Field Report: Bromo FTP Server (app) acting up on macOS
Yesterday I spent a solid afternoon wrestling with Bromo FTP Server (app) from OrchardKit on my MacBook Air M2, running macOS Sonoma 14.4. The goal was simple: get a local FTP server running so I could test transfers between a few client machines. I assumed it would be quick. I was wrong.
I downloaded the app, dragged it into Applications, and double-clicked. The icon bounced once in the Dock and vanished. No dialog. No “damaged app” warning. Just… nothing.
First instinct: Gatekeeper. Classic macOS behavior when opening unsigned apps. Apple explains it here: https://support.apple.com/guide/security/gatekeeper-and-runtime-protection-sec5599b66df/web
So I did the usual right-click → Open → confirm. The app launched for half a second and then quit. Same behavior. My first false lead: I assumed the binary was broken or not compatible with Apple Silicon.
Attempt #2: check architecture. I verified Rosetta was installed via Terminal (Apple’s instructions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211861) and forced the app to run under it. No change. Bounce, vanish, nothing logged.
Attempt #3: Console dive. Finally something useful. TCC was denying file access — specifically to my Documents folder where the server configuration and logs are stored. No permission prompt popped up, so the app just exited. That explained why it looked broken. macOS privacy controls (TCC) were silently blocking it.
What actually worked:
- Removed the quarantine flag manually:
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Bromo\ FTP\ Server.app
- Added the app temporarily to Full Disk Access under System Settings → Privacy & Security.
Launched again — finally stayed open. Configuration loaded, and connections worked. After confirming stability, I removed Full Disk Access and instead granted access just to the Documents folder under Files and Folders. The app continued launching cleanly.
I saved/bookmarked this page because it helped confirm I was testing the current macOS-compatible build and not an outdated installer: https://studiosbyaphrodite.com/file-management/22552-bromo-ftp-server.html
Lesson learned: if an OrchardKit app “won’t open” on modern macOS, the problem is often privacy permissions, not Gatekeeper or broken binaries. Console logs are your friend, and manually adjusting TCC or removing quarantine flags usually gets you past the silent crashes.
Quick checklist for next time:
- Check Console if the app vanishes.
- Remove quarantine with
xattrfirst. - Grant folder access explicitly before assuming corruption.
- Use Full Disk Access temporarily only for testing.
Once permissions were sorted, the server ran perfectly. CPU stayed low, transfers were stable, no random disconnects. The app itself was solid; macOS was just being extra cautious.
Bromo FTP Server is a nice little tool once you get past these privacy hurdles. I’d skip all the wild goose chases I did and go straight to permissions next time.