Inkscape doesn't start anymore - OS X 10.14.4 (Mojave)

[fireball]

Hi everybody, it seems that I can no longer use Inkscape since I updated my OS X to 10.14.4 yesterday. I am using version 0.92.2, it was working fine before as far as I remember, but now nothing happens upon double-clicking Inkscape.app. I have been deeply searching for an explanation in the web but couldn't find anything meaningful.

Weird behavior is: Inkscape does seem to start, but it doesn't launch XQuartz automatically anymore. XQuartz only runs if Inkscape is launched a second time while running, but in any case nothing shows up even after this second double-click.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, since I need to use the application and I have always been fond of it so far.

Thanks!

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

Are you using dual or multiple monitor setup, by chance?  Or were you recently using such a setup on this computer?  (or change the screen orientation or resolution?)  If so, it could be opening off screen.

If not, I can only suggest to review the installation instructions, and make sure everything is set up properly.  https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-0.92.2/mac-os-x/107/dmg/dl/ 

If you can't seem to fix it, maybe try uninstalling and reinstalling.

[fireball]

I filed out a bug report here, where I explain everything more clearly: https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inbox/issues/253

Thanks for your feedback anyway.

[brynn]

I don't see any evidence that there's a bug related to this problem.   Did you try uninstalling and reinstalling?

[fireball]

Of course, I did. I also followed very carefully the installation instructions but to no avail. As you see everything works if one launches Inkscape 0.92.2 from within the XQuartz terminal (so, I can launch the application if I first run XQuartz and type "open /Applications/Inkscape.app" in the XQuartz terminal), but not double-clicking Inkscape.app in Finder.

[brynn]

I'm not a Mac user, so I don't know for sure.  But I think that's how you're supposed to use it.  I think it can only work inside XQuartz.

[fireball]

 

I'm not a Mac user, so I don't know for sure.  But I think that's how you're supposed to use it.  I think it can only work inside XQuartz.

Before upgrading to MacOS 10.14.4 (I guess before I was running version 10.14.2 or so), it worked as usual: double-clicking Inkscape.app would launch XQuartz automatically and one second later Inkscape would run normally, but that no longer happens for an unknown (to me) reason.

[brynn]

Hopefully someone else will be along before too long, who knows the answer.

[fireball]

Solved

[GANGUS]

So, after going through that thread, and your problem is solved, can you be a little more specific about what was your solution?
It may be of some help to other Mac users.

I do recall an instance, somewhere, where just opening Inkscape just once, from the Terminal command line fixed the problem.
Somehow, after that, it opened normally with just a double click.

Glad you got it all working.

[Moini]

GANGUS, the solution is linked from the above post. It's the Gatekeeper. As always. And as explained in the FAQ... (https://inkscape.org/learn/faq/#inkscape-fails-launch-os-x-108-and-later)

[fireball]

Yes, but the tricky part is that in Mojave the "Anywere" option is not shown by default, unlike OS X 10.8 or so. There is an intermediate step, i.e., to temporarily disable Gatekeeper by typing

sudo spctl --master-disable

in the Terminal, then hit return, launch Inkscape (which should now work fine), and then reactivate Gatekeeper with

sudo spctl --master-enable

[GANGUS]

Wow, thats an interesting twist I didn't know about.
Thanks for sharing that.

[Guillory]

Do you reactivate the Gatekeeper while Inkscape is running or do you have to shut it down before that?

[Moini]

Fireball, can I add your instructions to the FAQ item? What does that command do?

[fireball]

Fireball, can I add your instructions to the FAQ item? What does that command do?

See here for a detailed explanation.

Do you reactivate the Gatekeeper while Inkscape is running or do you have to shut it down before that?

I don't remember, but just to be sure, I would shut it down.