[Zen Browser] Error: Zen Browser browser is not installed

[wunder-one]

Extension

https://www.raycast.com/Keyruu/zen-browser

Raycast Version

1.88.4

macOS Version

15.2

Description

Using any command for this extension shows the error "🚨Error: Zen Browser browser is not installed This extension depends on Zen browser. You must install it to continue. If you have Homebrew installed then press ⏎ (Enter Key) to install Zen browser. Click here if you want to download manually."

I originally installed Zen manually (copy .app to Apps folder). When troubleshooting I tried deleting zen browser from my apps and installing using brew install --cask zen-browser.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Zen Browser is installed and open. Zen Browser.app is in Applications like a normal install.
2. Install Zen Brower extension from raycast extension store.
3. Use any command. For example search for and select Search Bookmarks.

Current Behaviour

Error is displayed "🚨Error: Zen Browser browser is not installed This extension depends on Zen browser. You must install it to continue. If you have Homebrew installed then press ⏎ (Enter Key) to install Zen browser. Click here if you want to download manually."

Expected Behaviour

Able to choose or execute command.

[raycastbot]

Thank you for opening this issue!

🔔 @Keyruu @theherk you might want to have a look.

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[theherk]

@wunder-one this error comes when checking !existsSync(dbPath) where dbPath is constructed here. So it is looking in ~/Library/Application Support/zen/Profiles/ followed by either a profile directory ending in ".Default (alpha)" or a custom one you've set in the extension's configuration. Can you check what is in that directory or if you set a value in the extension's settings.

[kaminski-karol]

Hi, I have the same issue. This is my content of ~/Library/Application Support/zen/Profiles/

lgo0q6d5.Default (release)	
scthac0w.default

[theherk]

Seems the default profile name may have changed. Let's verify that first, before we consider updating the default attribute. Can you try setting Profile Directory Suffix property in the extension's preferences to Default (release)? Also verify places.sqlite exists in that path.

[kaminski-karol]

places.sqlite is present in my Default (release) directory.

I set Default (release) as Profile Directory Suffix and bookmarks are now visible.

But now once I pick any of bookmarks, Zen opens but picked website is not opening. When Zen is opened and I pick any bookmark - Zen pops up to top but nothing more happens (no new tab, no picked website). When Zen is closed and I pick any bookmark - Zen opens and pops up to top.

[theherk]

Interesting, that sounds suspiciously like #16280 which I just fixed a few days back. I don't actually no how extensions update (if immediate or not). Any chance you can uninstall and reinstall the extension?

[kaminski-karol]

Sure. I just did and it is still the same.

[theherk]

Interesting. Can you attempt to run:

osascript -e '
tell application "Zen Browser"
  activate
  repeat while not frontmost
    delay 0.1
  end repeat
  tell application "System Events"
    keystroke "t" using {command down}
    keystroke "l" using {command down}
    keystroke "a" using {command down}
    key code 51
    keystroke "duckduckgo.com"
    key code 36
  end tell
end tell'

Just to see if something else is hanging us up. This is how the extension does its thing.

Since I'm unable to recreate this locally, it is a bit tough to troubleshoot. So if you're able to debug locally with the repository version, that would be superb.

[kaminski-karol]

I do not know how to run repository version 🤔 can you share some docs/tutorial how to do it? I ran above script and it opened duckduckgo.com in Zen correctly.

[theherk]

You can check out This guide; Contribute to an Extension. Basically clone the repository, cd to extensions/zen-browser, do an npm i and npx @raycast/api@latest dev. And if you get a chance, that would be very helpful. Perhaps @Keyruu will be able to recreate the issue or have some insight.

[kaminski-karol]

I done it but didn't get any output or anything. Sorry, I am not familiar with node.js. Then let's wait for @Keyruu :)

[wunder-one]

Sorry I didn't see these updates sooner. Could this be because zen browser recently moved into beta and the profile folder new ends in .Default (beta) instead of .Default (alpha)?

[wunder-one]

It seems that was the issue. I went into the settings for this extension, and updated the Profile Directory Suffix from .Default (alpha) to .Default (beta) and that resolved the issue.

It's also curious that @kaminski-karol has a directory with the extension Default (release) while I have .Default (beta).

[theherk]

Sorry I didn't see these updates sooner. Could this be because zen browser recently moved into beta and the profile folder new ends in .Default (beta) instead of .Default (alpha)?

Yes @wunder-one, I recommended that change above. Unfortunately for @kaminski-karol, while it did reveal the bookmarks, they applescript that opens them wasn't working.

[Keyruu]

I also can't reproduce this... I am on the newest version of Zen which is 1.7.1b.

[kaminski-karol]

I also can't reproduce this... I am on the newest version of Zen which is 1.7.1b.

I just updated Zen to 1.7.2b (Firefox 134.0.2) (aarch64) and it is still the same

[JacobAtchley]

i experienced the same issue after changing the profile name like @wunder-one suggested it works

deep link to the profiles management screen in zen about:profiles

[walker-tx]

Solved the issue similarly to @JacobAtchley and @wunder-one.

@theherk - I'm thinking about submitting a PR to either:

• change the error message to suggest that the user try and update their profile suffix (using about:profiles), or
• expand the search for default profiles to include: Default (beta), Default (release), and then Default (*anything*) as a fallback.

Thoughts on one or even both of those changes?

[theherk]

Sounds like good plans but the latter seems the best if you pick just one. Thank you.

[raycastbot]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it did not have any recent activity.

It will be closed if no further activity occurs in the next 10 days to keep our backlog clean 😊

[walker-tx]

Resolved in #16937. This can be closed.

[raycastbot]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it did not have any recent activity.

It will be closed if no further activity occurs in the next 10 days to keep our backlog clean 😊

[raycastbot]

This issue has been automatically closed due to inactivity.

Feel free to comment in the thread when you're ready to continue working on it 🙂

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