Minimal Java app demonstrating inability to access Documents, Desktop, and Downloads dirs in macOS 10.15 "Catalina" from Java JFileChooser when bundled as an app whose CFBundleExecutable stub is a script.
These dirs are accessible through FileDialog, which appears to use the native macOS chooser. The expected system dialog "CatalinaFileChooserAccessTest.app would like to access the [folder name] folder" does not appear in JFileChooser, thus access cannot be granted.
These dirs are accessible from both dialogs when built and run locally.
When the CFBundleExecutable stub is a compiled binary, prompts to allow access to those dirs appear as expected.
The problem manifests only when packaged as an app bundle whose CFBundleExecutable is a script.
Tested in Java 8 and 11.
- Download Ant 1.10.7 at [https://ant.apache.org/bindownload.cgi]
- Extract Ant, add [Ant root]/bin dir to your PATH if desired.
- Download jarbundler-core-3.3.0.jar at [https://github.com/UltraMixer/JarBundler/releases]
- Move jarbundler-core-3.3.0.jar to the [Ant root]/lib dir.
- In CatalinaFileChooserAccessTest dir, run
ant jarbundlerto create an app bundle in the build_jarbundler dir. - Run non-bundled via
java:cd classesjava org.csdco.CatalinaFileChooserAccessTest- Documents/Desktop/Downloads contents are accessible in JFileChooser.
- Double-click to launch CatalinaFileChooserAccessTest.app. Documents/Desktop/Downloads contents are not accessible in JFileChooser.
- Download appbundler-1.0ea.jar at [https://github.com/rlabduke/javadev/tree/master/lib/appbundler]
- Move appbundler-1.0ea.jar to the [Ant root]/lib dir.
- In CatalinaFileChooserAccessTest dir, run
ant appbundlerto create an app bundle in the build_appbundler dir. - Double-click to launch CatalinaFileChooserAccessTest.app. Documents/Desktop/Downloads contents are accessible in JFileChooser. after expected "CatalinaFileChooserAccessTest.app would like to access the [folder name] folder" prompts.