Re: GSoC: Improve binary packaging on Mac OS X

[Ben Abbott]

On Aug 3, 2013, at 6:28 PM, Anirudha Bose wrote:

> Hi everyone.
> 
> I would like to have some input on how to proceed with building app bundles 
> for Mac OS X. I have written a post about it in my blog [1].
> 
> Ben, I have read your wiki page on creating app bundles for Mac OS X using 
> Macports. Since you are experienced with this, so maybe you can help me get 
> started. I suppose there is no app bundle for the current Octave release.
> 
> [1] http://anigsoc2013.wordpress.com/
> 
> Regards,
> Anirudha

I haven't had time to put a bundle together for the latest release.  And if I 
did, it would only run on X86_64 based CPUs running Lion or Mountain Lion 
(Macports doesn't provide universal versions of all ports needed to satisfy 
Octave's dependencies).  I'm not familiar with MXE, but perhaps universal 
builds are possible?

In any event, the first step is to build Octave and all its dependencies and in 
a common directory tree.  Once that is done, a bundle can be constructed 
manually and install_name_tool or an equivalent can be used to change the 
original paths of the dynamic shared libraries to the relative paths needed an 
app bundle (this is a MacOSX necessity that ensures the bundle links to the 
property libraries).

If it isn't possible to produce universal binaries for all the dependencies, 
then it will be necessary to produce both 64 bit (for Lion and above) and 32 
bit (For Snow Leopard and below) versions.

My knowledge of what is needed is rather shallow.  But I am happy to help 
answer questions.

Ben