Customise the looks of the macOS DMG distribution disk image

[johnnovak]

Related to #2122

Also include a Start DOSBox shell script in the DMG file that is launchable from Finder. This is to aid users launching DOSBox from a specific folder without having to resort to using the Terminal (and thus enabling them to use local configs).

Would be great if you guys could test the CI builds once this is merged @kcgen @Burrito78 @kklobe

Link to the PR's CI universal dmg: https://github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging/suites/9881106025/artifacts/477028919

This is how the Finder window is supposed to look like when opening the distribution DMG:

[kcgen]

@johnnovak, here's a recording from my side (using the Universal package):

Screen.Recording.2022-12-15.at.12.13.49.PM.mp4

I have no idea how to use a macOS desktop though 😆

[Burrito78]

Doesn't work for me. Looks the same as in @kcgen's video.

@kcgen Nice Mac skillz! Do you know that feeling when you just want to grab someones mouse out of his hand? ;)

[johnnovak]

Thanks for testing this @kcgen and @Burrito78 . Yeah I just realised this will never work with the current GitHub build workflow as the workflow just contains a small subset of the contrib/macos/create-app-bundle.sh it, but it doesn't actually call it. I'll need to modify the workflow so it uses that script.

[johnnovak]

Okay, I've fixed up all the issues with the CI workflow, you can try again @kcgen & @Burrito78.

[Burrito78]

The background isn't showing on my system (Big Sur), with other installers its working normally.

[johnnovak]

The background isn't showing on my system (Big Sur), with other installers its working normally.

Interesting. I'm on Monterey, btw. The other difference is that the file extensions are showing on your machine, while they aren't on my screenshot.

Not really sure how to proceed from here, to be honest...

EDIT: Tried it on my older Intel Mac, also running Monterey, and it works fine on that one too 🤷🏻

[Burrito78]

The display of the extension is just a Finder setting.

Test with another App to be sure it's not my system.

[Grounded0]

It's a demanding technical product so i'm not sure its needed. People who use this probably have installed software from disk images before. 🤷‍♂️

[Burrito78]

It's a demanding technical product so i'm not sure its needed. People who use these probably have installed software from .dmg packages before. 🤷‍♂️

Hi @Grounded0!

The build linked above is outdated. Try this one:
https://github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging/actions/runs/3709529247

I think it's a nice addition and looks more professional.

[Grounded0]

Hi.
We're Getting There. Definitely adds to the polish with the alpha channel image included. 👍
Now you just have to reverse engineer what IINA disk image did right and copy-paste. 🙂

[Grounded0]

Those alpha channel images will have legibility problems in dark mode. Probably best to play it safe and avoid alpha channel and instead use white background like IINA.

[johnnovak]

It's a demanding technical product so i'm not sure its needed.

How this started was to add the "Start DOSBox Staging" to the DMG which allows users to do exactly what the name says. Not everybody is a Terminal user, and not being able to simply launch DOSBox from a folder to take advantage of local configs can be a major turnoff for a lot of people who simply don't want to screw around with the terminal. I just can't wholeheartedly advise new DOSBox users on macOS to execute a bunch of terminal commands in the Getting Started tutorial I'm going to write! Adding a nice background image to the DMG is just a nice addition; the end product looks a lot more professional and polished that way, in my opinion.

Anyway, at this point I am determined to get it working, and I will fight Apple on this to the death! 😄 ☠️ 🔥

Now you just have to reverse engineer what IINA disk image did right and copy-paste. 🙂

You think it would be that easy.... haha... nope. Getting a background image into your DMG requires a rather complicated dance...

Those alpha channel images will have legibility problems in dark mode. Probably best to play it safe and avoid alpha channel and instead use white background like IINA.

I don't think this is related to dark mode, but making the background solid white is a good idea, anyway. I tried switching my machine to dark mode, and the background still was fine (all white). Btw, the top of the gradient would still show up even on a dark background as it's not fully transparent, so the issue here is different. For some reason on some machines the background is completely ignored, but not on the two laptops I have here. Weird.

I'm inclined to think it's some backwards compatibility problem; maybe Finder settings saved on Monterey aren't compatible with Big Sur... 😐

[johnnovak]

Actually, IINA is an open source project (never heard of it before), so I can just have a look how are they adding the background to the DMG. Thanks for the tip!

EDIT: No, I can't. It appears they're building their DMG files fully manually as there are no scripts in the repo that would build a DMG image.

[johnnovak]

Could you guys mount the DMG and list its contents with the below commands and post your results? It would be really weird if the image was missing from the DMG you downloaded, but best to check the most basic things first...

[Grounded0]

I redownloaded the disk image and this is what i'm getting now after mounting the disk image:

[kklobe]

Ventura 13.1:

[kcgen]

@johnnovak -- all set to merge?

[johnnovak]

@johnnovak -- all set to merge?

Yeah I've just pushed up a very minor update (made the window a little bit higher so there's less chance for the scrollbar to appear) and I've updated the readme.

I'll test the next build, and if it's fine, I'm going to merge it.

Thanks for the testing guys!

[Grounded0]

Nice to see more polish on macOS UX. 😁

[johnnovak]

Nice to see more polish on macOS UX. 😁

Thanks man 😄 These little things can make a difference for the end-users, I think.