter — you’re supposed to do it once, not to deactivate and activate it once for each app.
 

but this is not advised

 
Correct, but then again, it’s also not advised to open apps from unidentified developers. If you’re opening that many to justify automating the task, even after seeing the warning, keeping the option enabled won’t protect you that much.
 
All that said, it should be possible to do. The spctl command line tool can be used to manage gatekeeper, and can thus be used in a workflow to accomplish what you want. However, it likely won’t be that much less work to use, as you need to run it with administrator privileges, which means having to insert your password.

Keep in mind that it’s a good thing this isn’t easy to do. If it were, it’d be essentially useless, as any malicious person could simply disable it on demand.

[gingerbeardman]

I have my settings locked down so that I am aware of apps that are from unidentified developers. 

 

Yes, I do download so many apps that this would save me time. That's why I posted here in the hope I can save some time.

 

I wonder how using the context menu to open the app gets the dialog with the extra open button?

 

I don't want a workflow to sidestep the security. I just want a workflow to show the dialog with the extra open button.

 

The workflow I envisage:

 

1. download new app

2. try running using alfred or some other means

3. "warning!" alert [OK]

4. run via new method in alfred

5. "warning!" alert [Open] [Cancel]

6. click open

7. be happy

Edited May 14, 2014 by gingerbeardman

[vitor]

Ah, so what you want to automate is simply the “right-click and pick “open”, part”. That is doable. I have a workflow that right-clicks on selected Finder items, so by adding instructions to press ↓, followed by ↩, we can achieve that effect. Unfortunately, if you’re on Mavericks it won’t work if you’re doing it directly to an app on the desktop, as Apple changed something with the update. For it to work you have to do it from inside a Finder window.

 

I made a working version, but since it was simply a quick change from another workflow (so some limitations were present), I’ve removed it in favour of Carlos-SZ’s alternative, below.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Vítor

[Carlos-Sz]

This is a common sight when running some downloaded apps:

 

 

One workaround is to reveal the app in Finder, and choose Open from its contextual menu. This gives:

Then I click open.

 

But this takes numerous steps: first reveal in finder and then some mouse work to open the app using context menu and Open button.

 

So, I thought it would be great if Alfred could easily allow this type of Open on an app? This would save me some time!

 

(The longer workaround is to go into System Prefs/Security & Privacy, unlock and allow apps from anywhere, but this is not advised)

 

Thanks

 

I have something that I was making for Hazel that I can put together into a workflow.

 

Note that the unidentified application will be opened without any warning at all. 

[Carlos-Sz]

I have my settings locked down so that I am aware of apps that are from unidentified developers. 

 

Yes, I do download so many apps that this would save me time. That's why I posted here in the hope I can save some time.

 

I wonder how using the context menu to open the app gets the dialog with the extra open button?

 

I don't want a workflow to sidestep the security. I just want a workflow to show the dialog with the extra open button.

 

The workflow I envisage:

 

1. download new app

2. try running using alfred or some other means

3. "warning!" alert [OK]

4. run via new method in alfred

5. "warning!" alert [Open] [Cancel]

6. click open

7. be happy

 

Here it is:

 

1. Show Alfred
2. Type the keyword und
3. Start typing the app name
4. Highlight it and press return key
5. The application should open without any dialog at all

Make sure you trust the developer of the unidentified app!

 

Let me know what else do you think it is important and later I’ll share this workflow.

 

Thank you.

[Carlos-Sz]

I have my settings locked down so that I am aware of apps that are from unidentified developers. 

 

Yes, I do download so many apps that this would save me time. That's why I posted here in the hope I can save some time.

 

I wonder how using the context menu to open the app gets the dialog with the extra open button?

 

I don't want a workflow to sidestep the security. I just want a workflow to show the dialog with the extra open button.

 

The workflow I envisage:

 

1. download new app

2. try running using alfred or some other means

3. "warning!" alert [OK]

4. run via new method in alfred

5. "warning!" alert [Open] [Cancel]

6. click open

7. be happy

 

It seems I completely forgot to post the download link. I’m sorry.

 

Download Now

[vitor]

You should definitely use Carlos-SZ’s workflow for this, gingerbeardman, as it should solve your problem better. I’ve edited my previous comment to point to it, in case someone else comes looking for a solution to the same issue.

[gingerbeardman]

Great workaround Carlos.

 

Thanks guys!

 

matt

[JoelStickney]

@Carlos-Sz: Your workflow link doesn't work anymore, do you still have it? I'm trying to get this working on Hazel and thought your solution might be easy to adapt (unless you also have the hazel rule around too?).

[GuiB]

@JoelStickney, I just looked into this since this was something I wanted to get around as well. I found out it's quite easy and just a one bash line and consist of removing an extended attribute from the application bundle...

 

One line script to remove the extended attribute and launch the application:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /App/Path && open -a /App/Path

If you just want to remove the extended attribute in you Hazel script, then you just need the first part of this line above:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /App/Path

 

For anyone wanting a workflow, here is one that would launch an application and remove the quarantine extended attribute if present. It works like @Carlos-Sz workflow using the "uni" keyword ("uni appName") or by launching using a file action:

https://nofile.io/f/5kwX381ojBy/Unidentified+Developer+-+Open+App.zip

 

Edited July 24, 2017 by GuiB

[JoelStickney]

I added it to my embedded script in Hazel. You're the best random internet person I've ever met; thank you :). 

[vitor]

For anyone that ends up here with the same issue as @JoelStickney, my own RemoveQuarantine does this and is actively maintained.