Blitzmax OSX, compiling to PPC from Intel

BlitzMax Forums/BlitzMax Beginners Area/Blitzmax OSX, compiling to PPC from Intel

Lindsay(Posted 2009) [#1]
I gather than when I compile on my Intel Mac, it's creating an Intel binary.

Is there any way I can create a PPC binary without having to buy another Mac?

Thanks,


Brucey(Posted 2009) [#2]
You could try running the PPC IDE, and see what happens. It may...just...work...

Surprisingly, I've never actually tried doing it that way, as I have a Powerbook.


Lindsay(Posted 2009) [#3]
Interesting idea, I'll try it ... stay tuned ...


Lindsay(Posted 2009) [#4]
... OK, when I try to compile my program, I get the following error dialog;

MaxIDE Compile Error: Can't find interface for module 'brl.blitz'


Mark Tiffany(Posted 2009) [#5]
presumably you have installed the intel install. As you are on intel, you (probably) can't force 'max to build all modules in ppc mode, but you might be able to copy the contents of the mod folder from the ppc install? (see account/product updates)

(I don't have a Mac, intel or otherwise, so just guessing!)


Brucey(Posted 2009) [#6]
I might have a go later - just for fun.

It may require bmk (the app which controls the build) to be specific about PPC settings.


ImaginaryHuman(Posted 2009) [#7]
Surely you need the power-pc stuff from XCode as well?


Brucey(Posted 2009) [#8]
I've got the PPC BlitzMax rebuilding modules on my Intel Mac Mini :-)

As predicted... bmk needs a tweak for it to work properly.


A test... Compiled spintext sample on Intel, using PPC BlitzMax (with tweaks) :
$ lipo -info spintext
Non-fat file: spintext is architecture: ppc


Which is interesting... as now I can, in theory, automate universal builds from one machine :-)


Well, that was fun... I'm off to do something less useful now.


Brucey(Posted 2009) [#9]
If anyone wants the tweaked bmk binary to try out, drop me an email, and I'll send it to you with instructions.


xlsior(Posted 2009) [#10]
Very interesting...

I don't have a Mac to do any testing with, but I do think that this sounds like a great addition should it be rolled into the official release.

Now... Any chance of generating Windows .exe's as well?
It appears that there is a MinGW for Mac as well:
http://www.nanoant.com/programming/mingw-on-mac-hell-yeah


therevills(Posted 2009) [#11]
Hi Brucey,

Could you post your findings/instructions here? I think a lot of people would be very interested in this.

Did you test the complied sample on a PPC?

Ages ago we got a G3 iMac which we used to port my games to Mac (since PPC games works on Intels), then we got a G4 MacMin. Only recently we've got an Intel MacMini.

It would be great to create an universal binary from the Intel MacMini!


Lindsay(Posted 2009) [#12]
I don't even know what a bmk binary is, so I'm concerned I'd stuff up my Bmax system trying to use it, so if you could give us the details, that would be great. But I agree, if this can be done, then it should be rolled into the main release as soon as humanly possible :)

Thanks,


Warner(Posted 2009) [#13]
Bmk = blitzmax compiler, located in the \bin folder.


ImaginaryHuman(Posted 2009) [#14]
Cool. Although PPC Macs are getting fewer and further between nowadays. I thought PPC was cool to keep supporting until my old PPC iMac died and now it's just intel all the way. That said, it would be nice to know what percentage of the market (for games mainly) still has a ppc mac.


AdamRedwoods(Posted 2009) [#15]
PPC are still around, but here are some stats from the Adium website:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=675752

I, too, would really like to hear about the BMK tweaks to get Intel->PPC builds.


AdamRedwoods(Posted 2009) [#16]
Direct link:
http://sparkle.adiumx.com/?year=2008&week=%2A&graph=line&normalized=1