[karajorma]

Does this version handle the new -cap_object_update flag?

I only added it to CVS a few days ago.

[chief1983]

On a previous and a current version, I get an error when telling it where my FS2_Open executable is.  I select it, I hit open, the scp icon shows up in the dock and then leaves, and then the launcher quits unexpectedly.  If I just run SCP by itself, it runs, but looks like crap, so I'd really like to use the launcher to run it, it just doesn't seem to like it.  Any ideas?

Edit:  I'm running OS X 10.3 (Panther) on a beige G3 @ 400 MHz.  Does your installer make any assumptions about having 10.4?

[Soulstorm]

First of all, Sparkle is a framework developed for OS X which makes easier for developers to put a check for updates option in their application.

Secondly, I don't know what this -cap_object_update option is. I made the application according to the official FSO version, not the CVS... But if it's a switch option and supported by the FS2_Open application like the rest of the options, then it should be automatically supported by the OS X Launcher. The launcher has dynamic menus and it shapes them according to the flags.lch file. Well, there is only one way to find out. Try it, and tell me what happens.

chief1983, the fact that SCP icon shows in the finder, means that there is no problem with the location of the SCP whatsoever. Each time the Launcher launches, it opens for just a moment the FSO to obtain the data it needs in order to make the menus according to the options supported by the current version of the FSO. So, that is normal.

However, the fact that it is crashing is not.

In a previews version there was a bug that concerned the Launcher when trying to read files that were 0KB. The only way to produce such a file, was to have a text file and write absolutely nothing in it. That often happened when we would have the cmdline_fso.cfg file completely empty, because there were no arguments written in it. When I noticed the problem, I updated the application immediately, two times. The last version (1.1) remedied the problem entirely.

So, in order for me to be sure what's going on, I would recommend you to:
1)Download the latest version of the Launcher.
2)Delete the cmdline_fso.cfg file. Just delete it, do not create a new one.
3)Delete the preferences of the Launcher. That would be in ~/Library/Preferences/com.soulstorm.FS2_open cmdline 2.plist
4)Open the newest version of the launcher and use it.

I hope that will fix the problem. If the problem persists, report back and I will see what can I do.

[chief1983]

I figured that was why the SCP icon showed up since it's similar to how the windows launcher works.  I just wanted to be thorough in my description.  I deleted the launcher prefs file, but am not sure where to locate the cmdline_fso.cfg file.  If it's in the main Freespace2 directory, I don't believe there's ever been one created, unless it's hiding from me.  Either way, I attempted to run it again and it still quits unexpectedly.  Also, your site appears to be down at the moment.  I am using 1.1 though, I just downloaded it the other night after seeing the post about it being updated here.  Hope this helps.  I'm not surprised there doesn't seem to be a .cfg file, I've not yet successfully ran the launcher even once so I doubt it's had a chance to create it.  Could the app not have the proper permissions to write files?  I've run into that issue already a couple times with other programs.

[Soulstorm]

I figured that was why the SCP icon showed up since it's similar to how the windows launcher works.  I just wanted to be thorough in my description.  I deleted the launcher prefs file, but am not sure where to locate the cmdline_fso.cfg file.  If it's in the main Freespace2 directory, I don't believe there's ever been one created, unless it's hiding from me.  Either way, I attempted to run it again and it still quits unexpectedly.  Also, your site appears to be down at the moment.  I am using 1.1 though, I just downloaded it the other night after seeing the post about it being updated here.  Hope this helps.  I'm not surprised there doesn't seem to be a .cfg file, I've not yet successfully ran the launcher even once so I doubt it's had a chance to create it.  Could the app not have the proper permissions to write files?  I've run into that issue already a couple times with other programs.

Hm.. that's strange, I've never had any issues with it.

Anyway, I doubt it's a permission problem. Please go to the Library, and delete the entire FS2_Open directory, or at least remove it from the location it is. Does that fix the problem?

To give you more information the Launcher draws information from 2 locations:
1)The fs2_open.ini file. Its location is: ~/Library/FS2_Open/fs2_open.ini
2)the cfg file. Its location is: ~/Libray/FS2_Open/data/cmdline_fso.cfg

Delete these two files first, then report back here. Also, I would like to know the structure of your FS2_Open directory which contains the application. I don't think its that, but who knows? People have used the previews version and had no problems with it. Any strange names on folders? I will try to locate the problem later today.

And, guys, I would really like to have any additional feedback on the application. In my configuration, the game works just fine, but I have one person here that hasn't gotten it to work, and no one else has told me wether this thing works or not. Can anyone try this Launcher and tell  me if it works?

[chief1983]

In my FS2 directory, I have the Launcher, the FS2 builds for Mac, the retail VP files (copied over SMB from a windows machine to save bandwidth/time), a 'data' folder containing the PXO config file, the 'dem' folder, 'FS2Demo', 'fsport', and 'homesick' (just some smaller mods to have something to test with), back.gif, and readme.html, the last two from your launcher archive.  It still crashed after deleting all the config folders.  I even removed all the stuff from the fs2 directory except the launcher, the mac os x builds, and the retail vp files.  Still crashed.

[Turey]

First of all, Sparkle is a framework developed for OS X which makes easier for developers to put a check for updates option in their application.

If all it does is download a new version of the launcher when the user clicks the "update" button, then you did (slightly) break Installer compatibility. However, the Installer is robust enough to handle this minor breakage without problem.

[Soulstorm]

I think I found out what the problem is. There are some minor incompatibilities with 10.3. I will fix them soon enough.

As for the installer... I have also changed the name of the .dmg file. So I altered the text file that the installer reads so that is points to the correct file. Also, I have put a DELETE rule, so that the old .dmg file gets deleted from the FS2_Open directory. I will try to download the newest version of the launcher tomorrow, and see if it works.

[chief1983]

Wait, who leaves the dmg file laying around in the directory?  I open it from the desktop and put the app itself in the fs2 directory.  Then I unmount the dmg and usually file it away or just delete it.

[Soulstorm]

Wait, who leaves the dmg file laying around in the directory?  I open it from the desktop and put the app itself in the fs2 directory.  Then I unmount the dmg and usually file it away or just delete it.

No one does. The FS2_Open installer from Turey when it downloads the FS2_Launcher, it downloads the dmg file and leaves the rest to you. You are not doing something wrong. It's just that there are some incompatibilities with FS2_Laucher and OS X 10.3. They mostly concern some button styles that are not available to 10.3, but they are in 10.4, that's why no one else had this problem.

I just tried downloading the FS2_Launcher from the Installer. Compatibility still exists. Nothing is broken.

[chief1983]

Ok.  I'm kinda self-taught on mac at this point, having only a crappy old beige G3 to practice on, that can't even run 10.4.  Just getting Java 1.5 installed was a PITA.  I've been finding out certain ways to do things, just not sure if it's always the easiest way.  At this point I'm just trying to see if I can even get freespace to run at all, and look halfway decent, and hopefully even get a joystick working.  I'm afraid I have no idea what joysticks are OS X compatible though, or how to even go about enabling a joystick in OS X.

[Soulstorm]

If your G3 has DVD-ROM, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't install 10.4 on it.

FS2_Open will run a lot better on 10.4 than on 10.3.

[chief1983]

Um, it's a beige G3.  10.4 is unsupported, even with XPostFacto.  And I've even tried booting 10.4 anyway, haven't gotten it to work yet.  I'm afraid it wouldn't run very well though.  I don't know what exactly would have changed between 10.3 and 10.4 to make FSO run better, but it might be worth screwing around with if there's a chance it'd be better afterwards.  Have you had any luck getting the launcher to work with 10.3 yet?

[Soulstorm]

Yes, I have.

10.4 has many OpenGL enhancements, and will run the game a lot better than 10.3.

Although I think I have managed to support 10.3, I am not really sure, and taylor and I have spotted some bugs in the current version of FS2_Open Launcher that I would like to fix before giving you anything to test yet. Just be patient for a few days, and I will release a bugfix release. Before doing that, I will give you the application to test.

[chief1983]

Here's the crash log from the launcher.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[jr2]

What exactly is the model number on your G3?  Or is it just a G3?  I can do some research...

[chief1983]

It's a beige 233 mhz G3, that's been upgraded with a 400mhz zif upgrade, and a ATI Radeon 7000 dual head PCI card.  Also has 320mb of ram now.  I'm running a fully updated version of OS X Panther 10.3.  I can't easily get to the mac right now to get any more info, but I can get you the link on Low End Mac.  I have it running OS X via XPostFacto, so there's also a OS 9.2 install on the drive, on a separate partition.

[Soulstorm]

Chief, the crash log is rarely helpful in these cases, the commands that matter are the console.app messages. From your pm:

2007-04-17 14:23:09.441 FS2_Launcher[5803] *** -[NSCFString cStringUsingEncoding:]: selector not recognized
2007-04-17 14:23:09.443 FS2_Launcher[5803] An uncaught exception was raised
2007-04-17 14:23:09.443 FS2_Launcher[5803] *** -[NSCFString cStringUsingEncoding:]: selector not recognized
2007-04-17 14:23:09.443 FS2_Launcher[5803] *** Uncaught exception: <NSInvalidArgumentException> *** -[NSCFString cStringUsingEncoding:]: selector not recognized

The log talks about a method I have used in the application, named "cStringUsingEncoding". That method isn't available in 10.3 Cocoa, but is available in 10.4, and the original one named "cString" is considered deprecated in 10.4. So, I chose to use the latest version of the method, to remain compatible with the future versions of the Mac OS, and 10.4, since Apple has a bad habit of easily moving forward and abandoning deprecated methods without notice.

I'm sorry, but it seems that only 10.4 will be supported in the launcher. I may release a 10.3 dedicated version, but I am not sure about that, since not many people use 10.3 and play games, and I haven't any 10.3 system installed into any of my machines.

[jr2]

Do you have a PowerPC G3?

Mac OS X Version 10.4 requires a Macintosh with:

    * PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor
    * Built-in FireWire
    * At least 256MB of physical RAM
    * A built-in display or a display connected to an Apple-supplied video card supported by your computer
    * At least 3.0 GB of available space on your hard drive; 4GB of disk space if you install XCode 2 developer tools
    * DVD drive for installation (get CD media for $9.95)

[Soulstorm]

Do you have a PowerPC G3?

Mac OS X Version 10.4 requires a Macintosh with:

    * PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor
    * Built-in FireWire
    * At least 256MB of physical RAM
    * A built-in display or a display connected to an Apple-supplied video card supported by your computer
    * At least 3.0 GB of available space on your hard drive; 4GB of disk space if you install XCode 2 developer tools
    * DVD drive for installation (get CD media for $9.95)

Yes, I have a G3, and it has 10.3 installed in it. However, the last time I saw it was 9 last summer in our cottage.