Meld v3.21.0 (r4) hot-fix for macOS on Intel CPU / Apple Silicon CPU with Rosetta

meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh

### Test on https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20
### OSX - 3.21.0 (r4) Sonoma
### !!! Note: You need put the Meld.app r4 build to the /Applications path first.

#!/bin/zsh

#Fix libpng16.16.dylib not found
install_name_tool -change /usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib @executable_path/../Frameworks/libpng16.16.dylib /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Frameworks/libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib

#Fix libbrotlidec.1.dylib not found
install_name_tool -change /usr/local/opt/brotli/lib/libbrotlidec.1.dylib @executable_path/../Frameworks/libbrotlidec.1.dylib /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Frameworks/libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib

#Make MacOS trust Meld.app
xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Meld.app

#Removes the existing code signature
codesign --remove-signature /Applications/Meld.app

#Re-signs with system’s default certificate
codesign --force --deep --sign - /Applications/Meld.app

#if CPU type is Apple silicon, use Rosetta to execute
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :LSRequiresNativeExecution false" /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Info.plist

#Try to open Meld
open /Applications/Meld.app

#Meld CLI Setup
curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_setup_cli.sh | zsh

meld_setup_cli.sh

#!/bin/zsh
RC_FILES=( .bashrc .zshrc )
for RC_FILE in "${RC_FILES[@]}"
do
  [ -f ~/${RC_FILE} ] && {
    ( cat ~/${RC_FILE} | grep "alias meld=" ) && {
        echo "Already put it at ~/${RC_FILE}"
    }|| {
        echo "alias meld='meld_script(){ /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/MacOS/Meld \$* 2>/dev/null & };meld_script'" >> ~/${RC_FILE}
        . ~/${RC_FILE}
        echo "Put it at ~/${RC_FILE} .. ok"
    }
  }
done
echo "[!] You may need to reopen your Terminal."

z_readme

1. Download the official **3.21.0 osx4 (r4 pre-release)** [https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20] version. 
2. Move the Meld.app file to the /Applications directory. 
3. Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (**only one line**): 
`curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh`

I feel like this should also link to the relevant issue: yousseb/meld#151 (comment)

Yes, you are right. And hope this script snippet can help everyone.

It works like a charm, thanks @syneart
For people who don't read the comment lines (like me), this is for Meld v3.21.0 (r4). The "latest dmg" at Meld for OSX points to Meld v3.21.0 (r2), for which I think the script might work as well if substituting "libfreetype.6.dylib" for "libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib", but I have not tried it.

Use below command to hotfix the Meld v3.21.0 (r4) from https://github.com/yousseb/meld/ on your own MacOS Sonoma. curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

Thanks a lot! Success right away.：）

Ditto! Even though the meld app icon had a big circle with a diagonal slash icon when I opened the dmg file, as if it was for the wrong OS, applying the hotfix made it work. Thanks @syneart!

Thank you so much for this - worked perfectly on latest Mac with the version of Meld linked in the gist.

THANK YOU !!!!

It works like a charm, thanks @syneart For people who don't read the comment lines (like me), this is for Meld v3.21.0 (r4). The "latest dmg" at Meld for OSX points to Meld v3.21.0 (r2), for which I think the script might work as well if substituting "libfreetype.6.dylib" for "libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib", but I have not tried it.

Thank you for your feedback. ：)
In fact, making the corresponding modifications is not a problem. However, there may be some unknown issues when using the r2 version on macOS Sonoma. We'll have to wait and see what the author's next strategy is.

Thank you! This is such a lifesaver! Worked perfectly on M1 Mac.

This is glorious, thank you so much!

Meld is such a great app, but installing it got ridiculously hard at this point...

It works like a charm, thanks @syneart For people who don't read the comment lines (like me), this is for Meld v3.21.0 (r4). The "latest dmg" at Meld for OSX points to Meld v3.21.0 (r2), for which I think the script might work as well if substituting "libfreetype.6.dylib" for "libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib", but I have not tried it.

thank you so much for enlighten me because I'm using Meld v3.21.0 (r2) and it doesn't work.
change it to Meld v3.21.0 (r4) now it works like charm..

thanks for the author @syneart

I get a different error on a M3 silicon mac:

I'm seeing the same thing on my work laptop (M1 chip). It looks like the r4 build may not be signed and my org has a policy that doesn't allow unsigned apps to be installed. Does that track with anyone else's understanding or experience?

If that's accurate, then the r2 release must be signed because it opens just fine. Is there any way to port this script so that it works for the r2 release as well?

I get a different error on a M3 silicon mac:

I'm seeing the same thing on my work laptop (M1 chip). It looks like the r4 build may not be signed and my org has a policy that doesn't allow unsigned apps to be installed. Does that track with anyone else's understanding or experience?

If that's accurate, then the r2 release must be signed because it opens just fine. Is there any way to port this script so that it works for the r2 release as well?

Hi, If you are unable to use command to make MacOS trust, you can try the manual method.

or just use below command to hotfix the Meld v3.21.0 (r4). Note: you need put the Meld.app r4 build to the /Applications path first.
curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

Looking forward to hearing good news from you.

Can confirm that this removes the untrusted aspect of r4! Still doesn't let me diff directories or files from the command line, which is unfortunate, but it's something...

Can confirm that this removes the untrusted aspect of r4! Still doesn't let me diff directories or files from the command line, which is unfortunate, but it's something...

According to the original functionality of the author, you can try the following alias commands I've created.

alias meld='meld_script(){ /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/MacOS/Meld $* 2>/dev/null & };meld_script'

And then try to use it in the same terminal, such as,

meld --diff /tmp /tmp ~/Pictures --diff /tmp ~/Documents

I've also added this functionality to this gist, you can just Overwrite with the original file and rerun the below script.

curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

Hoping it can help everyone.

Updated my alias and I no longer get the error because of the redirection. The alias does launch meld, but it's an empty launch. Nothing actually being diffed.

meld ./.github/workflows/ ./.github/workflows/
[2] 79913

I haven't had a chance to mess with it much and will try to do so more today, but thanks for all of the work on this!

My bad! I had double quotes in my alias. When I changed it to single, it's all good. This is genuinely huge for me. Thank you again!

Can confirm that these steps work, @syneart , thank you again! I can launch app and, from the command line, diff both files and directories. Your patch seems to give me everything I really expect from Meld, so I'm crazy happy that I don't have to start using diffmerge or something else that just isn't as good.

Works like a charm !!! thanks much :)

@syneart Thanks Legend! Worked perfectly.

Thank you as well. Your workaround enabled me to run Meld on my M3 Pro running 14.6.1!

On my M1 Pro arm64 I don't get it to work.
The current fatal error seems to be '/usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib' (mach-o file, but is an incompatible architecture (have 'arm64', need 'x86_64'))

I don't have these dylib's in my path. I find 3 and they all report (with file):
/usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib: Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library arm64

I tried variants of /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :LSRequiresNativeExecution false" /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Info.plist , and true,
but without success (I didn't know this command before)

On my M1 Pro arm64 I don't get it to work. The current fatal error seems to be '/usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib' (mach-o file, but is an incompatible architecture (have 'arm64', need 'x86_64'))

I don't have these dylib's in my path. I find 3 and they all report (with file): /usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib: Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library arm64

I tried variants of /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :LSRequiresNativeExecution false" /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Info.plist , and true, but without success (I didn't know this command before)

1. First, go to https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20 and download the official 3.21.0 osx4 (r4 pre-release) version.
2. Move the Meld.app file to the /Applications directory.
3. Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (only one line):
   curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

On my M1 Pro arm64 I don't get it to work. The current fatal error seems to be '/usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib' (mach-o file, but is an incompatible architecture (have 'arm64', need 'x86_64'))
I don't have these dylib's in my path. I find 3 and they all report (with file): /usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib: Mach-O 64-bit dynamically linked shared library arm64
I tried variants of /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :LSRequiresNativeExecution false" /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Info.plist , and true, but without success (I didn't know this command before)

1. First, go to https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20 and download the official 3.21.0 osx4 (r4 pre-release) version.
2. Move the Meld.app file to the /Applications directory.
3. Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (only one line):
   curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

Tried again. And wow, that works now! 🎉 I earlier applied these steps individually and must have done something wrong there (first time I tried r2 then I tried to search for paths).
Thanks a lot! ❤️ very glad to use it again.

It works like a charm, thanks @syneart For people who don't read the comment lines (like me), this is for Meld v3.21.0 (r4). The "latest dmg" at Meld for OSX points to Meld v3.21.0 (r2), for which I think the script might work as well if substituting "libfreetype.6.dylib" for "libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib", but I have not tried it.

It's work on M2 Mac too.

Any update for macOS 15.1 (24B83)?

I am getting the following error.

The application “(null)” does not have permission to open “(null)”.

Same for me. It worked fine in 15.0 but in 15.1 it says "The application Finder does not have permission to open null" when double-clicked from Applications, and if from the launchpad it says ""The application Dock does not have permission to open null"

For macOS 15.1 (24B83)
The application “(null)” does not have permission to open “(null)”.

@k4u5hik, @stevejordi Thank you for the feedback.
I have already made adjustments for this issue. You can simply run the hot-fix script again to continue using Meld.app.

-> Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (only one line):
curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

If it still fails, you can go through the process again.

1. First, Remove the original Meld.app located in the /Applications directory.
2. And, go to https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20 and download the official 3.21.0 osx4 (r4 pre-release) version.
3. Move the Meld.app file to the /Applications directory.
4. Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (only one line):
   curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

@stevejordi I too got those errors

"The application Finder does not have permission to open null" or
"The application Dock does not have permission to open null"

Removing the signature of the app and self-signing it solved the problem.

codesign --remove-signature /Applications/Meld.app
codesign --force --deep --sign - /Applications/Meld.app

@syneart Thank you. It's working again.