Messages won't display images, sandbox violation?

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Level 2

153 points

Messages won't display images, sandbox violation?

Can anyone help me figure out why, when I receive an iMessage that contains a photo or other image, Messages on Yosemite won't display the image? It appears to be a sandbox permissions issue, but I can't figure out how to resolve it.

Briefly, when I receive an iMessage that contains any image, the image displays just fine on my iOS devices, but in OS X Yosemite (10.10.1, build 14B25), it just shows up as a generic icon (attached at the bottom of this question). Clicking the icon or magnifying glass doesn't load it, double-clicking it doesn't load it, Quick View won't show it... nothing. If I look in /var/logs/system.log, any attempt to view it generates sandbox-related errors:

Messages[30820]: [Warning] Transfer: unable to create image for IMG_2758.JPG.jpeg

kernel[0]: Sandbox: Messages(30820) deny file-read-data /private/var/folders/7l/cn4n4k4n4p31ncqq9qqk1klrydkmkm/T/IMG_2758.JPG.jpeg

If I manually open up that directory (/private/var/folders/7l/cn4n4k4n4p31ncqq9qqk1klrydkmkm/T/) I can see the image and open it myself, but Messages can't do it... and I can't for the life of me figure out how Messages's sandbox is configured and what is going on here.

This all happened when I upgraded to Yosemite; prior to Yosemite, everything worked fine. I've tried to blow away /private/var/folders/7l/ and let it get rebuilt, to no avail. I've also hunted for Messages's sandbox config file, to no avail.

Help?

Thanks in advance!

Jason

Posted on Dec 7, 2014 10:14 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 8, 2014 1:43 PM in response to QuesoJason

Hi,

That's further than I have found out.

Clicking the Spyglass type icon should open it in Preview (Or it does for Me)

I was getting AIM and Jabber Pic in Chats OK but today someone tried to send be a pic and it failed so we resorted to email.

I have three computers, Yosemite, Snow Leopard and Leopard and the Yosemite to Leopard works in Bonjour but not to and from the Snow Leopard one.

So you can open the said folder.

That suggests you at least have Read privileges which seems at odds with the Console message.

That makes me wonder if you have Read and Write privileges to ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data (each containing folder)

Go to the View Menu in the Finder and Show Path Bar

Use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT Key and the select the Library that appears and navigate to the Data folder.

Right Click the icon for the folder in the Path Bar and select Get Info

At the bottom of the Info panel check you have Read and Write permissions

You may also have to check you Own it.

9:43 pm Monday; December 8, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 2

QuesoJason Author

Level 2

153 points

Dec 8, 2014 9:01 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Yep, Ralph, I have full permissions inside that iChat container directory -- read/write and I own it. (Verified from command line.)

The console message isn't at odds with me being able to read the directory from the command line or from OS X proper — that console message is that, from within the sandbox, Messages isn't able to read that /private/var/folders subdirectory. That's what's baffling to me... why can't it? Where is the sandbox config file that governs what Messages can and can't do? When you mentioned the iChat container, that gave me hope — I had forgotten that Messages originated as iChat, so I went looking for the iChat sandbox config file (in /Library/Sandbox/Profiles, /System/Library/Sandbox/Profiles, and /usr/share/sandbox), but no dice.

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Answer 3

Dec 9, 2014 12:28 PM in response to QuesoJason

Hi,

That does seem odd.

I mentioned the Containers things as this is the Read and Write route that the app uses (normally to the aliases in the /Data/Library/Preferences that pints to ~/library/Preferences)

I also looked in those places but for IDS, SOAgent and IMAgent that are also involved but no luck.

On your Console Location for the Var Stuff I have this

See Path Bar across bottom. This pic of Dec 1st I had to open in Preview.

A Different view if it helps

I am not sure what to suggest at this point.

8:28 pm Tuesday; December 9, 2014

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 4

Jan 7, 2015 9:42 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I have the same problem. Only one of my mac's have this problem. My other synced mac and iPhones can view the images fine. I'm wondering if I can reset iMessage and start all over from this Mac.

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Answer 5

Jan 7, 2015 9:47 AM in response to chriztrax

Looks like there is a fix from another thread.

The application “Messages” does not have permission to open “IMG_5651.JPG.”

Delete the "Attachments" file in the ~/Library/Messages and then recreate "Attachments" as a folder.

Photos moving forward will show up.

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Answer 6

QuesoJason Author

Level 2

153 points

Jan 7, 2015 8:15 PM in response to chriztrax

OMG, that totally was it! So strange that the error didn't point to this, in any way, as the solution.

Thanks a ton!

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