ZetaWatch

[cbreak]

So, release 30 might work on 10.11, check it out

https://github.com/cbreak-black/ZetaWat ... es/tag/r30

[nodarkthings]

Fantastic! I'll try it as soon as possible.

[FadingIntoBlue]

I've only tested it with 10.13.6, and I think others have used it on 10.14. If you want 10.11 support, it might be possible to compile ZetaWatch for that platform, but it'd be untested.

Edit: And I've added a bunch new features since the last post

https://github.com/cbreak-black/ZetaWatch

- Auto updates
- Auto importing pools
- Auto unlocking encrypted datasets (possibly storing the keys in keychain)
- Better visualization
- And more!

I've been using it with some success on 10.14 (and before that) but the last couple of releases 30 and auto update to 32 I get an error
"Couldn't communicate with a helper application"
which I gather is related to dealing with access permissions. I'm running in a non admin account, get the admin permission to install the helper file, but then immedaitely get the error. I also get it any time I try to import a pool, but when pools are auto imported or imported using sudo in the terminal, ZetaWatch reports the status of the pools perfectly.

[cbreak]

I've only tested it with 10.13.6, and I think others have used it on 10.14. If you want 10.11 support, it might be possible to compile ZetaWatch for that platform, but it'd be untested.

Edit: And I've added a bunch new features since the last post

https://github.com/cbreak-black/ZetaWatch

- Auto updates
- Auto importing pools
- Auto unlocking encrypted datasets (possibly storing the keys in keychain)
- Better visualization
- And more!

I've been using it with some success on 10.14 (and before that) but the last couple of releases 30 and auto update to 32 I get an error
"Couldn't communicate with a helper application"
which I gather is related to dealing with access permissions. I'm running in a non admin account, get the admin permission to install the helper file, but then immedaitely get the error. I also get it any time I try to import a pool, but when pools are auto imported or imported using sudo in the terminal, ZetaWatch reports the status of the pools perfectly.

That error seems to be "normal", every time the helper is updated (which it is when ever ZetaWatch itself is updated. But it shouldn't happen again until the next update, and at least for me, communication is established instantly afterwards. But I am an admin user. Are you sure the helper is actually running?

Code: Select all

ps -ax | grep Zeta

should show the "ZetaWatch.app" process and "/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/net.the-color-black.ZetaAuthorizationHelper".

ZetaWatch only uses the helper to execute privileged commands (including mounting, enumerating importable pools, importing pools, loading keys and the like), but it doesn't need it for most read-access. The pool status you see is queried directly from the zfs library, without helper involvement. In earlier versions of ZetaWatch, I only installed the helper when such operations were performed, but since I added more and more of them, I changed to installing it on first launch.

I set up most privileged operations as allowed by anyone (pool import, mount, unmount), but some require providing an admin password (destroying datasets, rolling back, and other destructive operations). I wrote more about this here: https://the-color-black.net/blog/ZetaWatchAuthorization But those permissions should only be required if you actually want to destroy a dataset or roll back a pool, so I don't think this is an issue for you.

[FadingIntoBlue]

Thanks for the help.

That error seems to be "normal", every time the helper is updated (which it is when ever ZetaWatch itself is updated. But it shouldn't happen again until the next update, and at least for me, communication is established instantly afterwards. But I am an admin user. Are you sure the helper is actually running?

Code: Select all

CODE: SELECT ALL
ps -ax | grep Zeta

should show the "ZetaWatch.app" process and "/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/net.the-color-black.ZetaAuthorizationHelper".

So the helper isn't running, though when I install ZetaWatch, I get the admin prompt requesting permission to install. If I understand your ZetaWatchAuthorisation post, then the failure is at the authorisation to install the helper phase, rather than in the exploit authorisations to carry out actions, for eg"Import All Pools"

When I check the folder /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/ the helper is there, but with a date of October 18. So when I have carried put a reinstall over the top , the file is installed, and now is available and running. Maybe a mix or collision of two versions? In any event, version 32 is now running OK

Again, many thanks for your help