Installing SCS on Mac

[Guest Boromir]

This is my first time modding the game, despite playing it for years. I play on Mac. So when trying to run the setup-stratagems.command, Mac gave me the error that I didn’t have permission, and I needed to go to File > Get Info to fix it. After some trial and error and googling, I found I needed to run “chmod u+x /path/file.command” to give it permission, which I did in the right Terminal window. When I tried again to run the setup-stratagems.command in the left Terminal window, it give me that error, saying I still don’t have permission. Image here.

I tried to fix it by running the "chmod u+x" command for setup-stratagems and the stratagems file, but it just gave me this.

Not sure what I need to do to rectify this issue.

[subtledoctor]

Try using this. 

It’s been a long long time since I set this stuff up fresh. You might need to set the permissions for the whole game folder and everything inside it. I think you can do that by selecting the game folder and hitting cmd-i for the Get Info box; permissions are at the bottom of that window. 

[OrlonKronsteen]

Thanks for making this tool, Subtledoctor! I may be moving to Mac soon, so it may be right up my alley. If you can forgive a silly question, which file do you actually download? Is it the zipped, source code file?

[subtledoctor]

Yeah “source code zip,” then unzip it and put the app into your game folder. Run it from there. You can make copies of the app and put copies in other game folders if you have multiple instances of the game(s). 

You may have to jump through some hoops to get it to run the first time, depending on how new/locked-down your version of MacOS is. 

It’s not really an “app” - just an applescript with two bundled .txt files, which upon being double-clicked generate and run a shell script. No actual executable to speak of. Nevertheless, Apple keeps making it harder and harder to use. 

Edited April 15, 2023 by subtledoctor

[OrlonKronsteen]

Thank you so much.

Jeeze, I keep hearing about how much harder it is to do things on Mac now because of security. That really sucks, especially since ease of use is supposed to be a selling point.

[subtledoctor]

On 4/15/2023 at 5:29 PM, OrlonKronsteen said:

Jeeze, I keep hearing about how much harder it is to do things on Mac now because of security. That really sucks, especially since ease of use is supposed to be a selling point.

Actually, for other reasons, I just managed to install the latest macOS Ventura into an external drive and boot from it! I didn't think you could do that anymore?? But it works. Just like the good old days.

So I set up a pristine new instance of macOS, and copied my BG2EE game folder over to the new Desktop (including the game executable which is in the game folder). I could run the Mac Weidu Launcher no problem, and install mods, and run the game from that folder. Excellent. It's a little weird that my custom app icon no longer works, so the app looks like a folder. But whatever - it works, which is the important thing.

[OrlonKronsteen]

You are obviously a much more advanced user than me - I would never attempt what you just did with the OS (I figured it would only download to a recognized Apple device during a set-up or update).

In any case, it looks like I can get your tool running on a Monterey Mac. Bizarre security though: if I double-click the app I'm told I can't run it for security reasons, but all I have to do to circumvent that is right-click, and open. I was able to open the Tweaks Anthology menu in the terminal (though I didn't have time to install). SCS should work, too, I'd imagine. Brilliant. And I got to see your custom app icon, too.

Hopefully we'll all have as easy a time as you did with Ventura.

 

[subtledoctor]

2 hours ago, OrlonKronsteen said:

if I double-click the app I'm told I can't run it for security reasons, but all I have to do to circumvent that is right-click, and open

I think if you double-click and it fails, then you can open System Settings and go to the 'Security' tab, and there will be a message like "You just tried to run this app. Do you want to authorize that app to run?" And then it should work by simple double-clicks from then on.

[jmerry]

Yeah, that works too. More complicated, but you can do the security bypass even if you forgot and tried to run the app like a certified one. And once you've bypassed the security once, any future attempts to run that app are good without any special measures.

[OrlonKronsteen]

Hi, just thought I'd drop in for an update. I finally switched to Mac, and I can happily report that the launcher worked like a charm for me on 14.1. The custom icon is there, too! Thanks again for building that for us.

[Guest jhaz]

I'm double clicking on setup-stratagems.command but I get the error "The file “setup-stratagems.command” could not be executed because you do not have appropriate access privileges." "To view or change access privileges, select the file in the Finder and choose File > Get Info."

I right click on the .command file, click on get info, click on security and give read/write access to all of the accounts. However, I'm still not able to double click to run the .command file. Anyone know what's going on here? 

[jmerry]

Running any unsigned app directly - which includes even something as simple as that .command file - requires you to bypass security measures on newer versions of Mac OS. Have to make sure there isn't any malware in that 59-byte shell script you can see the entire contents of when you select it in the Finder ... or more pertinently, that you haven't been distracted or otherwise tricked into running a shell script that installs something malicious.

See the bit above about how to tell the system that you really want to run the thing. Now that you've been rejected, go to System Preferences -> Security and Privacy and find that authorization prompt.

[Guest sushigal]

Hi, I'm coming back to BG after a long hiatus and wish to take my MC Cavalier all the way to TOB, but using SCS for the added challenge!  

I'm using a macOS Sonoma Version 14.6.1 and I can't seem to make it work!

I've followed subtledoctor's instructions and downloaded the latest MacOS Weidu Launcher v7.5 (weidu v249) into my BGEE (Steam) folder.

After unzipping the Weidu Launcher file, I run the launcher in the folder but it gave me an error "List is empty. (-50)"

Double clicking the "logs" folder also gives me an empty folder so I assume nothing has been installed/modified?

I've attached a screenshot of the error. Can anyone kindly advise me on how to fix the error?

Any help is much appreciated! Thank you!!

[OrlonKronsteen]

Hi Sushigal,

You need to put your mod folders in the game folder along with the Weidu launcher. 

Best,

~O

[Guest Sushigal]

2 hours ago, OrlonKronsteen said:

Hi Sushigal,

You need to put your mod folders in the game folder along with the Weidu launcher. 

Best,

~O

Hi @OrlonKronsteen Thanks for your reply! I'm a total bonehead when it comes to modding 

I've placed SCS setup-stratagems and Weidu launcher into my game folder. However, I've also read in the Readme file that I need to download and install Modmerge to run the SOD content, but upon further research it seems that Modmerge has been replaced by DLC Merger? https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/71305/mod-dlc-merger-merge-steam-gog-sod-dlc-or-custom-dlcs-with-the-main-game Hence, I've downloaded DLC Merger and run it with Weidu launcher and I think it worked.

However, when I tried to run SCS setup-stratagems, I kept getting this error:

"ERROR Installing [Include arcane spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition], rolling back to previous state

Will uninstall  59 files for [stratagems/setup-stratagems.tp2] component 1500.

Uninstalled     59 files for [stratagems/setup-stratagems.tp2] component 1500.

ERROR: Failure("Modmerge is required before mods can be installed on this game. Check the readme for more information and a link to download Modmerge.")

Please make a backup of the file: setup-stratagems.debug and look for support at: For help troubleshooting installation problems, go to the Sword Coast Stratagems forum at gibberlings3.net.

Automatically Skipping [Include arcane spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition] because of error.

Using Language [English]"

And this continues to apply to all subsequent components, so I couldn't install any of the SCS components.

Is the error due to the fact that the latest SCS file is only compatible with Modmerge and not DLC Merger? I'm really a novice at modding so I can't troubleshoot this on my own. 

Any advice is much appreciated!  

Thank you!!