Cannot install safari connector on Mac

Noah Chen · January 26, 2016

System: OS X El Capitan 10.11.2
Safari version: 9.0.2 (11601.3.9)
Connector version: Zotero_Connector-4.0.28-1-2

I have tried many times in the past month yet I cannot install the connector. I can open the file and Safari would show up and ask if I trust the extension. After I click "trust," nothing happens. It is still not installed.

dstillman · January 26, 2016

If you go to Safari preferences -> Extensions, is Zotero Connector listed?

Could you be more precise about the "nothing" that happens after you click Trust? Is the file removed from the download location? (That's what happens normally after the file is installed.)

rodgerbird · February 3, 2016

I'm having the same problem. The Zotero Connector wasn't working on my toolbar so I uninstalled Zotero standalone and reinstalled. The reinstallation went fine, but I do not have the extension now. I have an iMac and OS X El Capitan, 10.11.3.

adamsmith · February 3, 2016

so not listed under preferences-->Extensions?

rodgerbird · February 3, 2016

Correct, not listed under preferences/extension.

posburn · February 16, 2016

Any suggestions to resolve this? I'm in the same boat. When I try to install the Safari connector (Safari 9.1, OS 10.11.4), the installation appears to silently fail. The Zotero connector is not listed under "Extensions" in the Safari prefs and there is no Zotero icon in the Safari toolbar.

rodgerbird · February 16, 2016

I likewise haven't been able to solve my problem. I have Safari 9.0.3 and OS 10.11.3 and Zotero will not show up as an extension. No Zotero icon in the toolbar.

Any ideas about how to fix this?

posburn · February 19, 2016

So I decided to check in the Console logs for any messages related to this failed install attempt and here's what I got:

2/19/16 9:04:39.441 AM sandboxd[194]: ([602]) com.apple.WebKit(602) deny file-read-data /Applications/Safari.app
2/19/16 9:04:39.450 AM sandboxd[194]: ([602]) com.apple.WebKit(602) deny file-read-data /Applications/Safari.app/Contents

Any ideas? Looks like Safari's sandbox is keeping the latest version of the connector out. What changed from previous versions of the connector? FWIW, I have SIP disabled on my system, so that's not the problem.

briancroxall · February 19, 2016

I had this problem as well with a student who was in my Zotero workshop this week.

posburn · February 19, 2016

SOLVED:

What I had to do was to boot into safe mode on my Mac (hold down SHIFT key while rebooting) and install the extension while in this mode. I rebooted normally and the extension is working fine now.

I have no idea why this worked; just came across this suggestion on another forum where users had installation issues with other Safari extensions.

Hope this helps someone else.

scottej1980 · August 16, 2016

Disregard: I seem to have been able to make it work after rebooting. Not sure what changed.

Prior comment:

I have the same problem. Is there any plans to get this to work, possibly by submitting the connector to Apple to be delivered via the Extensions website? I know I could just use Chrome, but it drops my battery life by 30%.