Missing jabrefHost.py on 5.10/5.11 causing the browser extension to fail

[allydunham]

JabRef version

5.10 (latest release)

Operating system

macOS

Details on version and operating system

No response

Checked with the latest development build (copy version output from About dialog)

• I made a backup of my libraries before testing the latest development version.
• I have tested the latest development version and the problem persists

Steps to reproduce the behaviour

1. Install JabRef 5.10/5.11 on MacOS, either arm64 or intel.
2. jabrefHost.py is missing from JabRef.app/Contents/Resources/
3. Attempting to use the browser extension fails with error File at path "/Users/ad44/Applications/JabRef.app/Contents/Resources/jabrefHost.py" does not exist, or is not executable

Appendix

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Log File

Paste an excerpt of your log file here

[Siedlerchr]

Thanks for the report. We totally missed this.

The file jabref host.py and https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/tree/main/buildres/mac/native-messaging-host
the files need to copied over.
https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/blob/main/buildres/mac/jabrefHost.py

Unfortunately there is no easy fix now as this could break notarization.
Refs adoptium/adoptium-support#829
File an issue with the project to the jdk.

[Siedlerchr]

Need to test this:

`--app-content additional-content[,additional-content...]

    A comma separated list of paths to files and/or directories to add to the application payload.

    This option can be used more than once.

https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/20/docs/specs/man/jpackage.html

[Siedlerchr]

@allydunham I found a solution for the problem. Can you please test if this version works correctly?
https://builds.jabref.org/addAddContentToImage/ (It's arm64 only)
You might need to use the pgk as it overwrites the old path files for the browser extension.

[allydunham]

I had to use the DMG because of admin permissions, but when I updated the plugin JSON manually this build works. Thanks for sorting it out.

[anteromontonio]

Thanks for the report. We totally missed this.

The file jabref host.py and https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/tree/main/buildres/mac/native-messaging-host the files need to copied over. https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/blob/main/buildres/mac/jabrefHost.py

Unfortunately there is no easy fix now as this could break notarization. Refs adoptium/adoptium-support#829 File an issue with the project to the jdk.

Could you please provide instruction where to copy the linked files. So far I put

bifehkofibaamoeaopjglfkddgkijdlh.json
in
/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/External\ Extensions/

and

org.jabref.jabref.json in
/Library/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/

And the extension is not working

[Siedlerchr]

Please use the latest development version (the pkg) (not yet notarized, so you have to use xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/JabRef.app afterwards
We are planning a release shortly.

[Siedlerchr]

@anteromontonio Here is also now a completely notarized version https://builds.jabref.org/buildnotarizedversion/
I recommend installing the pkg version as it takes care of the extension

[koppor]

For reference: https://builds.jabref.org/buildnotarizedversion/ is not available any more, but release v5.11 contains the fix.

[MooersLab]

I tried both the pkg and dmg versions of 5.11 and both of them are still missing jabrefHost.py in /Applications/JabRef.app/Contents/Resources/. However, it is hiding out in /Applications/JabRef.app/Contents/.

[Siedlerchr]

@MooersLab Yes, the path has changed. The browser plugin config is updated as well by the installer.

[MooersLab]

@Siedlerchr Thank you for the clarification. The Plugin is now working for me! :) This documentation needs updating: https://docs.jabref.org/collect/jabref-browser-extension#installation-and-configuration

[Siedlerchr]

Feel free to update the docs https://github.com/JabRef/user-documentation/blob/main/en/collect/jabref-browser-extension.md Am Mo., 30. Okt. 2023 um 14:57 Uhr schrieb Blaine Mooers < ***@***.***>:

…

@Siedlerchr <https://github.com/Siedlerchr> Thank you for the clarification. The Plugin is now working for me! :) This documentation needs updating: https://docs.jabref.org/collect/jabref-browser-extension#installation-and-configuration — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#10308 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AACOFZGUNSX5SAWULKIZHB3YB6W55AVCNFSM6AAAAAA4KCW7GGVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMYTOOBVGI3DANZVGE> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[felixschaumann]

I ran into a similar issue: On MacOS 14.0, the Firefox browser extensions wouldn't connect to my JabRef-5.11.dmg anymore. Without understanding all too much of what's going on, I will explain how I got it runnig again, in case other people have similar troubles.

It seems like my browser extension (reinstalled as the newest version) expects the jabrefHost.py in /Applications/JabRef.app/Contents/Resources, not in /Applications/JabRef.app/Contents, where it had been placed. So step 1 was to copy the jabrefHost.py over into the Resources folder. Still, JABREF_PATH was somehow wrong. I fixed that in step 2, by changing JABREF_PATH = script_dir / "bin/JabRef" to JABREF_PATH = script_dir / "MacOS/JabRef" within jabrefHost.py. Now it works again :)

[Siedlerchr]

Have you tried the pkg installer? That should take care of the browser extension files

[felixschaumann]

Have you tried the pkg installer? That should take care of the browser extension files

Yes, I had tried that, but it didn't help in my case. At least not by itself — I think I had fixed the issues for the .pkg version in the same way as I detailed for the .dmg version, but then JabRef always crashed after importing a reference, so I went back to .dmg. Either way, that is working fine now :)