On Tue, Mar 11, 2014 at 4:15 AM, Ian Wadham <iandw...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi guys, > > I need some ongoing help, advice and mentoring from time to > time as I investigate why some KDE apps run OK on Apple > OS X and others do not. The problem is simply stated. > > Linux and Apple OS X are similar operating systems underneath, > but they run different desktops. When you boot up, each system > gets to a point where it starts up the desktop. KDE uses the > startkde script --- Apple OS X uses something else … > > Startkde and its successors set up several processes, services > and resources that are essential to certain KDE applications at > run time and for which there is no equivalent in Apple OS X. > Unless someone/something starts the necessary components, > some KDE applications will fail. > > The problem is to find out which processes, services and > resources are essential, how to start them and whether they > operate correctly in an Apple OS X environment. Obviously > kwin is not essential in this sense, but what is? > > Conversely, given an app that fails to run or has missing pieces, > how does one find out what is required for it to run? > > Most KDE apps build and run well in Apple OS X. The difficult > ones are the more complex ones --- and the ones that are in > demand from Apple users --- such as Digikam, Kdenlive, > KDevelop and Amarok. > > So far Macports, which packages KDE apps for Apple OS X, > is aware of the need for DBus, kdeinit4 and kbuildsysoca4. > It takes steps to inform users on how to set these up after > installation or --- if possible --- it automates some of the work > via scripts. > > The case of kbuildsysoca4 is a good example. In Sept 2012, > I was trying to run KCompare, but it kept failing without > displaying anything. So I tried running it from the command > line. There was an error message about not being able to > find a view and a suggestion to run kbuildsycoca4, so I did. > > KCompare sprang to life. On a hunch, I tried some other > apps and they worked too. Since that time kbuildsycoca4 > has been run automatically by a Macports script and the > number of problems with KDE apps has dropped dramatically. > > The first thing I would like to try and find out is how plugins > work, behind the scenes. The app I am currently working on > is Palapeli, a KDE jigsaw puzzle game. When you create > a puzzle, a "slicers" app runs as a plugin. That never used > to work on Apple OS X before we started using kbuildsycoca4. > > Now it works in the Macports installed version, but not in my > development environment, which has several environment > variables for $KDEHOME, etc. Is there perhaps a variable > or path that I need to set to help find plugins? > > It is no use reporting this on Bugzilla, because there is > currently no maintainer for Palapeli. I am all there is. > So if I cannot fix it myself, nobody will. > > But I need help, guidance and mentoring as I dive into > KDE internals. Any offers will be gratefully accepted. > > All the best, Ian W. > > >> Visit http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-devel#unsub to > unsubscribe << > Hi Ian, I know Alexander set up his KDevelop on Mac OS X with these scripts: https://github.com/Anonymooseable/homebrew-kde Maybe you can use it for inspiration or contact him. Good luck! Aleix
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