automator problem in Big Sur

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Level 1

5 points

automator problem in Big Sur

Last night I upgraded to Big Sur from Mojave.

Because of changes in the OS, I have had to re-write an Automator script to back up an important file. The automator script works fine (a simple 3 step script), but when I try to save the Automator script, it doesn't save.

I tried editing the old script and I got "Code Signing Error" error message when saving which, to me, is indecipherable, and which made me decide to re-write the script.

I've given Automator Full Disk Access (I don't know if that's even necessary, but I gave it a shot), and Apple support chat had me reset the PVRAM, which still hasn't solved the issue.

The last thing I can think of is that I may still have a Windows 10 partition (yeah, I know) on my MacBook Pro, which I should remove anyways. I'm not sure if that's causing any trouble.

Any ideas out there? I hope I've given enough detail of the problem to get some input.

Thanks in advance.

Posted on Jan 17, 2021 10:46 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

James Tummins

Level 1

30 points

Mar 1, 2021 11:11 AM in response to fzmann

I had a similar experience, seeing the "Code Signing Error" trying to save an Automator action in Big Sur. I had to download and install the Xcode tools from Apple, and that solved the problem for me. Check the App Store for Xcode.

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Answer 2

fzmann Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2021 12:15 PM in response to fzmann

Update: i tried saving the workflow as a Workflow, instead of the desired Calendar Alarm, and that DID work.

A Workflow is not as convenient as I have to manually run the Workflow, but maybe it might indicate something wrong with the Calendar applications, or its interaction with Automator.

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Answer 3

Jan 17, 2021 11:04 AM in response to fzmann

Does it work if you create a new Automator workflow?

By the way, is this saved as an application, service, or workflow?

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Answer 4

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,230 points

Jan 17, 2021 10:57 AM in response to fzmann

Launch Automator, and then from its Open panel, select the Automator solution that you had previous created on Mojave. With rare exception, those compiled under Mojave (services, applications, folder actions) just worked for me under Big Sur. For those that did not, I have been fortunate in just opening them in Automator and just resaving them. I strive to not use specific platform features, and occasionally, where I have used code that Apple has changed, it was a simple matter to address, and then resave the Automator result.

I noticed in another post from last week that a user on Big Sur was getting error dialogs suggesting an issue with Xcode or the command-line tools for Xcode and failure to save an Automator application with the exact same code that I was able to save and run here without issue. Same version of Big Sur, and the developer tools should have no bearing in the Automator save process.

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Answer 5

fzmann Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 17, 2021 11:31 AM in response to VikingOSX

Hi,

after the install of Big Sur, and when I noticed by automation didn't run this morning (it's a Calendar event to save a file Saturday night), I did exactly as you mention: open the automation from Automator (it was in the recently saved items), and when I tried to update and save the automation I received the "Code Signing Error" error message i mentioned.

That's when it seemed my best option would be to re-write the script (it's very simple), but I wasn't counting on NOT being able to save the automation.

This and other issues with Big Sur have made for an inauspicious debut (iPhone sync'd, now I have many duplicate songs, with mismatched album cover art, which I do not have duplicates on my Mac).

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Answer 6

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,230 points

Jan 17, 2021 12:17 PM in response to fzmann

Watch the video Adding Automator Calendar Alarms as Alerts. It talks about Automator Calendar Alerts, which is giving you a headache right now, but then offers an alternative approach where you can save the Automator workflow as an Application (e.g. to your Desktop), and then you can tell a new event to use that specific application at the prescribed time.

The application that I created and put on my Desktop was named Time Test, and here is the result of the event firing it at 3:15 pm today:

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