File permissions issue with python/Spyder/Anaconda after upgrading mac to Catalina

I guess you have solved this by now, but for future reference, I still post my answer.

TLDR: I opened a file (from the folder causing the problem) directly in the spyder editor (File | open). As a consequence, the editor should have triggered the pop-up dialog question whether you want to allow access or not. In my case, the mac silently granted python/spyder access to the folder. Now I can run the code in spyder without more problems than I have caused myself.

Longer version: The source of your problem is described here: https://www.howtogeek.com/443611/how-macos-catalinas-new-security-features-work/ Knowing that links are something frown upon, here's a summary: The problem is that the folders "Documents" and "Downloads" folders nowadays are protected and you would need to go to the security & privacy settings and "Files and Folder,s" and allow the applications to access these. Unfortunately, spyder does not show up here. So, if you want to run your python program from the terminal, you should probably grant the terminal access to the folders.

Total noob here, but I might have stumbled upon a solution for people that have problems reading in their data in spyder after the Catalina update. I had the same problems you describe and got the same file permission errors.

I couldn't resolve the issue, reinstalled several times but didn't work for me. I couldn't use my Utorrent either, and while attempting to solve that problem I came across https://discuss.pixls.us/t/problems-with-darktable-and-mac-osx-catalina-solved-with-dt-2-6-3-1/14400/19 this forum.

Long story short, in the forum people couldn't really resolve the issue, but someone pointed out that if you just run the application from the terminal, it somehow works. I tried to do this with Spyder, and I seem to be able to use the read_csv('file') function again. So try opening the terminal, then type 'spyder' (without '') and press enter. Somehow all issues seem to be resolved. Hope this helps someone.

Same problem here. I re-installed Anaconda based on this link and Python is able to access folders where Catalina has added newly restricted security:

Install Anaconda following instructions below:

https://www.anaconda.com/how-to-restore-anaconda-after-macos-catalina-update/

1. For Anaconda-Jupyter user, you are good to go

2. For Commandline (Terminal) Python user, you are good to go

3. For Anaconda-Spyder user, two options as a workaround after installation above:

   • Avoid Mac default setup-folders and relocate files to /Users/[user_name]/.. OR
   • Launch Spyder through Terminal (execute "sudo spyder") under root user

Lastly, changing or reseting folder/file permission does not resolve permission issue. Despite of the security issue under the more restricted security folders, somehow Spyder-Python is able to open .py files in these folders.

Since Jupyter and commandline Python can access these folders, I assume there will be a fix in the future for Anaconda-Spyder.

My code didn't work at all after Catalina update. The simplest partial solution that I found was to copy all files containing the scripts in a new folder. That works at least to run the codes, but I still dealing with annoying message to allow access to my files.

conda update --all in terminal worked for me. It updated everything. I did have to go through the annoying messages for access to my files as well. but after clicking yes a hundred times it was ab