@ckerr I need some info here about how transmission is built for releases published on Travis and website.
Is it xcodebuild? Maybe CMake/CPack?
Should it be implemented for both?
Thanks

Having a wrapper just to tell you "please drag the app to /Applications" feels like an outdated practice to me.
For instance, when you download Xcode, it's not given to you as a .dmg file.

Having a wrapper just to tell you "please drag the app to /Applications" feels like an outdated practice to me. For instance, when you download Xcode, it's not given to you as a .dmg file.

It's given in signed archive, which is not the same as DMG image.
How is this outdated?
Current approach literally requires to open another window to drag the app to.

With a dmg, you have to delete it manually afterwards, no?
But fair, I'll compare with various products:

• Xcode: .xip
• Visual Studio Code: .zip
• Firefox: .dmg
• Chrome: .dmg
• Gimp: .dmg
• VLC: .dmg
• IINA: .dmg
• LibreOffice: .dmg
• Keka: .dmg
• WhatsApp: .dmg
• Skype: .dmg

...oh well, I guess no one sends .app directly, you're right

With a dmg, you have to delete it manually afterwards, no?

Yes, but that means nothing.

We already distribute via DMG, I propose to make it nice.

This is a good suggestion and definitely improves the install experience. See:

node-appdmg
create-dmg
dmgbuild

Also some possible instructions here:

• by script: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/96882/how-do-i-create-a-nice-looking-dmg-for-mac-os-x-using-command-line-tools
• manual: https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/404954/how-to-create-drag-to-applications-folder-in-dmg and https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1713227/how-to-create-drag-and-drop-dmg-file-mac-installer

I have a copy of DMG Canvas if we can build a consensus on what it might look like :-)

#4995 (comment)

I’ve already submitted 2 seperate PRs which address this. Neither of which has been really considered :(

:-( I saw the comment. There is no need to fork or integrate something that might be used - at most - probably quarterly. I like the mockup you made, by the way.

I have a copy of DMG Canvas if we can build a consensus on what it might look like :-)

#4995 (comment)

There're free tools, which can be used in our release pipeline.
I don't like the idea to create DMG manually with some paid tool as part of release process.

This is something that is kind of important to users which don't properly know what to do when downloading a new application, I've literally let people with multiple DMGs mounted and they ran them from there since they didn't know what to do with them.

@ckerr I need some info here about how transmission is built for releases published on Travis and website. Is it xcodebuild? Maybe CMake/CPack? Should it be implemented for both? Thanks

@ckerr I kindly ping you here, as I cannot proceed here without this info.

I understand why macOS app release process is not transparent, as it involves signing and notarizing with Apple.
Can we know at least how this app is built for distribution? :)

With macOS 15 Sequoia, I would advise against .dmg distribution unless it's done with an official (paid?) Apple developer account.

Here is my experience with qBitorrent, which is downloaded from https://www.fosshub.com/qBittorrent.html :

1. attempt to open qBittorrent-4.6.6.dmg.
2. popup "Element « qBittorrent-4.6.6.dmg » not opened - Put in trash bin or close" > close
3. open Settings > Confidentiality and Security > Scroll to the very bottom > click "Open anyway" next to « qBittorrent-4.6.6.dmg »
4. drag & drop, and attempt to open it
5. popup "Element « qBittorrent.app » not opened - Put in trash bin or close" > close
6. open Settings > Confidentiality and Security > Scroll to the very bottom > click "Open anyway" next to « qBittorrent.app »
7. finally you can open it

Here is my experience with qBitorrent, which is downloaded from fosshub.com/qBittorrent.html

Is it signed/notarized?

Is it signed/notarized?

➜  ~ spctl -a -vvv -t install /Users/User/Downloads/qbittorrent-4.6.6.dmg  
/Users/User/Downloads/qbittorrent-4.6.6.dmg: rejected
origin=qbittorrent macos

So not properly signed with a developer account I would say.