[GRASS-user] assistance needed in packaging GRASS for Mac

[Michael Barton]

Thanks for responding Vincent,

I've used Fink and MacPorts previously (first time compiling GRAS for Mac on Fink in 2003). But I try to avoid them now because of past issues related to making GRASS binaries that anyone can install without compiling.

Are there are now ways to create such a portable binary package in MacPorts so that users could install it without installing MacPorts (or HomeBrew, Fink, etc.)?

I think what we need is:

1. Switch from the outdated PackageMaker.app to the current way of making Mac packages. This requires changes to the current binary bundling scripts.

2. Bundle all dependencies (including the current, separate frameworks) into the new package distribution so that everything needed is in the grass7.app

3. As part of 2, make sure that all dependencies are compiled outside of the /usr folders on the Mac to avoid SIP conflicts

4. To accomplish #2 and #3 for wxPython, we probably need to switch to wxPython 3 (or the new wxPython Phoenix it is working correctly). This would also permit compiling ALL GRASS 64 bit, alleviating additional issues. 

5. Because of recent change to GRASS GUI and a bug in Mac system Python 2.7.10, it may be necessary to also bundle an updated Python (2.7.11 or higher) with the new grass7.app. This (and #2) would make the installation package significantly larger, but would avoid mismatched versions of Python and wxPython. 

Michael
____________________
C. Michael Barton
Director, Center for Social Dynamics & Complexity 
Professor of Anthropology, School of Human Evolution & Social Change
Head, Graduate Faculty in Complex Adaptive Systems Science
Arizona State University

voice:  480-965-6262 (SHESC), 480-965-8130/727-9746 (CSDC)
fax: 480-965-7671 (SHESC),  480-727-0709 (CSDC)
www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton, http://csdc.asu.edu















> On Dec 28, 2016, at 12:54 PM, Vincent Habchi <vince at macports.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
>> I've maintained GRASS for Mac binaries for a number of years with the help of others with more detailed knowledge than I have of the build system and binary packaging on the Mac. In the last few years, that assistance has no longer been available. I've managed to continue to maintain binaries, but the approach I'm using has become increasingly outdated.
> 
> Nice! Well, I just joined this list minutes ago. I’m in charge of the grass7 port in MacPorts (as well as other ports related to GIS). 
> 
>> Since the release of El Capitan a couple years back, this has become increasingly a problem, with GRASS unable to launch without disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) via an annoyingly complicated process. 
> 
> How so? My own version of grass 7.2 RC2 as packaged on MacPorts works well, at least when you don’t look to closely (that’s why I’m here too). How does SIP matter here?
> 
> Cheers,
> Vincent
> 
> 
>