From 338ce732bd1e5b34e8cbc060dc969f4d3b4e9cda Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Dan Stillman <dstillman@zotero.org>
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2026 09:42:29 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Show correct access-denied error when data directory can't be
 created

The OS.File.makeDir() shim swallowed IOUtils errors, so a failure to
create the data directory showed as a generic "database cannot be
opened" error. For the default location, just explain and quit instead
of offering to choose another directory.

https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/134124/zotero-not-working-on-a-mac
---
 chrome/content/zotero/osfile.mjs             |  1 +
 chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js | 38 +++++---------------
 test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js              | 37 +++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 46 insertions(+), 30 deletions(-)

diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/osfile.mjs b/chrome/content/zotero/osfile.mjs
index f8e192008a..f0845bc6e2 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/osfile.mjs
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/osfile.mjs
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ export let OS = {
 						throw osFileError;
 					}
 				}
+				throw e;
 			}
 		}),
 		
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
index 7f47816f5f..be5285255b 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/dataDirectory.js
@@ -230,47 +230,25 @@ Zotero.DataDirectory = {
 			await Zotero.File.createDirectoryIfMissingAsync(dataDir);
 		}
 		catch (e) {
-			// TEMP: OS.Constants.Win.ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED no longer available, but we should
-			// switch to IOUtils anyway
-			const WIN_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED = 5;
-			if (e instanceof OS.File.Error
-					&& (('unixErrno' in e && e.unixErrno == ChromeUtils.getLibcConstants().EACCES)
-						|| ('winLastError' in e && e.winLastError == WIN_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED))) {
+			if (DOMException.isInstance(e) && e.name == 'NotAllowedError') {
 				Zotero.restarting = true;
 				let isDefaultDir = dataDir == Zotero.DataDirectory.defaultDir;
 				let ps = Services.prompt;
-				let buttonFlags = ps.BUTTON_POS_0 * ps.BUTTON_TITLE_IS_STRING
-					+ ps.BUTTON_POS_1 * ps.BUTTON_TITLE_IS_STRING;
-				if (!isDefaultDir) {
-					buttonFlags += ps.BUTTON_POS_2 * ps.BUTTON_TITLE_IS_STRING;
-				}
 				let title = Zotero.getString('general.accessDenied');
 				let msg = Zotero.getString('dataDir.dirCannotBeCreated', [Zotero.appName, dataDir])
 					+ "\n\n"
 					+ Zotero.getString('dataDir.checkDirWriteAccess', Zotero.appName);
 				
-				let index;
+				// The default location needs to be writable, so don't offer an alternative
 				if (isDefaultDir) {
-					index = ps.confirmEx(null,
-						title,
-						msg,
-						buttonFlags,
-						Zotero.getString('dataDir.chooseNewDataDirectory'),
-						Zotero.getString('general.quit'),
-						null, null, {}
-					);
-					if (index == 0) {
-						let changed = await Zotero.DataDirectory.choose(true);
-						if (!changed) {
-							Zotero.Utilities.Internal.quit();
-						}
-					}
-					else if (index == 1) {
-						Zotero.Utilities.Internal.quit();
-					}
+					ps.alert(null, title, msg);
+					Zotero.Utilities.Internal.quit();
 				}
 				else {
-					index = ps.confirmEx(null,
+					let buttonFlags = ps.BUTTON_POS_0 * ps.BUTTON_TITLE_IS_STRING
+						+ ps.BUTTON_POS_1 * ps.BUTTON_TITLE_IS_STRING
+						+ ps.BUTTON_POS_2 * ps.BUTTON_TITLE_IS_STRING;
+					let index = ps.confirmEx(null,
 						title,
 						msg,
 						buttonFlags,
diff --git a/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js b/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js
index dd200c620b..24956bcdd0 100644
--- a/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js
+++ b/test/tests/dataDirectoryTest.js
@@ -156,6 +156,43 @@ describe("Zotero.DataDirectory", function () {
 	};
 	
 	
+	describe("#init()", function () {
+		it("should show an error and quit if the default directory can't be created", async function () {
+			if (Zotero.isWin) {
+				this.skip();
+			}
+			
+			var parentDir = await getTempDirectory();
+			var dataDir = OS.Path.join(parentDir, 'Zotero');
+			var forceDataDir = Zotero.forceDataDir;
+			var defaultDirStub = sinon.stub(Zotero.DataDirectory, 'defaultDir').get(() => dataDir);
+			var promptService = Services.prompt;
+			var alertStub = sinon.stub();
+			var confirmStub = sinon.stub();
+			Services.prompt = { alert: alertStub, confirmEx: confirmStub };
+			var quitStub = sinon.stub(Zotero.Utilities.Internal, 'quit');
+			await IOUtils.setPermissions(parentDir, 0o555);
+			try {
+				Zotero.forceDataDir = dataDir;
+				await Zotero.DataDirectory.init();
+				
+				assert.isTrue(alertStub.calledOnce);
+				assert.include(alertStub.firstCall.args[2], dataDir);
+				assert.isFalse(confirmStub.called);
+				assert.isTrue(quitStub.calledOnce);
+				assert.isFalse(await IOUtils.exists(dataDir));
+			}
+			finally {
+				Zotero.forceDataDir = forceDataDir;
+				Zotero.restarting = false;
+				Services.prompt = promptService;
+				defaultDirStub.restore();
+				quitStub.restore();
+				await IOUtils.setPermissions(parentDir, 0o755);
+			}
+		});
+	});
+	
 	describe("#checkForMigration()", function () {
 		let fileMoveStub;