Hi Pim,

I digged into this.

I assume you’re on macOS Sonoma. macOS Sonoma added app container protection (which is the onliest reason this message is triggered, cause on previous macOS like ventura everything is fine). MyDataMerge needs access to InDesign (obiously) and we didn’t change anything in this communication since last macOS. So for now I’d recommend accepting it if you need to continue your work. With your OK you allow MyDataMerge access to InDesigns AppContainer.

Anyways I have forwarded this to our developers, cause a quick research showed there are many apps struggling with this “issue” (don’t know if I would call it issue) on macOS Sonoma, but I didn’t find an appropriate programmatic solution by now. That usually happens once macOS changes anything security related. But if there’s a solution to get rid of this message, we’ll find it.

I’ll keep you updated

If you need details, that procedure is described here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/security/app_sandbox/accessing_files_from_the_macos_app_sandbox?language=objc

Essential part:

In macOS 14 and later, the operating system uses your app’s code signature to associate it with its sandbox container. If your app tries to access the sandbox container owned by another app, the system asks the person using your app whether to grant access. If the person denies access and your app is already running, then it can’t read or write the files in the other app’s sandbox container. If the person denies access while your app is launching and trying to enter the other app’s sandbox container, your app fails to launch.

(It seems you have to accept this once).

Regards
Pat

Hi Pim,

we found out what’s causing this.

You must have image downloads in your DataMerge process, can you confirm that?

When no custom download folder is set by the user (you can do this in the Image placeholder -> Gear Icon), MyDataMerge stores downloaded images in its application folder. Before macOS Sonoma, we could send InDesign these image pathes without an issue. Now Apple says “lets warn the user if an application tries to access files within an other applications folder” in this case -> InDesign wants to read the images from inside MyDataMerges folder.

To bypass that, just select your own download folder as described above or accept the message.

Within the next update we will change storage location of downloaded images to macOS TMP directory. This is accessible from all apps without this warning. Onliest catch is that this folder gets deleted on restarting your machine.

Regards,
Pat

Hi Pim,

we solved that.

Before macOS 14 (Sonoma), MyDataMerge used to save all files in its own app container (downloaded images, generated QR codes, generated CSV files, etc.). Previously, MyDataMerge could send these files to Adobe InDesign to work with them. Since macOS 14, it detects when one app tries to access the folder of another app (InDesign trying to access MyDataMerge) and therefore shows this somewhat cryptic warning message.

In the next update, MyDataMerge will therefore require from 14 onwards to choose a working folder that is no longer located in the app container. This should eliminate these messages from the past because macOS will then be satisfied.

Make sure the folder you select is NOT icloud managed, otherwise a new warning will appear (Something like “Adobe indesign wants to access icloud Managed folder” – you can just accept it or choose a folder outside of icloud scope).

Regards
Pat

Hi Pim,

Version 2.1.10 is available and should resolve this. Still make sure that the folder you select is NOT icloud managed, otherwise a new warning will appear (Something like “Adobe indesign wants to access icloud Managed folder” – you can just accept it or choose a folder outside of icloud scope).

Regards,
Pat

Just let us know if there’s anything else you need to know. I will close this thread.