Getting started compiling on Mac

[benosterhouse]

Hello!

I have built a plugin, and it compiles on Windows. Now I'd like to compile on Mac.

I looked a bit into running Mac virtually on a Windows computers.
Maybe just getting a mac would be simpler....

I saw on another thread that Christoph uses a macmini. I see those are very inexpensive too.

I'm looking at this one:
https://www.newegg.com/apple-mac-mini-mgem2ll-a-desktop/p/2TS-0008-009M1?Description=macmini&cm_re=macmini--2TS-0008-009M1--Product&quicklink=true

If I get this one, will I be able to compile a vst that works on most mac operating systems?

Thanks,
Ben

[d.healey]

Get an old Mac Mini, I use a 2012 model.

[benosterhouse]

Thanks for the speedy reply!
I saw that Big Sur won't run on any Mac older than 2013, which is why I was thinking of getting a 2014 model.

I'd be fine skipping Big Sur though --it sounds like there are other complications with that anyways.

Are you compiling for Big Sur at all?

[d.healey]

@benosterhouse I use Mojave.

[Christoph Hart]

Actually if you do more than just hit compile, I would recommend the 2018 i7 model - it‘s a bit more expensive (around 900 bucks refurbished) but you can expect the compile times to be about 3x faster.

[d.healey]

@Christoph-Hart Good idea, I think I'll do the same!

[Christoph Hart]

And yes, Mojave is definitely the place where the cool people hang around right now...

[d.healey]

@Christoph-Hart Can you compile for x86 on an M1 system?

[Lindon]

@benosterhouse - thats pretty much the spec mac mini I use - its a slow compile(well slow linking anyway) but works fine...

[MikeB]

@Christoph-Hart said in Getting started compiling on Mac:

And yes, Mojave is definitely the place where the cool people hang around right now...

Well - some can't go any further because of the year their Mac was built.
All my Macs (2008-2012) are running HighSierra and Mojave

[benosterhouse]

@d-healey I see your instruments are mostly only available on Mojave, with some available on Catalina. Do you get people asking for older and newer versions. I've seen other vst's made with Hise which look like they work on all MacOS's

Being totally oblivious to mac up until now, it seems strange that people would be on different operating systems which each can only run certain things, instead of everybody just being on Windows 10. O well.

[Lindon]

@benosterhouse said in Getting started compiling on Mac:

@d-healey I see your instruments are mostly only available on Mojave, with some available on Catalina. Do you get people asking for older and newer versions. I've seen other vst's made with Hise which look like they work on all MacOS's

Being totally oblivious to mac up until now, it seems strange that people would be on different operating systems which each can only run certain things, instead of everybody just being on Windows 10. O well.

its prob. mostly about noterization and codesigning...

[benosterhouse]

Ok, so you could compile for all the macOS's on the same computer, but you'd just need to do the codesigning and notarization on different OS's?

Yeah, that brings up another question: in order to make a vst available for all the macOS's, do you have to boot your mac in all those different OS's? I heard that once you upgrade on Mac, you can't go back.

[d.healey]

@benosterhouse All of my plugins will run on Catalina, but some haven't been codesigned/notarized yet which means they'll refuse to run until the user whitelists them with gatekeeper.

You can codesign/notarize on Mojave, you don't need to do it on Catalina.

[benosterhouse]

Ok cool.
Well, I ordered the 2014 macmini, so I'll learn soon enough about what you can and can't do.

By the way, you asked about x86 on Big Sur before, which reminds me of another question:
Why are plugins offered in 32-bit still? I always use 64-bit myself, but maybe there are some cases where users actually do need 32-bit?

[d.healey]

@benosterhouse On Mac only offer 64bit, on Windows you can offer both if you want, but there's little point.

[benosterhouse]

Ok that's what I figured. Good to know.

[Lindon]

@benosterhouse - heres a document I send to all my customers - which explains a bunch of stuff about getting plugins and stand alone apps ready for shipping. It might help a bit:

PreparingYourProductForSale.pdf

Caveat Emptor - I haven't changed it in the last few months so some of it may be out of date - but I'm pretty certain the codesigning and noterizing bit isn't...

[DanH]

@Lindon good doc

[ulrik]

@Lindon great document, thank you!