Automator print plug in failure after Big Sur update

I can offer a workaround:

Redo the same workflow, but as an application, instead of a print plugin.

Either save the application directly in ~/Library/PDF Services, or save it elsewhere and make an alias in that location.

This works!

The first time you get an alert that your application wants to "control your computer". Allow it. Done!

I suggest that you create a new Automator Print plug-in on Big Sur using the same workflow and content of the older version. Save that and see if it works properly. If not, we will need to see the workflow for review and recommendations.

What i used to do, and want to do is: in Safari or Word print a screen/document (cmd+P) transfer in to a PDF and in to a mail template ( i used a short command cmd+Å that earlier responded with the automator pdf print plug in ). That was quick and easy before the upgrade to Big Sur. With the automator App it seems like i need to save the file and drag it to app.

I don't think you need to save it.

1) Put an alias to the application in ~/Library/PDF Services

One easy way to do that is to have the application visible in the Finder, open a new window (command-N), and then Command-Shift-G to "Go to Folder" and paste

~/Library/PDF Services

Command-option-drag the application to the PDF Services folder - this creates an alias.

From this moment on, it will appear in the PDF menu in a print dialog.

If you want, you can even add a shortcut - say command-option-control-P

Then it becomes a two shortcut thing: command-P command-option-control-P (you need to open the print dialog for the second shortcut to work).

I will try to present you with a complete example a little later.

When I test my version of your Print plug-in, it deposits a Sent email item with a zero-byte PDF icon attached, and no email is received when sent to one of my email accounts. Another Print plug-in that simply deposits the PDF to the Desktop works as expected. All of this on an M1 Mac mini running macOS 11.1.

I modified the Print plug-in to use different recipient email, and when that plug-in was used, there was no received email, nor any trace that it was in the Sent items where the previous trial had placed it. In each trial, I have checked the Junk and Trash folders for the receiving email account and found nothing.

In System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy, I had already provided Automator with full disk access, and even after just providing Mail with full disk access, that adjustment did not change the outcome.

It is not beyond the realm of belief that Apple has introduced a bug in the New Mail action when used as a Print plug-in. I see no way forward that provides a solution for this enigma.

I would send bug feedback to the Automator product team, to at least get this on their radar.

You can downgrade to Catalina if you made a Time Machine backup of Catalina prior to the Big Sur upgrade. Boot into Recovery (⌘+R) and choose Restore from Time Machine Backup from the Recovery menu. This approach will automatically reformat the drive and repave it with the TM data to restore it to Catalina as it was prior to the upgrade. Naturally, unless you take precautions to save any personal files created since the Big Sur upgrade, these would otherwise be lost in the restore.

Without an existing Catalina Time Machine backup, to make it short, I would discourage you from a manual retreat from Big Sur to Catalina, as it involves reformatting the startup drive, reinstalling Catalina, and manually replacing your Big Sur personal files, and then realizing that all of the application preferences will have to be manually redone — something that Time Machine would have done for you with that Catalina restore.

I can't save when I choose App in Automator. I get error.

I have a MacBook Pro M1 with 11.2

I did make an bug report (Print Plug) to Apple

and they confirmed it as a bug.

Have you tried rebuilding the Automator plugin? Sometimes old components in Automator are upgraded and the plugin, app or workflow needs to be rebuilt with the current module.

I't donet work om MPB M1 but on non AppleSilicon.

I made it on a old Mac and then moved it to Apple Silicon it works.

Thanks.

Did you read my post? After testing with two different email accounts with different, and unsuccessful results, I see no fix for the New Mail action when used in an Automator Print Plug-in. Thus, as far as I have tested, I see no fix unless a future Apple update provides one.

What error? What exactly happens? I create a New workflow, select Application, choose “receives pdf files” and a New Mail Message action, save it and add an alias to it in ~/Library/PDF Services

and everything works. It appears in the PDF menu of a Print dialog and it works perfectly well.

I am also running 11.2

In order for it to appear in the PDF section of a print dialog , tge application or an alias to it has to be placed in ~/Library/PDF Services

It is not a “module” or action. It is what you select at the very top of the workflow. I will post an image when I get back to my mac.

As an aside, you can add any application that can read pdf files to the print dialog. Just place an alias to it in ~/Library/PDF Services