[BUG]: v4.8.2 does not run on macOS/silicon

[lollyP]

Brief description of the issue

Having got past gatekeeper, version 4.8.2 simply does not open on macOS 15.4.

I've tried all the obvious things including a clean install. I am unable to generate a bug report as when I attempt to run the app from a terminal window, I get just "Killed: 9".

How to reproduce the bug?

1. Clean install of 4.8.2
2. Get around gatekeeper
3. attempt to open the app
4. app does not open

What was the expected result?

app should open

What actually happened?

app did not open

Debug log

n/a - see above

Operating system and version

• OS: macOS 15.4
• RSS Guard version: 4.8.2

[lollyP]

I should add that I'm using I'm using Apple silicon (the M2 chip)

[martinrotter]

Hi, yes, that is entirely possible because all RSS Guard macOS binaries are "blind compiled" - in other words, I do not have either Mac OS X machine or other way to actually develop/test/debug RSS Guard on Mac OS X operating system.

So, yes, eventually it just happens that RSS Guard hits some bug.

As said above, I am not really able to effectively solve the bug you have.

You could try to build RSS Guard from sources.

[lollyP]

Thanks Martin. I'll see if I can work out how to do that.

Meanwhile I've tested it on an intel Mac (also running macOS 15.4) and it runs fine, so the problem is specific to Apple silicon. I can confirm that there was no such problem with previous versions.

[martinrotter]

Apple Silicon is to my knowledge ARM-based architecture, not x86(_64). Therefore RSS Guard cannot physically run on Apple Silicon.

I could be wrong, tho.

Any maintainers with atleast basic C++ skill and Mac OS X machines are welcomed to carry about Mac OS X compatibility.

[lollyP]

RSS Guard has run fine on Apple silicon until version 4.8.2

[martinrotter]

Apple Silicon is to my knowledge ARM-based architecture, not x86(_64). Therefore RSS Guard cannot physically run on Apple Silicon.

I could be wrong, tho.

Any maintainers with atleast basic C++ skill and Mac OS X machines are welcomed to carry about Mac OS X compatibility.

[lollyP]

I have spent some time debugging this. Here is the first part of the macOS diagnostics report, which reveals the problem:-

--begin quote--

Translated Report (Full Report Below)

Process: rssguard
Path: /path_to_app/RSS Guard.app/Contents/MacOS/rssguard
Identifier: org.martinrotter.rssguard
Version: 4.8.2 (1.0.0)
Code Type: ARM-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [1]

OS Version: macOS 15.4 (24E248)

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread: 0

Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGKILL (Code Signature Invalid))
Exception Codes: UNKNOWN_0x32 at 0x00000001049bc000
Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000032, 0x00000001049bc000
--end quote--

Note that the application runs natively on ARM-64.

The problem seems to be an error in code signing. Explaining why the app runs on an Intel Mac but not (in the case of v4.8.2) on an Apple silicon Mac is the fact that apparently Intel-based devices can still run unsigned code whereas for Apple silicon devices, all code must be signed. I found a workaround, though.

Having run

codesign --deep -fs - /path_to_app/RSS\ Guard.app

the app is forcibly signed (or resigned, as the case may be) locally with an ad hoc signature, following which it may be opened successfully.

Ideally, the code signing issue would be resolved, but I'm not sure I can be of much help in identifying the precise problem.

With many thanks for such a great app.

[martinrotter]

@lollyP Do you run "codesign" command on the app folder or directly on the app DMG file?