"Cannot set directory locks" warning

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Posts: 48
Joined: 6 Dec 2017

gogreen1

A few days ago (perhaps with my update to MacOS Mojave?) I started getting the attached warning when trying to backup Safari's Bookmarks.plist file. Same thing happens when I try to create a new backup configuration for this file. I'm finding the file location in Finder and dragging and dropping it into the compare path.That's when I get the warning. I'm probably doing something wrong or missing a setting. What am I missing to create the backup configuration? Thanks.
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Posts: 21
Joined: 5 Oct 2018

jmsxl

Have the same problem; definitely the result of updating to Mojave. FreeFileSync version is unchanged; v10.4 used before (no problems) and after the OS update (problems.) Running FFS after the update, got a series of dialogs from Mac OS asking "Allow FreeFileSync access to you calendar?" / Contacts? / Mail? etc. Answered yes to each dialog, but got the directory lock errors like gogreen1 shows anyway. I'm guessing that some permissions were locked down harder as part of the OS update. How to get past this? I hesitate to change the permissions set by the OS on directories it controls but I also want to back up these areas.

Thanks,
Posts: 48
Joined: 6 Dec 2017

gogreen1

Glad I'm not the only one.

I'm also using FFS v10.4. I have this problem only with backing up one file: Bookmarks.plist in the Safari folder. Permissions seem OK, so I'm stumped.
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Posts: 21
Joined: 5 Oct 2018

jmsxl

Ok, I think I got this solved. Starting in Mojave, need to grant apps permission to access parts of the filesystem.

(This post led me to the solution: https://github.com/hashicorp/vagrant/issues/10234 )

To do so, navigate to Apple -> System Preferences... -> Security & Privacy, select "Full Disk Access" and add FreeFileSync.

This got rid of the directory lock errors for ~/Library/Mail, ~/Library/Safari, etc.

e.g.:
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Posts: 48
Joined: 6 Dec 2017

gogreen1

Yup. Just figured it out, too. That's exactly what I did.