CM15

[Jack Brindle]

I can provide an update on Apple & Kernel extensions. They work just fine through Catalina. There are a few third-party kexts that are available in Big Sur (maybe 7), everyone else needs a driver extension (dext). We spent most of the last year creating one for our software, which is now shipping (Logitech Options/Mac). The really cool thing about the dext is that it runs outside the kernel, in user space. But, it is not easy to create, and requires special permission from Apple to load.

kexts in Catalina and Big Sur need user permission to load (in the Security & Privacy System Preference). The notification is shown once, and if you ignore it you just have to know to go approve it. 

My question for James - why is a kext needed for the CM15? Is this the old bit-banged interface (firecracker, was it?)?  My memory for the older devices is not good at this point. I just got rid of an old CM-11 (the original serial port interface box, it was broken).

Jack


> On May 17, 2021, at 4:47 AM, James Sentman <james at sentman.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> In answer to your question off the list, yes, it went to the list :)
> 
> Apple has changed the requirements and will shortly be changing the format and type of thing you’re allowed to turn into a kernel extension for such devices. I BELIVE that the one we had should still work up through Mojave but almost certainly not in Catalina or Big Sur. The good news is that any version of XTension can still use the plugin, it’s just not included as part of the standard distribution anymore. You will need to download it separately and use the “install plugin” menu item from the Database menu to install it into your database.
> 
> You can find that here:  https://machomeautomation.com/files/xtension/legacy_plugins.zip <https://machomeautomation.com/files/xtension/legacy_plugins.zip>
> 
> There may be a  problem in that I removed the menu item for installing the kernel extensions in the last few OS versions. If you don’t do an instal before you upgrade then it may take some extra steps to get it installed. Or I might have been clever enough to show the menu item if you’re on an OS version that still supports them but I can’t remember yet this morning. First coffee going in now ;) If you need instructions for installing the kernel extension manually I can walk you through that, drop me another note off the list.
> 
> 
>> On May 16, 2021, at 11:25 AM, Dave Leland <dave at digicomp.us <mailto:dave at digicomp.us>> wrote:
>> 
>> Morning.
>> 
>> What’s the last version of XTension and macOS that one can still run the CM15 plugin?
>> 
>> Dave
> 
> Thanks,
>  James
> 
> 
> James Sentman                       http://www.PlanetaryGear.org <http://www.planetarygear.org/>		http://MacHomeAutomation.com <http://machomeautomation.com/>
> 
> 
> 
> 
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