Build For Apple Silicon (new Github runners)

[gal064]

Github runners for M1 are now available and I'm not familiar with QT, but it looks like you could even build an M1 version on intel silicon.

Would it be possible to have an M1 build?

[pbek]

The build process for macos would need to work on Qt6 to do that I guess.
And I don't know if you could get two different architectures in one disk image with the Qt tooling.
But I also have no idea if the update script would be able to handle that.

And I'm lacking M1 hardware to be able to test the result 😁

[gal064]

I'm happy to help however I can. Unfortunately know nothing about QT to actually prepare a full PR, but if you want me to run a certain GitHub action or script, or test the result happy to do so.

BTW QTOwnNotes do sometimes freeze for a few seconds on M1. I don't know if it's just a bug, or related to not being built for apple Silicon, but in the past I've seen weird behaviors like this happen on intel apps run on M1

[pbek]

I'm happy to help however I can. Unfortunately know nothing about QT to actually prepare a full PR, but if you want me to run a certain GitHub action or script, or test the result happy to do so.

Thank you!
If anyone wants to pick this up, this is where the current release build process is started (uses Qt5):

QOwnNotes/.github/workflows/build-release.yml

Lines 331 to 395 in 952a368

	build-macos:
	name: '🍎 macOS Qt 5.15.2'
	needs: create_release
	runs-on: macos-latest
	env:
	QT_VERSION: 5.15.2
	steps:
	- name: '🧰 Checkout'
	uses: actions/checkout@v4
	with:
	submodules: recursive
	# https://download.qt.io/online/qtsdkrepository/mac_x64/desktop/
	- name: '⚙️ Cache Qt'
	id: cache-qt
	uses: actions/cache@v3
	with:
	path: ../Qt
	key: ${{runner.os}}-qtcachedir-${{env.QT_VERSION}}
	- name: '⚙️ Install Qt'
	uses: jurplel/install-qt-action@v3
	with:
	version: ${{env.QT_VERSION}}
	modules: ${{env.QT_MODULES}}
	aqtversion: '==2.0.0'
	cache: ${{steps.cache-qt.outputs.cache-hit}}
	- name: '⚙️ Set Env'
	shell: bash
	run: |
	export VERSION=$(cat version.h | sed 's/[^0-9,.]//g')
	echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
	- name: '⚙️ Printenv'
	shell: bash
	run: |
	echo "VERSION=${VERSION}"
	printenv
	- name: '🚧 Compile application'
	run: |
	echo "#define RELEASE \"GitHub Actions\"" > release.h
	lrelease QOwnNotes.pro
	#ls ${Qt5_Dir}/bin
	${{env.QMAKE}}
	make -j ${{env.CORES}}
	../build-systems/github/macos/create-dmg.sh
	# - name: '📤 Upload artifact: macOS'
	# uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
	# with:
	# name: QOwnNotes.dmg
	# path: src/QOwnNotes.dmg
	- name: '📤 Release DMG'
	uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
	env:
	GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
	with:
	upload_url: ${{ needs.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
	asset_path: src/QOwnNotes.dmg
	asset_name: QOwnNotes.dmg
	asset_content_type: application/x-apple-diskimage

Most of the actual process is abstracted to https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes/blob/main/build-systems/github/macos/create-dmg.sh.

In case Qt6 is needed, this is where I experimentally build the macOS build with Qt6:

QOwnNotes/.github/workflows/build-release-qt6.yml

Lines 355 to 410 in 952a368

	build-macos:
	name: '🍎 macOS Monterey'
	needs: create_release
	runs-on: macos-latest
	env:
	# Qt 6.5 doesn't support macOS 10 anymore!
	QT_VERSION: 6.4.2
	steps:
	- name: '🧰 Checkout'
	uses: actions/checkout@v4
	with:
	submodules: recursive
	# https://download.qt.io/online/qtsdkrepository/mac_x64/desktop/
	- name: '⚙️ Cache Qt'
	id: cache-qt
	uses: actions/cache@v3
	with:
	path: ../Qt
	key: ${{runner.os}}-qtcachedir-${{env.QT_VERSION}}
	- name: '⚙️ Install Qt'
	uses: jurplel/install-qt-action@v3
	with:
	version: ${{env.QT_VERSION}}
	modules: ${{env.QT_MODULES}}
	aqtversion: '==2.0.0'
	cache: ${{steps.cache-qt.outputs.cache-hit}}
	- name: '⚙️ Set Env'
	shell: bash
	run: |
	export VERSION=$(cat version.h | sed 's/[^0-9,.]//g')
	echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
	- name: '⚙️ Printenv'
	shell: bash
	run: |
	echo "VERSION=${VERSION}"
	printenv
	- name: '🚧 Compile application'
	run: |
	echo "#define RELEASE \"GitHub Actions\"" > release.h
	lrelease QOwnNotes.pro
	#ls ${Qt5_Dir}/bin
	${{env.QMAKE}}
	make -j ${{env.CORES}}
	../build-systems/github/macos/create-dmg-qt6.sh
	- name: '📤 Upload artifact: macOS'
	uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
	with:
	name: QOwnNotes.dmg
	path: src/QOwnNotes.dmg

BTW QTOwnNotes do sometimes freeze for a few seconds on M1. I don't know if it's just a bug, or related to not being built for apple Silicon, but in the past I've seen weird behaviors like this happen on intel apps run on M1

Any debug logs?

[pbek]

Building should maybe even work with Qt5 and qmake says: https://doc-snapshots.qt.io/qt5-5.15/macos.html#architectures

@gal064, so in theory you could try to fork the QOwnNotes repository and add QMAKE_APPLE_DEVICE_ARCHS="x86_64 arm64" to this line:

QOwnNotes/.github/workflows/build-release.yml

Line 377 in 952a368

${{env.QMAKE}}

If you enabled GitHub actions and push your changes to the release branch, that should trigger building a release for you. Of course, that would result in an app for only the M1 (if it works).

[gal064]

Tried to run it but I'm getting:
"Trying to compile Botan configured as x86_64 with non-x86_64 compiler."

Also tried to comment out the x86 config in botan.pri and received the following:
ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture arm64

I'm not sure if that error is unrelated or making changes to the pri file created that error. I was pretty much guessing

[pbek]

I guess Botan is able to compile for ARM, so it must be something with the settings... 🤔

[gal064]

Yep. I have no idea how to push forward here, so if you or anyone else want to pick this up would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway I'll submit a bug on the small freezes when it happens next

[pbek]

I tried just adding QMAKE_APPLE_DEVICE_ARCHS = x86_64 arm64 to the project file in fdd5e05, but the build on macOS failed, without telling why. 🤔
https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes/actions/runs/7685776723/job/20943900082

[spoelstraethan]

I wonder if any of the notes here on cross compilation might help/work?

https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/wiki/Compilation:-macOS-(x86_64,-arm64,-cross-compilation)#qt

[gal064]

Looking at the logs, can the failure might be due to this:

:17:
libraries/botan/botan.h:293:6: error: "Trying to compile Botan configured as x86_64 with non-x86_64 compiler."
    #error "Trying to compile Botan configured as x86_64 with non-x86_64 compiler."
     ^

[gal064]

I ran into the same issue but wasn't sure how to set it up

[pbek]

Ah, good find! Hm... 🤔

[KwisatzJim]

I have a MBPro M3 Pro and was able to build for Apple Silicon. I did the fallowing:
git clone https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes.git -b release --depth=1
cd QOwnNotes
git submodule update --init

brew install qt-creator

brew install qt
You can add Homebrew's Qt to QtCreator's "Qt Versions" in:
Preferences > Qt Versions > Link with Qt...
pressing "Choose..." and selecting as the Qt installation path:
/opt/homebrew

brew install qt@5
fallow procedure to add qt5 to QT Creator:
You can add Homebrew's Qt to QtCreator's "Qt Versions" in:
Preferences > Qt Versions > Link with Qt...
pressing "Choose..." and selecting as the Qt installation path:
/opt/homebrew/opt/qt@5

open QT Creator
open the project file src/QOwnNotes.pro

then I think there was a 'configure project' button but it's not there now and I don't recall exactly, sorry. But that did it's thing for a while. I've never used QT Creator before so going by memory.

then I built it and ran it and it worked, building an Apple Silicon version

[KwisatzJim]

hmmm... ran into a hitch, I copied the .app to my Mac Mini M2 and it crashed on start until I installed qt@5

[pbek]

You could try to use the package manager nix to install QOwnNotes on the mac. 🤔

[KwisatzJim]

You could try to use the package manager nix to install QOwnNotes on the mac. 🤔

ok, not bad idea, but the nix version is 24.4.0 and current release is 24.4.2. But it is Apple Silicon which is nice.

[pbek]

Will be surely in the build pipeline. QOwnNotes is at 24.4.2 in nix.

[pbek]

I'd like to know if it worked in case you try 😉

[sfatula]

It does not build even with nix 24.11, and nix lists it as available for aarch64 darwin, it is not. Same error as I reported elsewhere here:

   error: Package ‘xvfb-run-1+g87f6705’ in /nix/store/g7wwck770vsq4df6xli5i4gcyhgqp13q-source/pkgs/tools/misc/xvfb-run/default.nix:59 is not available on the requested hostPlatform:

[pbek]

Hm, that's just to run the (graphical) application to generate the shell completion. 🤔

https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/d0797a04b81caeae77bcff10a9dde78bc17f5661/pkgs/applications/office/qownnotes/default.nix#L56-L61

[sfatula]

But nix errors out so stuff does not build. What's the solution? xvfd was not included on Macs anymore long ago. xquartz might make it happen I suppose.

[pbek]

Can you please try building the app without the whole block from https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/d0797a04b81caeae77bcff10a9dde78bc17f5661/pkgs/applications/office/qownnotes/default.nix#L56-L61?

[pbek]

How are yours built for Intel and can't they be posted for Apple Silicon too?

The whole build chain, release process and update mechanism is structured around one single macOS package...

While the build works, the main toolbar is messed up in that half the icons are missing

Hm, can you turn on the internal icon theme?

I don't care if nix works per se, what I am looking for is simply a native Mac build (on Apple Silicon not Intel) of qownnotes

If there is no other way, then the nix release could be that build. Nix can also update that package.

[pbek]

The nixos package from https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes/blob/main/default.nix should build now.
(See https://github.com/pbek/QOwnNotes/actions/runs/12243377462).

But I wonder which platform the regular macOS app build is current running on... It does look as if macos-latest is already on aarch64. 🤔

@sfatula, @KwisatzJim could you maybe send the first paragraph from the debug settings when running the regular build?

[sfatula]

If I get a chance before flying out I can try it. Meanwhile, I turned on the internal theme (restarted of course), same issue. So, I turned off dark mode icon theme, still no change.

Here's my debug settings from the regular intel build:

`## General Info

Current Date: Mon Dec 9 22:02:22 2024
Version: 24.9.2
Build date: Sep 5 2024
Build number: 1124
Platform: macosx (cocoa)
Operating System: macOS 14.7
Build architecture: x86_64
Current architecture: x86_64
Release: GitHub Actions
Qt Version (build): 5.15.2
Qt Version (runtime): 5.15.2
Portable mode: no
Settings path / key: /Users/sfatula/Library/Preferences/com.pbe.QOwnNotes.plist
Application database path: /Users/sfatula/Library/Application Support/PBE/QOwnNotes/QOwnNotes.sqlite
Application arguments: /Applications/QOwnNotes.app/Contents/MacOS/QOwnNotes
Qt Debug: 0
Locale (system): en_US
Locale (interface): empty
Primary screen resolution: 2560x1440
Icon theme: breeze-dark-qownnotes
Notes in current note folder: 220
Calendar items: 0
Enabled scripts: 1
Database drivers: `QSQLITE, QODBC, QODBC3, QPSQL, QPSQL7``

[pbek]

x86_64, thank you.

[sfatula]

For the one I built somewhat and mostly works but has (at least) the icon issues, it looks like this on Apple Silicon:

`## General Info

Current Date: Tue Dec 10 00:26:43 2024
Version: 24.11.1
Build date: Nov 8 2024
Build number: 1138
Platform: macosx (cocoa)
Operating System: macOS Sonoma (14.7)
Build architecture: arm64
Current architecture: arm64
Release: GitHub
Qt Version (build): 6.8.0
Qt Version (runtime): 6.8.0
Portable mode: no
Settings path / key: /Users/sfatula/Library/Preferences/com.pbe.QOwnNotes.plist
Application database path: /Users/sfatula/Library/Application Support/PBE/QOwnNotes/QOwnNotes.sqlite
Application arguments: ./QOwnNotes
Qt Debug: 0
Locale (system): en_US
Locale (interface): empty
Primary screen resolution: 2560x1440
Icon theme: breeze-dark-qownnotes
Notes in current note folder: 220
Calendar items: 0
Enabled scripts: 1
Database drivers: `QSQLITE, QODBC, QPSQL``

[pbek]

Thank you.
This version should also give you shell completion: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/363327/files

[pbek]

24.12.2

• The nix package now builds also for macOS on x86_64 and aarch64, aka. Apple Silicon
  (for #2912)
  • There is an open pull request for it at #363327 on NixOS/nixpkgs
  • This could serve as a native package for macOS on Apple Silicon hardware

[sfatula]

So, I did use that default.nix file, it does run to completion. I do not find a .app file, I searched everything under /nix/store. And it's not in /Applications/Nix Apps either. A find command finds it nowhere. I do see the binary file again (in my case at /nix/store/d929s2zwg8lybx9yd3g504w359c4820f-qownnotes-24.11.2/bin/) but that's not a Mac app. It can be run but it should be packaged like all other Mac apps with a .app extension and a bunch of stuff underneath that. I would guess most any Mac app on nix has a packager to do so. An example might be the commonLinux program remmina which I use.

The other good news is the icons all look good. I'm leaving town for a week to visit family so won't be able to do much more, but maybe look at remmina builder on nix, it should have an example of how to package it for OSX.

I can run the new version for now, I can wrap something around it so it's an app if you think that useful to make sure all the various features work on Apple Silicon, in my case a Mac Studio which has an M1 processor.

[pbek]

I do not find a .app file

If you compile something that is not part of your nix configuration, nix creates a ./result folder.

The other good news is the icons all look good.

The icons from which build?

[sfatula]

I made it part of my nix configuration as I didn't know how to compile something outside of my nix configuration, no ./result folder. I overlaid the nix default.nix with this one and did a darwin-rebuild. So, just as if someone used nix to build it, no .app (Mac app) file, just the binary that gets included amongst other things in the .app file (which is actually a folder). I only had one app being built with nix, remmina as it was the only source for Apple Silicon version. So, not much need to learn anything about it.

The icons from the new build work fine. From previous build as I had noted above a few days ago, it did not. I can turn the binary into a app "file" via automator or other simple method. I just htink it should build a proper .app "file" so others than may use it don't have to mnss around.

[pbek]

The icons from the new build work fine.

The aarch64_darwin nix build or the x86 macOS release build?

I just htink it should build a proper .app "file" so others than may use it don't have to mnss around.

I've found some hints of packages dealing with an app file, but I'm not sure yet why it wasn't created in the build process.

https://github.com/search?q=repo%3ANixOS%2Fnixpkgs+%22.app%22+path%3A*.nix&type=code

In the release build, I create the app file in the build script with macOS tooling...

[sfatula]

The aarch64_darwin build, icons work perfectly (as did the original x86 build). It did not work with the first nix build made originally with your initial nix changes. I don't have a x86 machine. Mac with m# chip can run x86 binaries but it's via a code translater and you have to install it. Thus far, everything works with the arm build. Been using it for a day. How nix works is beyond me, never looked at the developer doc. But you asked them so hopefully they have an answer or maybe it just works once included in their entire system.

[pbek]

NixOS/nixpkgs#363327 is now merged into master and will be soon in nixos-unstable. You can track the progress here: https://nixpk.gs/pr-tracker.html?pr=363327