# Open External App on Mac **URL:** \ **Category:** UXP Plugin API\ **Created:** [May 10, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284 "2023-05-10T17:21:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mariusngn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@mariusngn](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/mariusngn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/1 "2023-05-10T17:21:45Z")
I have an issue on mac when trying to open an external app from an uxp plugin, where the call shell.openPath() fails w/: “Extension “” is not accepted for the path”. The manifest contains the “.app” entry in the extensions array. If I try to open an arbitrary file (e.g. rtf), w/out adding the extension to the manifest, I’ll get back the same error, but w/ extension listed in the message: “Extension “.rtf” is not accepted for the path”. Opening an app (.exe) on windows, using the same call, succeeds. The openExternal cannot be used because ‘file’ scheme is not supported. ---
**Author:** ![Maher](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/maher/32/1432_2.png) [@Maher](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/Maher)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/2 "2023-05-10T17:39:18Z")
please share the relevant parts of the manifest so we can help you better. also sharing minimal code could help. ---
**Author:** ![mariusngn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@mariusngn](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/mariusngn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/3 "2023-05-10T18:05:37Z")
Manifest: “manifestVersion”: 5, “requiredPermissions”: { “localFileSystem”: “request”, “launchProcess”: { “schemes”: [ “https” ], “extensions”: [ “.png”, “.exe”, “.app” ] } } Code: try { await shell.openPath(“/Users/…/external.app”) } ---
**Author:** ![Maher](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/maher/32/1432_2.png) [@Maher](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/Maher)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/4 "2023-05-10T20:23:08Z")
I don’t have access to a mac machine, but I can assure you that the manifest is correct and your code does work on windows. for the sake of testing, could you please try the following ```auto "launchProcess": { "schemes": [ "https", "file", "" ], "extensions": [ ".png", ".exe", ".app" ], "network": { "domains": "all" } } ``` if it still doesn’t work, please try with `file:/`: ```auto await shell.openPath("file://Users/…/external.app") ``` please note that reloading the plugin is not enough when editing the manifest, you’ll need to unload and the load it so changes apply. ---
**Author:** ![mariusngn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@mariusngn](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/mariusngn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 9:13pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/5 "2023-05-10T21:13:24Z")
Thank you for looking into this. We verified the code in windows, and it’s working. Your suggestion to use ‘file://’ w/ the openPath call was a good one, because after I made the change, I got the prompt ‘Request for Permission’ (allow/block app). Unfortunately after clicking on Allow, I got an error message: “File not found”. The app can be launch w/out any problems from finder. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/xdplugins/original/2X/6/693d5726346b95d3fe6d5f9030e971301c8a4c0d.png) ---
**Author:** ![Maher](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/maher/32/1432_2.png) [@Maher](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/Maher)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/6 "2023-05-10T21:36:03Z")
1. does other extensions work? 2. have you tried other locations? 3. are you sure about the file path, maybe try it a browser? to narrow down the issue ---
**Author:** ![mariusngn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@mariusngn](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/mariusngn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 10:46pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/7 "2023-05-10T22:46:08Z")
If I try to open a jpg, using openPath("file://path), I’ll get the same behavior as before: permission prompt and then the error. If I don’t prepend the ‘file://’ to the path, then openPath(path) works for that jpg (or a txt file). I double checked the path and it’s correct. Actually, all the test files are located on the plugin’s root. To me it looks like a mac specific issue, when opening an external app. It would be great if another mac user could try it out. ---
**Author:** ![Maher](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/maher/32/1432_2.png) [@Maher](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/Maher)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:48am UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/8 "2023-05-11T03:48:00Z")
could be a security issue. the call must be getting blocked somewhere. how about running a [script that starts the .app](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1308755/how-to-launch-an-app-on-os-x-with-command-line-the-best-way)? does it work other people confirmation would be great ---
**Author:** ![sttk3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sttk3](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/sttk3)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 4:36am UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/9 "2023-05-11T04:36:47Z")
I tried on a mac and .app did not work. Perhaps it is because .app is actually a folder. What is executed is the executable file inside it. So I added `""` to the allowed extensions and it worked. A dialog box appears asking if I want to allow it or not. ```auto "extensions": [ "", ".png", ".exe", ".app" ], ``` ---
**Author:** ![mariusngn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@mariusngn](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/mariusngn)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/10 "2023-05-11T15:03:12Z")
That was a good suggestion. After adding an empty extension “” to the manifest, the call openPath(“/Users/…/external.app”) succeeds and the app is launched. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Jarda](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/jarda/32/1909_2.png) [@Jarda](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/u/Jarda)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.creativeclouddeveloper.com/t/open-external-app-on-mac/6284/11 "2023-08-13T13:29:38Z")
InDesign manifest documentation says there is no need for `.` dot. But Photoshop manifest documentation do has a `.` [https://developer.adobe.com/indesign/1688653963277/plugins/concepts/manifest/#launchprocesspermission](https://developer.adobe.com/indesign/1688653963277/plugins/concepts/manifest/#launchprocesspermission) [https://developer.adobe.com/photoshop/uxp/2022/guides/uxp\_guide/uxp-misc/manifest-v5/#launch-process](https://developer.adobe.com/photoshop/uxp/2022/guides/uxp_guide/uxp-misc/manifest-v5/#launch-process)