This is not a viable solution. You're right. it's not a viable solution, but at least it works. After a few frustrating hours of experimentation and Google searches, all failing, the Downloads folder was the thing I tried that finally worked, letting me know it was possible to use a non-system external utility, even if I didn't create it myself. This APP is not for sale. It's something I use personally. And right now, inserting the utility into the package folder works. So until a more Apple approved solution presents itself. I'll stick with it. Like I said, I'd prefer it to be in the /usr/local/bin folder, but that's apparently not an option anymore. Or am I wrong?

"codeview" is a third party command line utility to parse information out of a binary file. I eventually got it to work by copying the utility (post build) into the Apps package folder under /Contents/MacOS, the same place where the APP executable is. Then in APP i get the path using thisbundle for the NSTask launchpath. Here is what I found along the way that might help someone else: Even disabling SIPs and logging in as the root user, I was unable to copy the file or any file to /usr/bin. That's some serious security. So why is there even an option to disable SIPs at all if I still can't change these areas. Also got it to work by setting App sandbox for any of the user folders: Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Movies to "read only" or "read/write". (see photo). and move the utility to one of them. But this is not where I wanted it to be. Interestingly. I created a command line utility to test this separate from a sandboxed app, and it worked just fine from /usr/local/bin. I would prefer to have it in /usr/local/bin, which is where I have several of my own command line utilities. This way, it's in the path and I can use it in a terminal window and from within my APP.

I'm also very confused. I'm an indie/hobby developer that has a paid for app that doesn't sell many units (only 40 in the 3+ years it's been available), but since it's a paid app, that would seem to qualify me as a trader. As I said, I'm not making any real profit. Certainly not worth having my real contact information out there and also not worth setting up a business address or LLC Can I just exclude it from the EU store and say I'm a non-trader? Or should I just make it a free app so that those few people who bought it can still get updates.

No takers? No one with the same issue at least?