Prism is unable to find the prism-config.xml file located in the same folder as the Prism.app when using a custom installer

Issue

Typically, downloading and installing Prism from our website is a straightforward process. Users can easily execute the installation file, just as they would with any other application.

Sometimes IT system administrators opt to create custom installation methods for Prism. For example, silent activation methods may be used for mass deployment or other specific purposes. This may involve bundling the Prism application installation package with the Prism configuration files that allows optional installation settings. Re-packaging is usually accomplished using various installation or/and deployment tools that may require creating ZIP, MSI or other bundles.

Occasionally, these processes may lead to unforeseen issues, especially concerning the Mac version of Prism. When installed this way on macOS, the Prism application might fail to recognize the configuration file situated in the same directory as the application due to system security protocols.

This can result in the following problems:

• Silent activation issues with Prism, which many organizations rely on; in this case, the prism-config.xml file will be disregarded, necessitating manual activation of Prism.

• All custom settings outlined in this document will not function as intended.

Why does the issue occur?

This issue arises due to macOS's security feature known as App Translocation (also referred to as Gatekeeper Path Randomization). When the the custom Prism installation bundle is downloaded and executed, it will run from a randomized, read-only location. This prevents the Prism application from accessing the configuration file located in the original directory. This behavior is a security measure implemented by Apple, and is intended to protect against malicious software. As such, custom installers prepared as a ZIP files are particularly impacted.

Solution

Our primary suggestion is to use an official Prism installation disk image (.dmg file):

To install Prism, begin by obtaining the official installation disk image provided by GraphPad on our updates page. After installation, you will need to place the prism-config.xml file in one of the Application Support folders to ensure the application can access the configuration.

Here are the two suggested locations for placing the config file:

• System Level: Requires admin rights:
  /Library/Application Support/GraphPad/Prism

• User Level: No admin rights required:
  ~/Library/Application Support/GraphPad/Prism

 

Additional workarounds:
1. Extract the installation package from the custom zip archive using Finder

• Begin by downloading the zip archive containing the Prism app and the prism-config.xml file, then extract its contents.

• Open Finder and move the Prism application (ensure you only move the application, not the entire folder) to your preferred directory.

• Finally, place the prism-config.xml file in the same folder where you moved the Prism application.

  Note: when using Finder, the Prism app should be copied first, then the prism-config.xml file.

2. Create an Automator workflow that moves Prism and the config file to the required folder, then package both the Prism application and the workflow in a zip archive for installation. This will require administrator rights from the user.

Is there a fix?

At present, there is no direct solution available for this issue. This behavior is implemented by Apple to mitigate potential security risks. Additionally, we strongly recommend always relying on the official installers for Prism provided on the GraphPad updates page.