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It occurs to me that this question was asked about 2 years ago and we haven't seen a LC version that compiles Mac apps that are Apple Silicon native and that just seems a bit weird because, doesn't LC use Xcode in order to compile AS native apps for iOS? Why wouldn't that same concept/relationship allow LC to be able to add a new option to build Mac apps for native AS? Do we really have to wait for LC 10 for the option to compile for AS?

Well, you are not really up to date!
Starting with LC 9.6.8, published in June 2022, LC supports the new architecture as universal binary!
https://livecode.com/livecode-9-6-8-sta ... e-support/

Klaus wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 5:49 pm

Well, you are not really up to date!
Starting with LC 9.6.8, published in June 2022, LC supports the new architecture as universal binary!
https://livecode.com/livecode-9-6-8-sta ... e-support/

You're right. I did not know that it had been added.

I do notice this however,

Note: Apple architecture support is currently experimental. To build a standalone with native Apple architecture support you must explicitly choose the MacOS Apple option in standalone settings.

So, not sure what to make of it being "experimental" but, it's definitely not being advertised as a finished... is it really a feature at this point?

Sorry, no idea, still using an Intel MacMini.

tetsuo29 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 6:47 pm

I do notice this however,

Note: Apple architecture support is currently experimental. To build a standalone with native Apple architecture support you must explicitly choose the MacOS Apple option in standalone settings.

So, not sure what to make of it being "experimental" but, it's definitely not being advertised as a finished... is it really a feature at this point?

Apple has switched architectures many times: 68k to PPC, Classic to Cocoa, PPC to Intel, and most recently Intel to M*.

Each time they've provided a compatibility layer to help devs make the transition.

And each time, the LiveCode engine first uses the compatibility layer, and then a native version is released for the new architecture.

I see no reason we won't see the same now as we've seen before.

I use LC 9.6.8 on my M1 Mac, and it runs very nicely.

FourthWorld wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:46 pm

Apple has switched architectures many times: 68k to PPC, Classic to Cocoa, PPC to Intel, and most recently Intel to M*.

Each time they've provided a compatibility layer to help devs make the transition.

And each time, the LiveCode engine first uses the compatibility layer, and then a native version is released for the new architecture.

I see no reason we won't see the same now as we've seen before.

I use LC 9.6.8 on my M1 Mac, and it runs very nicely.

Um, thanks? But, I already know all this. Maybe you didn't see my first post from today but, I wasn't questioning the ability of Rosetta 2 to run LC for Intel Macs or LC for Intel Mac built apps.

I was just speculating about how long it's taking for support to come for Apple Silicon (because we've had AS Macs for over 2 years now) and I was also wondering if we'll have to wait for LC 10 to get it. Just seems like it's now getting the point where it might be taking too long.

On some level, sure, as long as Apple leaves Rosetta 2 in macOS and LC for Intel Macs still runs without problems, it's basically irrelevant. However, it would be nice to see native support for Apple Silicon come out soon. Feels like it's about time. And, do we know yet, if Apple will pull Rosetta 2 from macOS? They have a track record of killing off the old for the state of the art and not maintaining backward compatibility for very long.

tetsuo29 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:56 pm

FourthWorld wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 21, 2023 8:46 pm

Apple has switched architectures many times: 68k to PPC, Classic to Cocoa, PPC to Intel, and most recently Intel to M*.

Each time they've provided a compatibility layer to help devs make the transition.

And each time, the LiveCode engine first uses the compatibility layer, and then a native version is released for the new architecture.

I see no reason we won't see the same now as we've seen before.

Um, thanks?

You're welcome.

However, it would be nice to see native support for Apple Silicon come out soon. Feels like it's about time. And, do we know yet, if Apple will pull Rosetta 2 from macOS? They have a track record of killing off the old for the state of the art and not maintaining backward compatibility for very long.

Sorry for the overly long previous reply. Here's the meat:

And each time, the LiveCode engine first uses the compatibility layer, and then a native version is released for the new architecture.

Apple only stopped selling the last of its Intel-based models last month.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/17/2355 ... m-based-m2

LC's Mac engine has always been updated ahead of Apple's discontinuance. I see no reason we won't see the same now as we've seen before.