X8 on Mac keeps prompting for update even after update has "successfully" installed

Trying X8 on iMac Sierra 10.12.6 with Mac Word 2011.

So unlike previous versions version number is not shown under EndNote X8 menu, and the About gives only the major version (X8) and the build number (12000).

The app prompts me to update from 8.0.0.12000 to 8.0.1.12626.

When I do so all runs well and the update is installed “successfully” … but afterward I am still being prompted to update and the version/build is still X8 12000 …

I thought everything was suppose to “just work” on a Mac???

How can I get the update to roperly install???

Dear pecksterism101,

Sorry about that! Did you copy the X8 app and run it outside of the EndNote X8 folder under applications? What you’re experiencing would be a symptom of that.

No Tom, the app is located in /Applications/EndNote 8/ EndNote X8.app and I haven’t moved it.

This issue occured on 3 Macs running Sierra 10.12.6. The issue appears to be permissions-related and can be resolved by running the updater as an administrator user from a command line as follows:

  1. Log in as an administrator user

  2. Download the update installer from here: http://download.endnote.com/updates/18.0/EndNoteX801UpdateInstaller.zip

  3. Launch the terminal app (from Applications\Utilities)

  4. The command line will depend on the location of the updater, but to get the path

  • Type sudo followed by a space

    • -Locate the download, right-click on  EndNote X8.0.1 Updater.app and choose “show package contents”
    • -Drill down to MacOS/ Patcher
    • -Click on Patcher and drag into the terminal window and release
    • -You should now see a command looking like this:

users-iMac:~ username$ sudo /Users/username/Downloads/EndNote\ X8.0.1\ Update\ Installer/EndNote\ X8.0.1\ Updater.app/Contents/MacOS/Patcher 

  • -Press enter; you will be prompted for your password
  • -Type your password (note that nothing appears onscreen as you do so) and press enter
  • -The updater will launch; follow the steps (pressing next) to update EndNote
  • When complete, launch EndNote
  • In the menu bar click on EndNote X8, you should now see EndNote X8.0.1.

This solution worked for me as well. The updater does not work on Mac unless it is run with elevated privileges; it does not request these, so they have to be provided manually by running with ‘sudo’ on the command line.

The updater needs to be fixed to allow it to request elevated permissions in the regular way. This workaround, while sufficient as a one-off fix, is not acceptable for a regular Mac program in the long term.

Hello,

I am using a Mac running El Capitan 10.11.6 and this solution does not work for me.  Quite frankly, after >30 years of using the Mac, I have never had to go to the Unix prompt to install an update for any software.  This is a Endnote problem and needs to be fixed by Endnote, not through a work around like this.  If this were an open source software package, I could understand the need to go to the Unix prompt to install some patches, but I expect much more from a piece of software that costs money.  Every other application installer for the Mac will prompt for a password from the GUI, not from the Unix prompt.

Please fix this problem.  This is a huge disappointment.

Thanks so much - this worked for me. I’ve only used terminal once before years ago so was a bit nervous, but your instructions were fairly clear and it worked perfectly! (after closing & relaunching endnote).

Just want to note in case this helps any other ameteurs like me out there:

You need to open up the zip file after downloading to get the folder contents. Then under step 4 of the solution where it says ‘drill down to MacOS/ Patcher…’ you need to go into the folder where you’ll find the updater app. Click and drag that app over to the terminal window and follow the solution instructions from there.

Also, the password requested is your computer login/admin password, not your endnote password.

Thanks so much - this worked for me. I’ve only used terminal once before years ago so was a bit nervous, but your instructions were fairly clear and it worked perfectly! (after closing & relaunching endnote).

Just want to note in case this helps any other ameteurs like me out there:

You need to open up the zip file after downloading to get the folder contents. Then under step 4 of the solution where it says ‘drill down to MacOS/ Patcher…’ you need to go into the folder where you’ll find the updater app. Click and drag that app over to the terminal window and follow the solution instructions from there.

Also, the password requested is your computer login/admin password, not your endnote password.

Same issue again with the newest 8.1 upgrade for Mac. Can you by any chance please post the link to the update?

Thanks a lot,
Robert

EDIT: I found it. Its:

download.endnote.com//updates/18.0/EndNoteX81UpdateInstaller.zip

Just to clarify, the inconvenient work around using Terminal is effective, however you don’t need to login to an admin account in the GUI, you can sudo in Terminal if your user account is in the group.

Please consider using the standard Apple package format to create EndNote updaters, the same used by Microsoft, Adobe and others. Not only will it be easier to support for your team, but system admins will be able to update your product in a safe and sane way without needing to create their own customized solutions (like this Terminal work around) that could create more problems and uncertainty. Which in turn adds to your support and PR workload.

Thanks!

I had this same problem on Sierra. The terminal fix seems to have worked, tho it was a pain in the bum!