Mac OS X Catalina install problems

[catesr]

Hello. I have several teachers who are on Mac OS X 10.15 Catalina and they cannot install PowerTeacher Gradebook on their machines. Everytime we download the dmg (this is v2.8 btw) we get a message that says "Error copying to /Users/someone/Applications, possibly due to insufficient permissions". This is the Users own home folder so they do indeed have permission to install into it. Any ideas? Thank You.

[AbrittyB]

Hey @catesr!

We have received a few other reports about the issue you are facing of PowerTeacher Gradebook not launching on Mac OS X 10.15 Catalina. Various issues may require the GradeBook app to be uninstalled and reinstalled on a users local machine. The PowerTeacher GradeBook is based on JAVA, so installing the latest version of JAVA then PowerTeacher Gradebook might work.

All grade aspects of the PowerTeacher App is currently built into PowerTeacher Pro which is designed to work with mobile web pages. Teachers can still take attendance on mobile devices. Once they have logged in the "Teacher Sign In" page, they should select "Attendance"  then pick the section they need to take attendance in.

AbrittyB

PowerSchool Community Moderator

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[asbuan]

Hello,

I tried installing the latest Java but it is still not downloading. Is there any other way?

[ElstonS]

Hey @asbuan, 

I am sorry you are still unable to install PowerTeacher Gradebook on their machines. I recommend enabling the Javascript on your internet browser and then installing Gradebook.

If your internet browser is Google Chrome, you can follow the steps below to enable JavaScript on Google Chrome: 

1. On the web browser menu click on the "Customize and control Google Chrome" and select "Settings".
2. In the "Settings" section click on the "Show advanced settings..."
3. Under the "Privacy" click on the "Content settings...".
4. When the dialog window opens, look for the "JavaScript" section and select "Allow all sites to run JavaScript (recommended)".
5. Click on the "OK" button to close it.
6. Close the "Settings" tab.
7. Click on the "Reload this page" button of the web browser to refresh the page.

If you are using other internet browsers, I have provided a link here that should help walk you through the process of enabling JavaScript on them. 

[masoncardon]

Did you ever get this fixed? I am currently having the exact same problem.

[Reshma]

Hi @masoncardon,

Thank you for reaching out to us in the Community! 

I recommend going through the steps we have provided in the thread.  It can also be shown as a result of the security settings on a particular system.  This article contains steps for entering a command in Terminal on the Mac.

Please let us know if you are still facing the issue when you are installing PowerTeacher Gradebook on  Mac OS X 10.15 Catalina.

[AndreaMorrissey]

I am unable to install on my MacBook Air, running Catalina. The message I receive is: 

“Double Click to Install” can’t be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software.

Please advise me how to proceed. 

[AbrittyB]

Hello @AndreaMorrissey,

Welcome to PowerSchool Community!

I am sorry that you are receiving the error. The following workaround could be followed in such a case.

1.) Download the installer from the PowerTeacher portal, right-click on the screen that says "Double click to install" and select "Show Package Contents".

2.) Then navigate Contacts > MacOS > Droplet
3.) Run the Droplet script and you should see a message that installation is almost complete instructing you to launch the Gradebook from the teacher portal.

4.) Go back to the teacher portal, select the Launch button, and open the downloaded file.

5.) When you get the error, click on the Apple symbol in the upper right corner of the screen and select System Preferences >Privacy and Security option.
6.) Acknowledge the malicious software warning and try to open the launch file again. The Privacy and Security window should now have an option to 'Open' the file and launch the Gradebook.

AbrittyB
PowerSchool Community Moderator
Please give Kudos to suggestions that help you!
If the answer helps solve your issue, please select Accept As Solution on their post so others can see the solution, too!

[ggirouxshaw]

I have followed your steps to install Gradebook on my Mac. Unfortunately, it still isn't working and this message appears.  

“Double Click to Install” can’t be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software.

Below this message, it states: This software needs to be updated. Contact the developer for more information.

What can I do now?

Thank you for your time and efforts

[Reshma]

Hi @ggirouxshaw,

Thank you for posting in PowerSchool Community!

I am sorry to hear that you are still receiving the error message even after following the workarounds when trying to install Gradebook on your Mac.  I recommend reaching out to the Designated Support Contact within your district to request further assistance on this issue.

[tangierc]

I just tried getting it installed with no luck either.  Our IT department directed me to an Apple site (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7767240) with instructions using Terminal, but that didn't work.  Why is there no support page about this issue with a definitive answer?

1. The installer script doesn't move anything into the applications folder.
2. There is no "Gradebook.app" for the Terminal method to move. I checked the installer package contents.
3. Permission issues are easy to deal with by going through the Apple Security control panel.
4. PowerSchool support (by phone) said that only the IT department can put in a ticket to get this resolved.

Is there anyone who has successfully installed this on Catalina?

Can we get an updated installer please?

[tangierc]

Found a solution folks:

I figured some things out after diving into the installer script, the way it works, and what it’s attempting to do.  Once I realized some things I figured out a way to bypass the script. Here are written instructions below.  It may seem like a lot, but if you focus on what’s in bold, it’s not so bad.

Here are the steps:

1. Login to Powerschool (Teacher Sign-In)
2. Select “Installer” from the drop down menu under PTG 2.8 (or some other version number).
3. This takes you to a download page. Choose the Mac OS installer and click “Download Installer”
4. Once the download is complete, navigate to where it is saved on your computer.  It should be called “Gradebook.dmg” 
5. Double click Gradebook.dmg to mount (open) the disk image. It should now be present on your desktop and in the left side view of any of your Finder windows.
6. Inside you’ll see an installer called “Double Click to Install.app”  DO NOT DOUBLE CLICK THAT!
7. INSTEAD: Reveal invisible items by pressing these three keys on your keyboard: Shift + Command + . (period)
8. This will reveal the Gradebook app which is called “.Gradebook.app”
9. Right-click on .Gradebook.app and choose “copy .Gradebook.app”
10. Navigate to your Applications folder and create a folder called “Gradebook”
11. Once the folder is created, right-click inside the folder and choose “paste .Gradebook.app”
12. Rename “ Gradebook.app" to “ Gradebook.app" (by removing the starting period)
13. *Alternatively, you could have manually dragged the above .Gradebook app into the folder rather than using the copy/paste feature.
14. Go back to the Powerschool Teacher website.
15. Select “Launch” from the drop down menu under PTG 2.8 (or some other version number).
16. This will download the Launcher
17. Navigate to where Launcher is downloaded on your computer and move Launcher to your desktop.
18. Double-click the Launcher application to initialize the Gradebook application.  You may be prompted with a screen the first time you do this in order to enter the same credentials you use on the website.  I didn’t have to do this the second time around.
19. If Launcher doesn’t work, try double-clicking the actual Gradebook.app inside your Applications folder.

* Typically you can launch the Gradebook app from the Powerschool website it seems, but it doesn’t work.  Continuing to click “Launch” from the website simply download the app launcher again.  Instead just launch the app, by double-clicking the launcher you placed on your desktop.

* If at any point you see an Apple dialogue box which contains”...can’t be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software” you are seeing this because the downloaded software hasn’t gone through the security verification process necessary for apps to be downloaded from the Apple App store. You can alleviate this by:

1. Going to System Preferences
2. Choose Security and Privacy
3. Unlock this preference pane (with the pad-lock, bottom left) and click the "Open Anyway” button

[BrianA8]

For what it's worth I just attempted and was successful in installing and launching PTG Standalone on macOS 10.15.6. I tried on both PS SIS 20.4.2.0 and 19.4.5.1.

[tangierc]

May I ask then, what your steps were and why many people are having issues getting this installed on Catalina?  

[BrianA8]

Sure:

• Logged into PowerTeacher
• Selected the arrow on the left to get the installer
• Downloaded the installer
• Opened the DMG
• Double Clicked the Installer
• Followed prompts

What is your current value for "Allow apps to be downloaded from:" on System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> General. If its App Store only then that could be the issue.

While the Standalone App is ideal the JNLP should also work as long as you have Java 8 installed.

[tangierc]

I originally followed those same steps, but ran into several problems before finding my own way.  Here's what my experiences were:

1. Downloaded the Mac installer from Powerschool and attempted to install.  This fails due to permissions errors.
2. I’ve worked around the permission error, but run into another install script problem (moving the app to a folder) with an error saying “Handler can’t handle objects of this class”
3. I created my own Gradebook folder in the Applications folder to work around the installer script.  This did not work.
4. I’ve used Teminal command instructions found on an Apple community support site  to move the app from the installer to the applications folder, but this fails.
5. I’ve called Powerschool for support, but a representative told me that only an admin from our institution can create a support ticket for this issue.
6. I’ve joined the Powerschool online support community, searched for clues and solutions, but there’s nothing definitive there nor responses to my inquiry.
7. Attempted to use the web version of Gradebook per a suggestion by DV IT, but that feature is not available to me.  I believe it’s relegated to PowerTeacher Pro.

Changing my security settings in System Preferences was the easiest part since it's not from the App store.  Even after doing that it ran into problems as described above.

[BrianA8]

The JNLP version is specific to PTG, That is the "Older Launch" link after clicking the drop down. It's listed under the Installer link.

[tangierc]

I am not following you.  Could you elaborate on what is JNLP? On my screen it says PTG 2.8.  I have never uses the "Older Launch" link.  Only the one shown as a button in the image.  Everything seems straightforward like it should work, but it hasn't for myself and others.  It's posted on Apple communities as well.  

Thanks.

[BrianA8]

JNLP stands for Java Network Launch Protocol, which is how PTG was originally designed to operate, like ReportWorks. Specifically is uses the Java version the user installed on the client. The Standalone App, aka the Launch button, was added to bundle a known working Java version that was separate from what the end user may have installed. There was also concerns at the time that JNLP would be removed from support by Oracle and Apple but that never happened (or at least has not happened to date) and why a separate installer was built.

So long story short that "Older Launch" should also work if you have Java 8 already installed on you Mac.

I can't speak to why you're seeing issues on your Mac though. Digging in to the installer from what I can tell everything is signed correctly based on Apple's codesign tool.

[tangierc]

Ok, thank you.  I figure it was something related to Java.  I don't know where to go from here.  The process of installing has not gone smoothly at all for myself and other Mac users where I work.  The only way I got it to work was to realize that the installer kept running into errors moving the app so I just bypassed the installer and moved it myself.  The launcher still doesn't work at all either. When I click Launch it just downloads the launcher each time. Now I just click the Gradebook app and sometimes it seems to launch a second instance of itself (on the dock), but it's working.  It's not ideal, but it seems that installing has been a longstanding issue for many Mac users.  

Thanks for your insight.

[tangierc]

I just downloaded and installed Java from Oracle's website.  I ran into the same issues that I originally had when trying to run the PowerTeacher Gradebook Installer.  I downloaded the Gradebook installer again also, and I ran into these errors again after I allowed the installer to run via the security system setting:

1) Error copying application to: /Users/tclarke/Applications, possibly due to having insufficient permissions.  Please Choose a folder to install to.

- I chose a folder to install to at this point then: 

2) Handler can’t handle objects of this class.

- I chose a folder to install to at this point then: 

3) Finder got an error: Handler can’t handle objects of this class. (-10010)

These are the errors which led me open the script, figure out what it was trying to do, and bypass it because I can't get it to work as it should.