olca-app-build

Building the distribution packages

To build the distribution packages, we currently use the standard PDE Export wizard. Click on the olca-app project and then on Export... from the context menu. Select Plug-in Development > Eclipse Product from the export wizard and select the following options in the export dialog:

• Configuration: /olca-app/openLCA.product (should be the default)
• Root directory: openLCA
• Synchronize before exporting: yes [x]
• Destination directory: choose the olca-app-build/build folder of this project
• Generate p2 repository: no [ ] (would be just overhead)
• Export for multiple platforms: yes [x]
• (take the defaults for the others)

In the next page, select the platforms for which you want to build the product. After the export, you need to run the package module package to copy resources like the Java runtime, the native math libraries, etc. to the application folder and to create the installers.

The packager script can build distribution packages for the following platforms (but you do not need to build them all, if a platform product is missing it is simply ignored in the package script):

• Linux gtk x86_64
• macOS cocoa x86_64
• Windows win32 x86_64

The packager script may download build tools (7zip, NSIS on Windows), the JRE, and native libraries if these are missing.

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Steps when building a release package

Export and package the release (Win, Linux, macOS)

1. Check that the olca-app and olca-modules repositories are on the master branch and are in sync with our GitHub repository.

2. Copy the welcome page background image into olca-app/olca-app-html/images/background_start_page.jpg. This image is not stored on GitHub as it is often modified and quite large.

3. Run the prepare-release.py script that updates the olca-modules libraries in the olca-app, creates fresh database templates, updates the html-pages, creates the Jython bindings from the current modules, etc.:

   cd olca-app
   python prepare-release.py

4. Run the PDE export as described above.

5. Run the packaging module package.

   cd olca-app-build
   python -m package

   Note: To also create the Windows installer, add --winstaller to the command and to package MKL native library instead of BLAS, add --mkl.

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Independent distribution

Prepare the independent distribution of the Mac app (.dmg) (only on macOS).

In order to pass the Gatekeeper protection, the Mac bundle freshly packaged has to be signed in depth with an Apple Development certificate, notarized and stapled. When testing, one should make a test copy after running the script.

Prerequisites:

• Xcode (version > 13),
• Keychain Access,
• create-dmg (version > 1.1.0): brew install create-dmg,

1. Set up the signing certificate:

   • In Xcode, Open Settings > Accounts > + and sign in with the Green Delta Apple ID.
   • Add the Developer ID Application Certificate in Manage Certificates....
   • Get the name of the certificate:
     • Open Keychain Access,
     • In login > My Certificates the full name is Developer ID Application: GreenDelta GmbH (<code>).

2. Set up the notarytoolcredentials:

   • Go to https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/access/users and sign in with the Green Delta Apple ID.
   • Select the Keys tab and create a key named notarytool with Developer role.
   • Download the key API with caution (it can be downloaded only one time).
   • Add the password to your system:
     • Run the following command xcrun notarytool store-credentials:
     • Profile name: notarytool,
     • Path to...: path/to/the/API/key/AuthKey_***********.p8,
     • App Store Connect API Key ID: see key file name or key ID on https://appstoreconnect.apple.com,
     • App Store Connect API Issuer ID: see Issuer ID on https://appstoreconnect.apple.com.

3. Run the following command to sign, notarized, staple the app and embellish the disk image:

   cd olca-app-build
   ./mac_dist.sh --dev-id-app <certificate full name> dmg

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App Store Distribution

Prepare the App store distribution of the Mac app (.pkg) (only on macOS)

Prerequisites:

• Xcode (version > 13),
• Keychain Access.

1. Set up the signing certificates:

   • In Xcode, open Settings > Accounts > + and sign in with the Green Delta Apple ID.
   • Add the Developer ID Application Certificate in Manage Certificates....
   • Get the name of the certificate:
     • Open Keychain Access,
     • In login > My Certificates the full name are 3rd Party Mac Developer Installer: GreenDelta GmbH (<code>) and 3rd Party Mac Developer Application: GreenDelta GmbH (<code>).

2. Set up the notarytoolcredentials:

   • See the second section of independent distribution.

3. Set up the altoolcredentials:

   • Go to https://appleid.apple.com/ and sign in with the Green Delta Apple ID.
   • Select Application password and create a new password named altool and copy it.
   • Add the password to your system:
     • Open Keychain Access and select File > New password Item...,
     • Fill the form with the password name altool, your Apple ID and the password you have copied.

4. Run the following command to sign, validate and upload the app to the Apple Store:

   cd olca-app-build
   ./mac_dist.sh \
     --store-id-app <application certificate full name> \
     --store-id-installer <installer certificate full name> \
     --user <Apple user ID> pkg

Test the apps!

1. Open every package, open a database and eventually a product system.
2. Test the DMG on a different computer than the one used to sign and notarize.

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Create icons for the distribution

macOS

In order to generate the .icns of the macOS distribution, create a 1024x1024 PNG image and use the script from olca-app-build/create_icns.sh:

create_icns.sh logo.png

Windows

Multiple steps are necessary to combine the different icons into a .ico file:

1. Create 16x16, 32x32, 48x48 and 256x256 PNG icons with an alpha layer (transparency) (in 32 bit).
2. [conversion into 8 bit BMP] In GIMP, convert the 16x16, 32x32 and 48x48 icons into 8 bit BMP by removing the alpha layer (transparency) and using the indexed mode.
3. [conversion into 32 bit BMP] In GIMP again, convert the 16x16, 32x32, 48x48 and 256x256 PNG icons into BMP while keeping the alpha layer and use the RGB mode.
4. [conversion to Windows .ico] Use a converter or the following macOS command to pack the 7 icons into one ICO file.

convert 16_8bit.bmp 16_32bit.bmp 32_8bit.bmp 32_32bit.bmp 48_8bit.bmp 48_32bit.bmp 256_32bit.bmp logo.ico