Manage app access to files and folders

Question

Created Jul ’19

Replies 6

Boosts 0

Views 4.2k

Participants 8

FontForge http://fontforge.github.io is a font-editing app which I need to open font files in my Documents folder. Probably because of the X11 origin of FontForge, attempting to navigate to the Documents folder in its file opening dialog does not trigger the usual Catalina warning '"FontForge" would like to access files in your Documents folder' with its Don't Allow/OK buttons. The only thing the file opening dialog shows is

Unauthorized

Operation not permitted

I went to System Prefs > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Files and Folders, clicked the lock icon at the bottom left and authenticated, to no effect: the +/- buttons at the bottom of the list of apps that requested access remain greyed out.

Is there a way to circumvent this, or a command-line utility allowing (once sudo'ed) to manage app access to files and folders?

Thanks for any hint.

Boost

Answer 1

tron007001 OP

Oct ’19

I'm having this same issue. I gave FontForge "Full Disk Access" and it still won't let me access my folders. I would love this to be fixed as soon as possible!

0

Answer 2

rmpangahds OP

Nov ’19

Having the same issue on the released version of Catalina. Are you still having it as well?

0

Answer 3

jelenakrmar OP

Jan ’20

I have the same problem, has anyone had any luck with this?

0

Answer 4

johnadel88 OP

Apr ’20

I have same issue, I hate Catalina. 😟

0

Answer 5

yiminwei OP

Apr ’20

Hi guys,

I finally found a way to make fontforge work:

1. Find FontForge in your Application folder

2. Right click on the icon to trigger context menu

3. Click Show Package Contents

4. Go into Contents/Resources/opt/local/bin/fontforge and double click to run it.

Everything's ok now!

2

Answer 6

Lizarrd OP

Oct ’20

Because of pandemic distance learning, I found myself having to come up with digital alternatives from many of my traditional projects. FontForge proved to be acceptable for my 200 level beginning typography class. But, the terminal solution referenced by yiminwei proved to be a little too scary for my students. For now, the solution that works is to have the students create a " FontForge Project folder in either a network disk like Dropbox, Google Drive, or directly in the iOS user folder (next to the Desktop folder).

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