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RootsMagic Genealogy & Family Tree Software

This will not affect RootsMagic 8. As others have pointed out,

1) The new ARM-based Macs won’t even be available until the end of the year,

2) Intel-based Macs will be available and usable for years to come, so the transition will be gradual, and

3) Apple’s “Rosetta 2” emulation layer ensures that all your existing 64-bit Mac software will run fine on the new Macs.

 

As I started this diversion, I thought I would expand a little on what Bob has correctly stated in a hope to close this off.

 

Having followed the link provided by TomH to the cross-platform development tool being used for RM8, the last stage of packaging the Mac version for distribution involves the use of an Apple provided development tool, Xcode  Running on a Mac. When using that tool, one specifies the target environment where the program is to execute - the tool is used generate/package iOS apps as well as Mac applications.

 

When generating Mac programs, it has been creating programs for the Intel architecture only. However, the latest version can generate programs for Intel, ARM, or “Universal”, the latter including code that can run on both Intel or ARM (Apple Silicon). By default, it will now generate Universal code, but can be set to generate Intel only or ARM only code. In the RM8 case, it may need some tweaking of the output from the development tool to successfully generate a Universal version that will run on ARM. These tweaks, which are expected to be minor, would be up to the developer of that tool, not RM development.

 

If RM8 for Mac isn’t initially shipped as a Universal program, then as Bob says it will still run on ARM by automatically invoking Rosetta2. This is more a translation tool rather than emulation or dynamic interpretation, and this usually occurs once at program installation time rather than at every program load. It involves scanning the Intel machine code and generating appropriate ARM code.

 

I hope that helps rather than muddying the water further.

I know there still isn't an date for the RM8 release, but it's been months since "the end of the year". Any hints? Are we looking at the end of 2020?

 

Interesting question. For Mac users, we may be faced with ARM based Macs (“Apple silicon”) by then when it will be a good question as to whether RM8 will run in native mode or whether it will have to run under Rosetta 2, which is a sort of Intel translation function provided by the then latest version of MacOS, Big Sur. I guess it will depend to some extent on the development environment being used for RM8. Aren’t forums fun.

Rooty;

 

I'm finding that the windows management of RM7/Crossover makes trying to handle things in a Mac way to be very frustrating and sometimes results in hanging the program.

When that happens to me, I find using Escape returns focus to the top window and then closing that always allows me to continue. Fortunately, my keyboard has an Escape key, which I gather isn’t always the case with Mac keyboards.

I am assuming you are discussing RM for Mac. I can’t comment directly as I use RM under full CrossOver, but I have noticed that that seems much more hesitant after input using CrossOver 19 on Catalina compared to the previous levels of CrossOver and MacOS. Noticeably so, as it is something I’m pretty sure I hadn’t noticed at all before. 
 

As I’m using it for several hours most days - not much else to do here in the UK at the moment when us oldies are being encouraged to stay as isolated possible - so will try to observe more closely where it seems most obvious and comment if I have anything sensible to say.

 

Edit: changed CrossOver 18 to the correct Crossover 19 - sorry.

The problem is the formation of the filename for the saved template file.

 

The suggested name is Untitled.* and the '.*' can result in a malformed filename and that causes the error.

 

Simply overwrite the entire suggested filename with your filename. For example change the 'Untitled.*' to 'Test'. Do not leave the hanging '.*'

 

Example of the problem... The suggested file name is Untitled.*. You change only the 'Untitled' part to 'Test. The resulting malformed filename will be 'Test.*.rmst' and saving that will result in the error.

 

Make sure that the file is saved where you want it. I tested saving in Documents and that worked fine.

No, this isn't the problem. I don't get as far as being able to set a file name and a location - that panel doesn't appear, which is what the error message is complaining about.

 

I've played around with the Files and Folders settings for my RM under full CrossOver but I can't recreate the problem with that. If one deselects all the options listed against my RM7 bottle (virtual machine), then I can't get at any of my RM files and need to enable at least access to Documents. RM for Mac seems to be able to access Documents without needing any such settings in Privacy.

 

I've run out of things to try, I'm afraid, but it would seem that this may well be nothing to do with the Privacy settings. Sorry tohave raised what appears to be a red herring.

Continuing my investigations.

 

Downloaded and installed RM for Mac, and got exactly the same result as yourself.

 

Looked in the Files and Folders settings for RM, but nothing there; nor in Full Disk Access. There is no way of adding RM to the Files and Folders settings - the plus and minus signs are greyed out - so tried adding RM to Full Disk Access. This requires a restart of RM to take effect, but has no effect on the base problem - export of a template doesn’t work because it can’t connect to the Save dialog. 
 

Continuing .......

There has been a tightening up of where programs have access in Catalina, so I wonder - do not know - whether you will need to allow access to wherever the template is intended to be stored. If it isn’t somewhere under Documents, Catalina may be stopping you writing to that location, though one would have expected a pop-up. Where are the “Windows” files - the equivalent of the C disk - located, as it may be trying to save it there. Somewhere under Library or something like that, maybe. Will investigate as I’’ve never tried saving templates.

Interesting.

 

I’m using RM under full CrossOver - I haven’t yet tried re-installing RM for Mac - but if I look in System Preferences/Security & Privacy/Privacy, under Files and Folders, I see CrossOver has access to my Documents folder and RootsMagic 7 has access to Network Volumes, Downloads Folder, Documents Folder and Desktop Folder. Under Full Disk Access, RoomsMagic 7 is in the list but not enabled.

 

When I create a copy of a source template and try to Export it, I get a pop-up window asking where I want to save it, with 3 high-level starting places - Desktop, My Documents and My Computer. The middle one is my Mac Documents, the last is to my “Windows” volumes, and the first seems to allow me to go anywhere. Quite what Catalina will allow me to access is an interesting question.

 

Not sure if this helps, but it may give you something to investigate.

The steps: open RootsMagic (7.6.3) in a MacBook running Catalina 10.15.4.  This opens my production .rmgc database.

 

I open Lists>Source Templates and navigate to one of the templates I created. I select that and check I can open it in RM.

 

I then click Cancel to get back to the list of Source Templates with my template highlighted, and click the Export button.

 

After a delay of 15-20 seconds I receive the error dialog box per my original post.  There are no Wine errors or other indicators or any variety.  I am not presented with any opportunity to select the export location.

 

P.S. this is Mac and there is quite a bit of traffic on the net reporting this same issue for a number of other apps after upgrading to Catalina.  I'm tempted to reinstall RM but wanted to check first.

There has been a tightening up of where programs have access in Catalina, so I wonder - do not know - whether you will need to allow access to wherever the template is intended to be stored. If it isn’t somewhere under Documents, Catalina may be stopping you writing to that location, though one would have expected a pop-up. Where are the “Windows” files - the equivalent of the C disk - located, as it may be trying to save it there. Somewhere under Library or something like that, maybe. Will investigate as I’’ve never tried saving templates.

I currently run the Mac version of RM under Catalina.

 

I'm planning to take my .rmgc database over to the Windows version of RM installed in a Windows (under Bootcamp) environment, where I plan to do some editing and changes.

 

Will there be any compatibility issues with bringing the .rmgc file edited under RM-Windows back to RM under Catalina?  Seems a silly question but I'm interested in whether anyone has seen differences between the two versions of RM.  What got me thinking is that the button shortcuts (Alt+E for the Edit button etc.) are different between the two versions.

 

TIA ... John.

The RM program that works on the data is exactly the same Windows code, so there is no difference in the data interpretation, and so the data files - both data - rmgc - and backup - rmgb - files may be exchanged between a PC and a Mac. The limitations in function on the Mac are restrictions because the Windows simulation provided by the wrapper does not have all the capabilities of a Windows system. But most users on the Mac get by OK. Do be sure to use the same version of RM on both, though.

The directions may be found at https://www.rootsmagic.com/App/FAQ/  This says you have to use either Dropbox or iTunes. I have a vague recollection that the iTunes technique no longer works due to changes in iTunes, but if so then I haven't been able to find that announcement. Maybe iTunes still works. Except for once in the beginning where I did it with iTunes just to see how it works, I have always done it with Dropbox. Maybe someone else on this forum who has done it more with iTunes can speak to the iTunes approach.

If iTunes still works, that might be the easiest way to do it because all your relatives with iPhones and iPads are probably already using iTunes with their device. I went the Dropbox route in the first place because I was already a Dropbox user. I have the RM app on both my iPad and my iPhone, but I use it mostly on my iPhone despite the small screen simply because that's the device I always have handy.

If you have to do it with Dropbox, you will have to create an account. A basic free Dropbox account should be plenty big enough for your RM database.

 

Jerry

 

Things have moved on in Apple land and once one upgrades MacOS to Catalina, iTunes is no more. If you are on an earlier version of MacOS, then the iTunes method should work.

 

On Catalina, the function has moved to the Finder app, and it is still possible to use this to transfer an RM data file - not a backup file - to the RM app on iOS or iPadOS.

 

The first thing that is required is to ensure the Finder view options include the display of iOS devices. (I had to enable that.) Connect the device - you probably need to attach it via cable the first time, but WiFi attached should/will probably work subsequently. Select the device in the left hand column and one can view considerable detail about the device. Selection of the Files tab shows all the apps that support file transfer - RootsMagic appears in this list and it shows any files that have already been transferred to the device. The way to transfer a new file is not as flexible as before as there doesn’t seem to be a Browse option to select a file to be transferred. Instead one has to drag a file over the RootsMagic entry in the list of apps that support file transfer and the transfer just happens. (I pasted a copy of the file I wanted to transfer onto the desktop and then dragged that across to the Finder window and over the RootsMagic entry. I find drag and drop from a Finder window to another Finder window somewhat troublesome with a trackpad, so use a simple approach even if it requires an extra step.) If one displays the list of files that have been transferred to the RM app, the only action you can initiate from the list is to delete a selected file.

 

So, still possible, but in a different place, and a little less flexible (in my opinion)

Renee;

 

When the new wrapper is released, is it intended to be a universal replacement for the current one or just intended to work on Catalina? If it is not a universal wrapper, I trust it tests the O/S version prior to trying to install. Based on what I've read, I hope it will also halt installation, if there is an existing installation of the wrapper.

Just to put a slightly different perspective on this. I use the full version of Crossover, and updated to V19, which is the 64-bit version, a month or so ago whilst still on High Sierra. RM7 worked just fine on that for me, which involves very heavy use of the Family Search interface. I have left RM running for many days, with my Mac sleeping at times, particularly overnight, but the FS interface picks up every time when I return to it. At the beginning of this week, I finally decided to update to Catalina, and RM has worked just fine since then. That suggests to me that the new wrapper should work equally well on previous versions of MacOS, not just Catalina.

Tom, Thanks for posting those images - those of us who avoid Facebook like the plague appreciate it.

One thing that struck me as odd is that the colours are generally on the left but on the right in the Info panel. At first glance, this seems rather inconsistent.

Now that CrossOver has shipped a 64-bit version that supports - or purports to support - Windows applications on MacOS Catalina, is anyone successfully using RootsMagic under the full version of CrossOver running on Catalina?

 

I have been hesitating to make the leap, so would be interested in any experience others have had, good or bad.

 

I had been hoping RM8 would have made the above migration unnecessary, but time is rather passing.

Your message implies to me that the problem you see is the "convoluted way to open a database with RM Essentials on an apple device". What is it that seems so convoluted that it would deter the mildly interested (the disinterested are a lost cause)?

Do you mean on an iPhone or iPad? Or on a Mac? Please make clear to what variety of Apple device you are referring.

I'm not a Mac user but I have read that Crossover now supports 32bit Windows apps in Catalina. https://m.facebook.c...276443932543150

Yes, but we need to be a little cautious as a look at their forums shows that some nasty and unexpected side effects are now showing up now it is GA, such as anti-virus products quarantining chuncks of their code. There seems to be more for them to sort. I for one will be holding off for now, particular as I am still on Mohave and RM7 is running just fine (admittedly under full Crossover), Faimily Search and all.

Why bother with crossover any more if Bruce is really within a few months of RM8. The wrapper has been nothing but trouble for mac users.

Well, maybe the wrapper is a mixed blessing but full CrossOver has been wonderful for me for many months now. I leave RM open for days, and when I return to it, it just picks up with FS without blinking. I would certainly welcome a 64-bit version of (full) CrossOver if we don’t have a relatively stable version of the Mac variety of RM8 by, say, February or March next year. It could be an interesting race.

I run the regular RM 7 on my Mac with Parallels.  Does that mean updating to Catalina won't affect me?

Correct, provided your version of Parallels is supported / will work on Catalina.

What does this mean?

What does this mean in the blog?: "And of course, there is one more thing that should make our fans of fruit happy:" There is a picture below that statement, but I cannot figure out what "fruit" is displayed on the picture. It seems to be an exact same picture of the first picture, but blurrier.

It just means that the RM window looks exactly like a Mac window should look like - i.e. a standard Mac appearance. The fruit is just referring to Apple.

Edit: And the one more thing was a standard Steve Jobs way of closing a major Apple announcement event, and this is still used by Tim Cook in a much less charismatic way at the end dog such events to introduce a surprise announcement. Apple fans know all about this, the rest can just yawn (but I do recommend watching a Jobs show on YouTube, particularly the original iPhone announcement which is recognised as a masterpiece in how to do technical announcements.)

The current wrapper to allow RM to run on a Mac will not work on the next version of MacOS, Catalina. That is because Catalina will not allow the execution of 32-bit applications, only 64-bit applications, and the current wrapper is a 32-bit application. (It does not matter whether the application running under the wrapper, such as RM, is 32-bit or 64-bit.)

The wrapper is a stripped down version of a product called CrossOver that allows Windows programs to run on the Mac. Users of the full version of CrossOver are expecting a 64-bit version to be available around the time that Catalina becomes generally available, so in the next month or two.

Whether RM will be prepared to pay whatever the cost is for a matching updated version of the wrapper is a question for them, but if RM8 becomes available in a similar timeframe, or a little longer given our expectations are for sometime in 2019, then maybe it wouldnt be sensible for them to pay that cost.

That might leave some RM for Mac users with the issue of whether to delay implementing Catalina until RM8 becomes acceptably reliable. I can foresee interesting times ahead.

(Windows users might consider such concerns as rather academic, but many Mac users tend to update to new versions of the OS rather more enthusiastically and promptly than Windows ones.)

CATALINA KILLS ROOTSMAGIC 7! Catalina does not allow any 32-bit programs to operate any longer when you upgrade to Catalina. Done deal. 
 
Your option at this point since RM currently has no 64-bit version for the Mac? Supposeldy run an older version fo Mac OS in Virtual Mode and store RM7 there or put the Mac OS older version on a thumb drive and load RM7 on the same unit. 
 
Virtual Box does not function fully under Catalina. Does the latest CrossOver?
 
Feel like McGyver yet?

A quote from a CrossOver forum responding on this topic - dated 26 June.

-

Maintaining support for 32-bit applications on macOS 10.15 Catalina continues to be a top priority for us. We appreciate that September is right around the corner and that macOS users are eager for a solution - we are confident that this support will be available when Catalina is released.

CrossOver 19 will move to beta later this summer. I invite all who are interested in the latest CrossOver development updates and are willing to provide feedback on pre-release versions of CrossOver to join here: https://www.codeweav...patibility/beta

-

It would seem that work has been on-going for some time, but as is often the case for software companies, they aim new functionality for GA availability rather than beta availability of new OS levels.