Dolphin Not Starting on Mac OS Sierra

2wayintersection · 04-17-2020, 03:56 PM #1

an error comes up saying, quote:

"Dolphin cannot be opened because of a problem.

Check with the developer to make sure Dolphin works with this version of macOS. You may need to reinstall the application. Be sure to install any available updates for the application and macOS.

Click Report to see more detailed information and send a report to Apple."

it doesn't go into any more detail beyond this.

***MayImilae*** · (This post was last modified: 04-17-2020, 06:50 PM by MayImilae.)

Right-click / Control-click on Dolphin and select open. Then Dolphin will open and that version of Dolphin will open just on double click as normal.

This is caused by the notarizing requirement in macOS 10.14.5. Dolphin is signed, but not notarized. So we're secure thanks to the signing, but since gatekeeper now requires Apple's arbitrary notarizing, it just stops Dolphin from running with the "please ask the developer to notarize" kind of problem. Unfortunately, right now the notarizing requirements are very unfriendly to a project like Dolphin, so... That's the situation as it hangs. Hopefully they'll ease these restrictions for small projects. A LOT of open source projects have already dropped macOS because of this, and many more are in limbo like us.

2wayintersection · 04-18-2020, 07:12 AM #3

(04-17-2020, 06:35 PM)MayImilae Wrote: Right-click / Control-click on Dolphin and select open. Then Dolphin will open and that version of Dolphin will open just on double click as normal.

This is caused by the notarizing requirement in macOS 10.14.5. Dolphin is signed, but not notarized. So we're secure thanks to the signing, but since gatekeeper now requires Apple's arbitrary notarizing, it just stops Dolphin from running with the "please ask the developer to notarize" kind of problem. Unfortunately, right now the notarizing requirements are very unfriendly to a project like Dolphin, so... That's the situation as it hangs. Hopefully they'll ease these restrictions for small projects. A LOT of open source projects have already dropped macOS because of this, and many more are in limbo like us.

i tried right clicking and got the same results.

if the issue is apple being stingy as always, then i guess thats that.

***MayImilae*** · (This post was last modified: 04-18-2020, 08:24 AM by MayImilae.)

So I missed a few steps since I was saying it from memory. So I downloaded a new version and went through the process so here is the process precisely! Just follow this and it will work.

1. Download a new version of Dolphin. Once downloaded, extract Dolphin (just Dolphin, I'm not messing with the updater) from the DMG and put it somewhere.

2. Right-click / Control-click on that new version of Dolphin and select open.

3. You will get this prompt after right clicking and selecting open. Press open on this window.

4. The window will go away, but Dolphin will not open. Yea that's weird, if all this is doing is undoing the gatekeeper lock it shouldn't say open but, whatever Apple! Anyway, the gatekeeper lock is now removed. Double click on Dolphin and that version will work from now on without any more blocks.

Spoiler: (Show Spoiler)

2wayintersection · 04-18-2020, 09:11 AM #5

(04-18-2020, 08:20 AM)MayImilae Wrote: So I missed a few steps since I was saying it from memory. So I downloaded a new version and went through the process so here is the process precisely! Just follow this and it will work.

1. Download a new version of Dolphin. Once downloaded, extract Dolphin (just Dolphin, I'm not messing with the updater) from the DMG and put it somewhere.

2. Right-click / Control-click on that new version of Dolphin and select open.

3. You will get this prompt after right clicking and selecting open. Press open on this window.

4. The window will go away, but Dolphin will not open. Yea that's weird, if all this is doing is undoing the gatekeeper lock it shouldn't say open but, whatever Apple! Anyway, the gatekeeper lock is now removed. Double click on Dolphin and that version will work from now on without any more blocks.

Spoiler: (Show Spoiler)

You could potentially use the updater to avoid all of this, maybe? But I don't use the updater, so I don't even know if the updater works on macOS Catalina. So, if you try it, I can't provide support for that. Knowing Apple, it's probably not any different.

same issue, nothing changed. if it makes any difference, i'm on os sierra. there are a few other blocks in place (due to this being a laptop loaned to me from school, there's some block in place for some things but not so much others i.e i'm able to run things such as steam and minecraft no issue but other things like unidentified apps (whatever that means to apple) wont open. though i dont think its an issue cause it give me the "*** is an application downloaded from the internet" popup alongside the option to run it, which it otherwise wouldn't do)

***MayImilae*** · (This post was last modified: 04-18-2020, 04:42 PM by MayImilae.)

Oh right! You are on 10.12! Ugh, I looked at the error that you got and... whoops. So um, yea, none of what I said pertains to you. The gatekeeper notarizing requirements started in 10.14.5! You must have some additional restrictions placed on your machine by your school.

There is a possibility your mac isn't supported for some reason, but, we support 10.12, and your machine's "Intel HD Graphics 6000" would imply it supports it, since my old macbook with an HD4000 still runs Dolphin. ...badly, but it does. Anyway, I'd need to know about the error and your system to help any further.

mark_s · 04-18-2020, 05:09 PM #7

I'm having the same problem. Steps: Downloaded dolphin-master-5.0-11861.dmg, opened it, copied the 2 files to a folder, then double clicked Dolphin.app to open. I get the prompt saying it's downloaded from the Internet, and I click Open. Verified in Activity Monitor that it's not running. I had the same problem with v5.0-11827. For comparison, I downloaded dolphin-Triforce-4.0-315.dmg, and can open/run it.

***MayImilae*** · 04-18-2020, 06:49 PM #8

@mark_s, please make your own thread. Your issue is likely not related, and even if it were, we very much prefer it if you make your own support threads rather that jumping into someone else's.

**JosJuice** · 04-18-2020, 06:52 PM #9

We did increase the macOS version requirement recently... But wasn't it increased to 10.12? So it should still work if you have 10.12, but not if you have 10.11. Weird why it seems to not work on 10.12...

2wayintersection · 04-19-2020, 01:13 AM **#10**

(04-18-2020, 03:34 PM)MayImilae Wrote: Oh right! You are on 10.12! Ugh, I looked at the error that you got and... whoops. So um, yea, none of what I said pertains to you. The gatekeeper notarizing requirements started in 10.14.5! You must have some additional restrictions placed on your machine by your school.

There is a possibility your mac isn't supported for some reason, but, we support 10.12, and your machine's "Intel HD Graphics 6000" would imply it supports it, since my old macbook with an HD4000 still runs Dolphin. ...badly, but it does. Anyway, I'd need to know about the error and your system to help any further.

i dont think its *for sure* a blocker cause a: it doesnt mention admin passwords anywhere and b: the fact it's able to go past the "downloaded from the internet" window is evidence that otherwise it would run just fine (it only blocks apps from unidentified developers... whatever that means in particular). though, there is technically some kind of block for most apps but it only works sometimes and i believe they've lifted it somewhat due to quarantine (hence why im able to play minecraft/steam games no issue). i could try and get any other info you need i can about the mac i'm using (~2015(?) macbook air).