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docs: add native messaging troubleshooting - #655

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docs: add native messaging troubleshooting#655
Siedlerchr wants to merge 2 commits into
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agent/native-messaging-docs

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Adds macOS Chrome recovery instructions for the “Specified native messaging host not found” error. The instructions refresh the native messaging manifest and explain the default application path.

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Siedlerchr marked this pull request as ready for review August 12, 2026 20:17
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PR Summary by Qodo

Docs: add Chrome native messaging “host not found” troubleshooting (macOS)

📝 Documentation 🕐 Less than 5 minutes

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AI Description

• Add macOS Chrome recovery steps for “Specified native messaging host not found.”
• Document how to refresh the Chrome native messaging manifest from the bundled JabRef copy.
• Clarify the default /Applications install-path assumption and when to adjust paths.
Diagram

graph TD
  U([User]) --> D["Docs: jabref-browser-extension.md"] --> S["Troubleshooting: Chrome host not found"] --> A["Action: copy manifest"] --> C["Restart Chrome"]
  subgraph Legend
    direction LR
    _user([User]) ~~~ _doc["Documentation"] ~~~ _step["Troubleshooting step"]
  end
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High-Level Assessment

The chosen approach (copying the bundled manifest into Chrome’s system NativeMessagingHosts directory and restarting Chrome) is the most direct recovery path for a stale manifest pointing at an old jabrefHost.py location. No materially better alternative is warranted for a troubleshooting doc addition.

Files changed (1) +11 / -0

Documentation (1) +11 / -0
jabref-browser-extension.mdAdd Chrome native messaging host-not-found troubleshooting (macOS) +11/-0

Add Chrome native messaging host-not-found troubleshooting (macOS)

• Adds a new troubleshooting subsection for the Chrome error 'Specified native messaging host not found.' on macOS. Provides a 'sudo cp' command to refresh the Chrome native messaging host manifest from the currently installed JabRef app bundle, and notes the default '/Applications' install path assumption plus the need to restart Chrome.

en/collect/jabref-browser-extension.md

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qodo-free-for-open-source-projects Bot commented Aug 12, 2026

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Code Review by Qodo

🐞 Bugs (0) 📘 Rule violations (0) 📎 Requirement gaps (0) 🎨 UX issues (0) 🔗 Cross-repo conflicts (0) 📜 Skill insights (0)

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Remediation recommended

1. Manifest reinstall incomplete ✓ Resolved 🐞 Bug ≡ Correctness
Description
The new Chrome troubleshooting step always reinstalls the manifest to the system-wide
"/Library/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts" location via sudo, but this page also documents a
per-user manifest location ("~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts");
users may update the wrong place and remain broken. The command also assumes the destination
directory exists, so it can fail with "No such file or directory".
Code

en/collect/jabref-browser-extension.md[R180-181]

+sudo cp "/Applications/JabRef.app/Contents/Resources/native-messaging-host/chromium/org.jabref.jabref.json" \
+  "/Library/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/org.jabref.jabref.json"
Evidence
The newly added troubleshooting command only targets the system-wide Chrome NativeMessagingHosts
directory, while earlier in the same macOS section the document explicitly lists both the
system-wide and per-user Chrome manifest locations; therefore the new instructions are incomplete
for users using the per-user location.

en/collect/jabref-browser-extension.md[175-184]
en/collect/jabref-browser-extension.md[152-156]

Agent prompt
The issue below was found during a code review. Follow the provided context and guidance below and implement a solution

## Issue description
The new macOS Chrome troubleshooting instructions copy the native messaging manifest only into the system-wide Chrome directory using `sudo`. However, the same document also describes a per-user Chrome manifest location; if the user is using that install scope, the troubleshooting step may not update the manifest they actually need to fix.
Additionally, the command assumes the destination directory already exists; if it does not, `cp` will fail.
## Issue Context
This is documentation for recovering from Chrome’s “Specified native messaging host not found” error.
## Fix Focus Areas
- en/collect/jabref-browser-extension.md[175-184]
## Suggested fix
- Mention both possible Chrome manifest locations on macOS (system-wide and per-user) and instruct the user to copy to the one they use.
- Add a `mkdir -p` step for the chosen destination directory.
- Avoid requiring `sudo` for the per-user install path (and keep `sudo` only for the system-wide path).

ⓘ Copy this prompt and use it to remediate the issue with your preferred AI generation tools


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