Sandbox Restrictions

The Mac App Store (MAS) version of Marked runs in a sandboxed environment that restricts certain operations for security reasons. This can affect some features, particularly when using Custom Processors with external binaries or scripts.

Common Sandbox Restrictions

Run Command Binaries

The most common issue users encounter is that external binaries cannot be executed directly in the MAS version. This affects:

  • External processors like Pandoc, Kramdown, or other command-line tools
  • Custom scripts that rely on external binaries
  • System utilities that aren’t accessible from the sandbox

Workarounds

Copying Binaries to the App Bundle

If you need to use external processors like Pandoc in the MAS version, you can copy the binary into the app bundle:

  1. Right-click Marked.app → Show Package Contents
  2. Navigate to Contents/Resources/
  3. Create a bin folder if it doesn’t exist
  4. Copy your binary (e.g., pandoc) into this bin folder
  5. Make it executable: chmod +x the binary
  6. In the Run Command action, reference it as:
  • YOUR_BINARY_NAME [arguments]
  • Or use the full path: /Applications/Marked.app/Contents/Resources/bin/YOUR_BINARY_NAME [arguments]

Note: Scripts with external shebangs (like Python scripts pointing to /opt/homebrew/bin/python) will automatically be executed through system interpreters when copied to the bundle. The MAS version may still have trouble executing binaries that are actually Python or Ruby scripts instead of binary files.

Important: You’ll need to re-copy binaries after each app update, as updates replace the entire bundle.

Using Embedded Scripts

Instead of running external commands, you can use the Run Embedded Script action in Custom Rules. This allows you to write scripts directly in Marked’s code editor, which can access system interpreters that are available within the sandbox.

Switching to the Non-Sandboxed Version

If you frequently need to use external binaries or encounter other sandboxing limitations, you may want to switch to the non-sandboxed version of Marked. The non-sandboxed version has no such restrictions and can execute any command-line tool or script you have installed.

For Subscription Users

If you have an active Mac App Store subscription:

  1. Cancel your MAS subscription in System Settings → Apple ID → Media & Purchases → Subscriptions
  2. Download the Free Trial from https://markedapp.com
  3. Start a Paddle subscription directly through the app or website

The Paddle version offers the same features without sandboxing restrictions.

For Permanent Unlock/Lifetime License Holders

If you have purchased a permanent unlock or lifetime license through the Mac App Store, please email the developer to request a free lifetime Paddle license.

Important: To verify your purchase, please include one of the following in your email:

  • Your user identifier (UUID) - use Help->Copy UUID to copy it to your clipboard, then paste it into your email
  • Your transaction ID from your App Store receipt (you can find this in your purchase history in the App Store app)

The Mac App Store doesn’t provide your email address to developers, so we verify purchases using transaction IDs or user identifiers stored on our server. Including this information will help us quickly verify your purchase and generate your free Paddle license.

Setapp Version

Alternatively, if you have a Setapp subscription, you can use the Setapp version of Marked, which is also non-sandboxed and has full access to system resources.

Additional Resources

For more information about Custom Processors and their capabilities, see Custom Processor.

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