I’m running PopClip 2025.9.1 (5132; Sep 12, 2025) on my 24" M1 iMac, running macOS Tahoe 26.0.
The Print Action doesn’t work. When I highlight some text and click the Action, I get an “X” and no printing.
Is there a solution for this?
Thank you. I use PopClip many times each day. My other Actions work fine.
This extension does depend on having a printer already set up and configured suitable that the lp command can print to it. I’m not sure what exact cponfiguration is needed because for me it “just worked”. Under the hood, it runs something like he following command, that you can try in Terminal:
echo "test" | lp
If that works (prints a page with “test” on it) then PopClip extension ought to work too.
I had success running the terminal command (echo “test” | lp), but when I highlight some text and click the print icon in the PopClip pop-up menu, it returns an “X” and doesn’t print. Something in my system must be blocking it. As a workaround, I use TextSniper, paste into TextEdit and then print. I’d love to get the PopClip Print extension to work. Thanks.
Did you install the print extension recently or has it been on the system for quite a while? If the latter please try re-downloading the latest version of the extension and try again.
I’m running v 2025.9.1 (5132; Sep 12, 2025)
I deleted the version of PRINT that I was running. I logged out and logged back in.
I downloaded and installed the latest version of PRINT.
It still didn’t work.
I went to System Settings/Privacy & Security/Full Disk Access and turned on Full Disk Access for PopClip.
PRINT still didn’t work.
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Do you have any other suggestions?
Let’s see if we can get any useful debug output.
This explains how to turn it on and access it: https://www.popclip.app/dev/#debug-output
Then using Print extension should produce some output in Console.
Let me know if you need more of step-by-step guide.
I got as far as opening the Console. I will need detailed instructions on how to proceed at that point. Thank you for all your help. - Mark
First of all, run this command in Terminal, then Quit and restart PopClip:
defaults write com.pilotmoon.popclip EnableExtensionDebug -bool YES
You can then view the PopClip debug output in the Console app but it will be mixed with all sorts of things so we need t ofilter it.
In console in the search box add filters: process:PopClip category:Extension
Save as Preset
Then press Start in console.
Then try using Print extension and see what comes up in Console.
I ran the Terminal Command.
I opened Console. Then I get stuck because I don’t know how to use Console.
I tried clicking Errors and Faults next to All Messages.
That opened MESSAGE TYPE in the search window at the upper right of the program window. I was able to select PROCESS and CATEGORY in that window.
Then I get stuck. How do I then enter PopClip in the Process area and Extension in the Category area?
I don’t know what to do next to create that Preset.
Thank you for your patience.
Like this:
Then click “Save” and call the saved search “PopClip Extensions”. You can then click in the bar next to All Messages / Errors and Faults
Thank you. I was able to run the Terminal Command; quit PoPClip and then restart PopClip; open Console and create the PoPClip Extensions preset; start the console; highlight some text and run the PoPClip Print action; take screenshot of the Console. Here’s the screenshot:
Ah, brilliant. I can see the error message there.
It seems that the problem is not the Print extension specifically but rather the configuration of macOS. You have tcsh as your default shell and that is not compatible with the way PopClip calls shell scripts.
I will need to make a change to PopClip to support tcsh.
Alternatively you could change your shell to zsh (the macOS default). Did you speciically choose to use tcsh?
I’ve just realised we can get it working for you if you run the following Terminal command:
defaults write com.pilotmoon.popclip NoLoginShell -bool YES
Actually no that won’t work.
I don’t know what either one of them is. Can you give me a terminal command to change the shell to zsh? Maybe that’s the easiest way to go. And no, I didn’t specifically choose to use tcsh. But we’re getting closer to a solution, and I appreciate your time to make this work.
This Terminal command should do it:
chsh -s /bin/zsh
If it doesn’t work immediately, a system reboot might be needed.
I ran the terminal command, restarted, and … now the Print Extension works. Thank you for helping me get this going. I really appreciate the access to your troubleshooting with me.
Hooray!
Any idea how your shell came to be different? Is it perhaps a work computer or one that had previously set up by soemone else? I’m trying to get a handle on how common this might be for other users.
I have no idea how the shell came to be different.
I’m a writer who retired in 2015. I’m the sole owner of my iMac 24" M1 computer which I bought from Apple. I also bought my previous iMac from Apple. It was an Intel-based computer.
I used the earlier iMac for personal stuff and also for work.
My current iMac has been in my home since I bought it. I’m the only one that uses it.
The last 25 years of my work life were as press officer for my local sheriff’s office. The agency had a totally professional IT department that could not possibly have been the source of my shell switch. The agency was a Windows shop.
The only thing I can think of is that maybe some application I acquired may have changed the shell. That also seems unlikely. I only use applications from trusted sources. I never download pirated software.
My internet provider is ATT Fiber.
Like you, I just don’t get it.