PixInsight 1.8.3 Ripley: New Mac OS X Distribution

Juan Conejero

PixInsight Staff
Staff member
Since version 1.8.3, PixInsight is distributed on Mac OS X nearly the same way as it is on FreeBSD, Linux and Windows. Instead of a single application bundle (PixInsight.app), the PixInsight distribution consists of a base PixInsight folder where all executables, modules, scripts and support files are stored on a common set of subdirectories. The PixInsight Core executable is a regular application bundle, namely PixInsight.app, located on the base PixInsight folder:

new-macosx-distro.png

The new distribution allows us to keep our update system working under the new version 2 code signing policy established by Apple with the release of Mac OS X 10.9.5. It is also more coherent with the rest of platforms and facilitates working with modules, scripts and documentation, which is essential for a development platform (which is what PixInsight actually is, besides an image processing application).

To install PixInsight version 1.8.3 on your Mac, download the installation package and uncompress it on your /Applications folder. This will create the /Applications/PixInsight/ base folder, as shown on the screenshot above. On this base folder you'll find the PixInsight.app application bundle, which you must launch to run PixInsight. If you added a previous version to the Dock, you'll have to replace the existing dock icon with a new one pointing to PixInsight.app on its new location.
 
Juan I just downloaded this and something is not right. My screen now is all white and I don't have the options I had in the last version. I downloaded this for a 64 bit Mac.
 
Is it possible there is a problem with the application's signing?  My Mac didn't like it because I have security settings set to run apps from App Store or known developers.  At one point an error came up saying the app didn't match the signature??
 
Is it possible there is a problem with the application's signing?  My Mac didn't like it because I have security settings set to run apps from App Store or known developers.  At one point an error came up saying the app didn't match the signature??

Our company is registered with Apple and the PixInsight.app application bundle is digitally signed on Mac OS X 10.9.5 (version 2 code signing). I don't know why this is happening on your computers.

While I try to fix this problem, please follow these steps to run PixInsight if you get the "can?t be opened because the identity of the developer cannot be confirmed" message:

* Hold down the Control key while clicking on the PxInsight icon in the Dock or on the PixInsight application file in a Finder window.

* Click Open in the context menu.
   
* Click Open in the following dialog window.

As soon as I find a solution to this problem, I'll upload new installation packages. Sorry for the inconvenience.
 
This is now fixed. The problem is that Qt frameworks have internal layouts incompatible with the new code signing standard imposed by Apple since OS X 1.9.5:

http://qt-project.org/forums/viewthread/47768

Fortunately there's a relatively simple fix that can be applied during the application building phase. We have tested it thoroughly and it works for the PixInsight application bundle.

In a few hours we'll have new installation packages uploaded to the software distribution site. Thank you for your patience.
 
Problem solved. New 1.8.3 installation packages are now available on software distribution for Mac OS X. The PixInsight Core application is now correctly signed and is accepted by Gatekeeper on Mac OS X 10.9.5 and 10.10.

Thank you for your support.
 
I unzipped the package, and when I open it, it seems like hardly any of the processes are there.  I see a few; Star Alignment, TGVDenoise... but the majority of them are missing.  What am I doing wrong?
 
Hi,

I have still the problem that I have only few processes installed. My PixInsight startup looks like this:

Code:
Initializing PixInsight...

JavaScript runtime initialized.

Installing 2 module(s):
/Applications/PixInsight/bin/ImageRegistration-pxm.dylib
/Applications/PixInsight/bin/TGV-pxm.dylib
* Scripting resources updated.
2 of 2 module(s) installed.

Processing script file: /Applications/PixInsight/etc/init.pjsr/pjsr-core-defs.js

* 1 initialization script(s) executed.

Processing script file: /Applications/PixInsight/etc/startup/startup.scp
* 1 startup script(s) executed.

PixInsight Core 01.08.03.1115 Ripley (x64)
Copyright (C) 2003-2014 Pleiades Astrophoto

So there are only two modules loaded. However my /Applications/PixInsight/bin folder contains many *.dylib files. I'm running Yosemite.

Regards
Alex
 
Hi
I have installed new version on Macbook with OSX 10.8.5 but all attempts to open a file are met with error message "no image file format has been installed".  Many processes are missing when clicking "All processes" and uninstalling/reinstalling/rebooting several times has made no difference.
Pete
 
I am running this version of PixInsight on my MacBook Pro Retina: 01.08.03.1115 Ripley (x64). I am using Mac OS X 10.10. All my processes are loading normally. Everything else seems normal as well.
 
I downloaded the new version today and getting the same issues on my Mac many others are.  Very few processes but more important, I cannot open a file because it says image file formats not installed.  I am running Yosemite.

Should not have upgraded yet.
 
"no image file format has been installed".  Many processes are missing ...

Something has messed with your PixInsight installation for some reason. You can follow these steps to reset all modules installed by the PixInsight Core application:

- From the main menu, select "Process > Modules > Manage Modules"

- On the Manage Modules dialog, click the Disable All button.

- Click the Done button.

- Exit PixInsight

- Run PixInsight. The default set of modules should be installed.

Alternatively, you can use a terminal as follows:

Code:
$ /Applications/PixInsight/PixInsight.app/Contents/MacOS/PixInsight --reset-all --default-modules

For detailed information on command line arguments, run:

Code:
$ /Applications/PixInsight/PixInsight.app/Contents/MacOS/PixInsight --help
 
MBP OS X 10.9.5

I've followed the download and unzip instructions for the new distribution carefully.  When I unzip the download into the /Applications folder, I don't get the 'Pixinsight' folder created on its own - I get another folder - same title as the download - with the 'Pixinsight' folder inside that, and the executable inside that again. 

But when I try to run the program, I get a message: 'The PixInsight Core Application has been launched from a directory that does not meet the requirements of a valid PixInsight distribution.  Either the PixInsight executable has been moved or the distribution has been damaged for some reason.  PixInsight cannot be executed. Please reinstall the application.'

I've tried running from within the nested folders, I've moved the 'Pixinsight' folder up to the top level of the applications folder, and I've tried moving the executable to the dock - same result each time. 

Am I missing something obvious?  I'm not a programmer/developer and don't really understand OS X systems folders...

Gerry
 
Hi Gerry,

I just installed the update on Mac OSX Yosemite (10.10) and it went smoothly.

After the download completed, I expanded the Zip in the Downloads folder. I then just dragged the PixInsight folder (and hence everything in it) to the Applications folder. OSX warned me that an there was an existing folder with the same name (because I had already installed the earlier 1.8.3 version), and I replaced it. Launched PI from the Dock where I already had an Icon, and the new version came up fine.

Make sure that you expanded the entire Zip (you should just need to double click it) and make sure that you drag the top-level PixInsight folder to Applications.

I hope this helps.

Sean
 
Thanks - working now.  I'd used a 'Zipeg' app to unzip the download - this time round I used the embedded OS X utility and it unzipped properly.  Then I did the reboot that others have recommended and it works now!  Not sure if it was a glitch in Zipeg, or the reboot that fixed it, but either way, thanks

Gerry
 
Hi Gerry,

Glad to know it works. It was Zipeg for sure. No reboot is necessary on Mac OS X; that's a Windows-specific idiosyncrasy.
 
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