PTE executable published for Mac won't open on Mac [SOLVED]

[jmdanz]

PTE Essentials 8.0.23 -

When I publish a slideshow for use on a Mac, it won't run.  The message is something along the lines of the developer ID being unknown.  I've had two out of two Mac users tell me this. 

What do I need to do?

thx

Mike

[Igor]

Hi Mike,

Please read first message here:

https://www.pteavstudio.com/forums/topic/19917-solution-for-non-working-slideshows-on-macos-sierra-10122/

The suggested solution for PTE 8 should help with macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier.

Note, that macOS Catalina 10.15 doesn't run any executable shows, because they're 32-bit apps. Catalina supports only 64-bit apps.

Alternate solution: if you have a source files of your projects, create a MP4 video with HD or 4K quality at 60p. Video files always will work with any future version of macOS.

Also we're finishing work on Mac version of PTE 10. The new version will work with macOS 10.11+ or newer, including Catalina. A public Beta version should be available by end of this summer.

[jmdanz]

Thanks Igor.  But the link you provided leads to

"There is known problem with macOS Sierra 10.12.2+ and slideshows created in PicturesToExe 6.0 - 8.0.21. Slideshows do not start and only black screen appears."

My version is already 8.0.23.  This is newer than the range of versions where repair is recommended. 

And the symptom reported by the users is not a blank screen.  They get a specific message having to do with the ID of the developer being untrusted or invalid. 

I don't yet know what versions of Mac OS my users have. 

Mike

[Igor]

Mike,

Executable shows should be created in version 8.0.23 or newer. 

If older version, for example PTE 8.0.20, was used, it means that created executable show will not work on macOS High Sierra or later.

And as I wrote above, macOS Catalina doesn't play any executable shows created in any version of PTE.

[jmdanz]

Igor,

Again, my version already is 8.0.23. 

And it's not that it simply fails to run like a black screen, it complains about the developer ID being untrusted.  I assume the developer ID is something that comes from you in the software.

Mike

[Lin Evans]

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-a-mac-app-from-an-unidentified-developer-mh40616/mac

Lin

[jmdanz]

Thanks Lin; I imagine if my users did what that article suggests that it would work fine for them.  But I'm really hoping the Wnsoft / PTE developers acquire and embed a registered Apple developer ID in executables published for a Mac, otherwise there's not too much point in giving us Mac capability. 

Unless I'm missing something that I need to do. 

thx

[Igor]

Mike,

My mistake. Shows created in version 8.0.23 or earlier don't have a digitial signature and warning will appear (in macOS High Sierra or newer) every time when you run a show.

Since version 9.0 we added a verified by Apple digital signature and that warning doesn't appear.

Here is a sample show created in v9.0.22: https://files.wnsoft.com//test/mac/pte9022_mac.zip

Shows created in future version 10.0 for Mac also will include this signature to run without a warning.

Please consider an alternate solution. Create your shows in a MP4 format with HD or 4K quality. It will guarantee that shows will always play on any Mac, or PC, or TV. Even with a digitial signature there is a chance that Apple may break compatibility with old executable shows in future macOS updates.

I see that you have a license for PTE 8. If you upgrade to PTE AV Studio 10 Pro now, you can use the same license key for PTE 9.0.22 to create executable shows for Mac with a digital signature (up to macOS 10.14 Mojave). Later during this year we'll introduce a Mac version of PTE 10 which will be free for all customers who purchased a license for PTE AV Studio 10 Pro. This version will create shows for macOS Catalina (10.11 - 10.15+).

 

[jmdanz]

Thanks Igor,

My slideshows require manually stepping through the slides with mouseclicks.  Does the .MP4 output format allow for that? 

I'm currently generating a .MP4 version of my slideshow, but even though it only contains 30 slides (and no audio) it appears it will take more than 12 hours to create the file. 

And does the non-Pro version of PTE AV Studio 10 produce Mac-executables with the digital signature? 

On your "upgrade" page, upgrading from Essentials to the non-Pro version of PTE AV Studio 10 isn't listed; is that not an option?  I don't really need any of the features of the Pro version unless the non-Pro version doesn't produce a Mac executable that contains the signature. 

thx, Mike

[Lin Evans]

Hi Mike,

Neither PTE AV Studio 10  nor PTE AV Studio 10 Pro create Mac executables. Since the full Mac version beta is expected to be released this summer this feature was discontinued in the Windows version. To do that you need version 9. As Igor explained " If you upgrade to PTE AV Studio 10 Pro now, you can use the same license key for PTE 9.0.22 to create executable shows for Mac with a digital signature (up to macOS 10.14 Mojave)." 

MP4 do not allow manual output, only executable code can do that. 

Best regards,

Lin

[jmdanz]

Thanks Lin, I misinterpreted what he said - didn't get that PTE 10 doesn't yet produce Mac executables, and didn't understand the reference to 9.0.22.  Should have read what he wrote more than once. 

So I'm still wondering if I can use a license key for PTE AV Studio 10 non-Pro to get 9.0.22.  There's a big price difference and I don't need any of the additional features of Pro. 

[Lin Evans]

Hi Mike,

I'll have to defer to Igor - not sure on this...

Best regards,

Lin

[Igor]

Mike,

Sorry for my delayed response.

Quote

I'm currently generating a .MP4 version of my slideshow, but even though it only contains 30 slides (and no audio) it appears it will take more than 12 hours to create the file. 

It depends on a speed of a computer. But usually it should work much faster. My 8 year's old PC with Intel Core i5 2.9 GHz with only a replaced graphics card (Geforce 1060 3GB) creates a MP4 file in 3-5 minutes for 4 minute's project. In other words, 1 minute of a show means 1 minute of rendering. If I enable Hardware acceleration option, it works in 3 times faster. So usually 30 slide show should be processed in several minutes. Try to update drivers for your graphics card.

Now PTE AV Studio 10 Standard / Pro work only on Windows and can produce executable shows only for Windows.

PTE AV Studio 10 Pro for Mac should be available by end of this year (Beta by end of this summer). We'll offer a Mac version for free for all customers who purchased/upgraded to PTE AV Studio 10 Pro. Right now, I can't say about the Standard edition of PTE, probably it will work only with Windows version.

You can upgrade your existing license from PicturesToExe Essentials 8 to PTE AV Studio 10 (Standard edition, for Windows only) for 30 USD. This license also will allow you install and use PicturesToExe Essentials 9 and create executables for macOS (up to 10.14 Mojave).

Additionally you can upgrade from PTE AV Studio 10 (Standard edition) to the Pro edition for 72 USD. This version will allow you use future produce PTE 10 for Mac and create executables for macOS Catalina (10.11 - 10.15+).

We offer one time payment and then you can use a purchased product unlimited time. Consider our nearest competitor - Photopia which is a subscription based product. You pay 100 or 250 USD (Creator or Director) EVERY year, or lose access to their product. Even you pay 5-7 years and spent thousand dollars, you'll lose everything once you stop to pay. Compare with PTE. Our prices are much more reasonable.

[jmdanz]

Thanks Igor, esp. on my question about the non-Pro version of PTE AV Studio 10. 

Regarding the lengthy time taken to generate a .MP4 executable, I soon realized what the problem was in my case -- since my slideshow was set up to be driven manually by mouse-clicks, I'd left the duration of each slide at 30 minutes, which for 30 slides would mean a 15-hour show.  Oops!  Knocking it down to just a few seconds enabled the .MP4 file to be generated in less than 3 minutes, as expected given 1 minute of show = 1 minute of rendering. 

Thanks for all your help!

[Igor]

Glad that you solved the problem with MP4 video!

Can I set SOLVED status for this topic?

[jmdanz]

Sorry for the delayed reply Igor -- yes, can mark this as solved. 

Thanks.