Corrupt file on MAC

[kvnsys]

Message appears: “Local Lens” is damaged and can’t be opened. You should move it to the Trash.

This error happens even checking on the file hash after downloading on MACBOOK M3.

shasum -a 256 "Local_Lens_v2.2.0_aarch64.dmg"
28bbd0d8c19b6629168bc4cc8a7aef318693b11eaf312d5500da5417a509367a  Local_Lens_v2.2.0_aarch64.dmg

TXT file with hash
28bbd0d8c19b6629168bc4cc8a7aef318693b11eaf312d5500da5417a509367a Local Lens_2.2.0_aarch64.dmg

[ashesbloom]

Thanks for reporting this, @kvnsys !

This is not actual file corruption the matching SHA256 hash proves the download is intact. This is a macOS Gatekeeper security block because the app is not notarized with Apple.

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The Fix

Step 1: Clear quarantine from the DMG (before mounting / before dragging the DMG to Applications )

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine ~/Downloads/Local*.dmg

Step 2: Mount the DMG and drag Local Lens to /Applications (via Finder)

Step 3: Fix the installed app

sudo xattr -cr "/Applications/Local Lens.app" && sudo codesign --force --deep --sign - "/Applications/Local Lens.app" && sudo chmod -R +x "/Applications/Local Lens.app/Contents/MacOS/" "/Applications/Local Lens.app/Contents/Resources/backend_server_bundle/"

Now you should be able to open the app normally!

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Why This Happens

macOS Gatekeeper blocks apps downloaded from the internet if they're not code-signed and notarized with Apple ($99/year developer program). The "damaged" error is misleading — it's actually a security block, not corruption.

The codesign --force --deep --sign - command creates a local "ad-hoc" signature that satisfies Gatekeeper.

I'll update the README and release notes with clearer macOS installation instructions.
Thanks for being an early adopter! 🙏

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Troubleshooting

1> "No such file" errors?
Find the actual DMG filename first:

ls -la ~/Downloads/ | grep -i "local"

Common filename variations:
-- Local Lens v2.2.0.dmg (with spaces)
-- Local_Lens_v2.2.0_aarch64.dmg (with underscores)

2> Path has spaces?

Use double quotes around paths

# ✅ Correct
sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine ~/Downloads/"Local Lens v2.2.0.dmg"

# ❌ Wrong (backslash escaping can fail in zsh)
sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine ~/Downloads/Local\ Lens\ v2.2.0.dmg

3> Installed to ~/Applications instead of /Applications?

If you installed for "Just Me", use this instead:

sudo xattr -cr ~/Applications/"Local Lens.app" && sudo codesign --force --deep --sign - ~/Applications/"Local Lens.app" && sudo chmod -R +x ~/Applications/"Local Lens.app/Contents/MacOS/" ~/Applications/"Local Lens.app/Contents/Resources/backend_server_bundle/"

[ashesbloom]

Update: v2.2.1 Pre-Release Available!

Hey @kvnsys! We've released v2.2.1 (pre-release) with a much easier fix for the macOS Gatekeeper issue.

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Easiest Solution: Homebrew

Once we publish the Homebrew tap, you can simply run:

brew install ashesbloom/locallens/local-lens

That's it! Homebrew automatically handles the Gatekeeper quarantine — no manual steps needed.

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Can You Help Test?

Since this is a v2.2.1 pre-release, we'd love your help testing on your M3 MacBook

1. Download Local_Lens_v2.2.1_aarch64.dmg from the v2.2.1 pre-release
2. Download Fix_Local_Lens.command from the same release
3. Open the DMG and drag Local Lens to /Applications
4. Double-click Fix_Local_Lens.command
5. Enter your password when prompted
6. Try opening Local Lens

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Please let me know how things work out!

Let me know:
- [ ] Did the fix script work?
- [ ] Did the app open without the "damaged" error?
- [ ] Any other issues?

Once I confirm it works, I'll:

1. Publish the Homebrew tap (ashesbloom/homebrew-locallens)
2. Mark v2.2.1 as a full release
3. Close this issue 🎉

Thanks again for reporting this and helping us improve macOS support!