[Update Discussion] TotalFinder 1.15.1 for Apple Silicon and Intel — macOS 13, 12, 11, and 10.15

@ChrisOSX

So, I have some good news — I’ve managed to reproduce your issue on the test machine I mentioned earlier!

It’s actually not quite an exact match for your MacBookPro6,2, as it’s actually a MacBookPro5,1 (the very first in the A1286 series to be released all the way back in late 2008), but they’re definitely similar enough!

The patches we share in common (and therefore making them possible causes) are:

  • Moraea Framework 【moraea/non-metal-frameworks:thinking: Most likely the cause, possibly due to some kind of conflict between Moraea’s code injection method and TotalFinder’s.
    • Legacy Keyboard Backlight 【Moraea_BacklightHack
      • Fixes keyboard backlight control on older machines.
      • Injects into Backlight in SkyLight.framework, injection restricted to WindowServer.
      • Source code: SkyLight/Backlight.m
    • Beta Blur 【Moraea_BlurBeta
      • Hooks and replaces NSVisualEffectView with a custom implementation.
      • Injects into Defenestrator in SkyLight.framework.
      • Source code: SkyLight/Defenestrator.m
    • Tweak/Plugin Injector
      • Injects tweak dylibs that are placed in /Library/Application Support/SkyLightPlugins into all processes that load SkyLight.framework (including WindowServer).
      • Source code: SkyLight/Plugins.m
  • NVIDIA Tesla GPU kexts 【nvidia_tesla:x: Most likely not the cause.
    • Installs the following to an unsealed APFS system volume (rootFS) snapshot:
      • /System/Library/Extensions/GeForceGA.bundle (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/GeForceTesla.kext (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/GeForceTeslaGLDriver.bundle (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/GeForceTeslaVADriver.bundle (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/NVDANV50HalTesla.kext (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/NVDAResmanTesla.kext (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/NVDAStartup.kext (12.0b6)
  • Non-Metal Common:x: Most likely not the cause.
    • Applies the following user preferences for… some reason(!?):
      • System Preferences → Dock and Menu Bar → Clock → Show date: When space allows
        • sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences.plist ShowDate -int 1
    • Installs the following to an unsealed APFS system volume (rootFS) snapshot:
      • /System/Library/Extensions/IOSurface.kext (10.15.7)
      • /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework (10.14.3)
      • /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreDisplay.framework (10.14.4-12)
      • /System/Library/Frameworks/IOSurface.framework (10.15.7-12)
      • /System/Library/Frameworks/QuartzCore.framework (10.15.7-12)
      • /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/GPUSupport.framework (10.14.3)
      • /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework (10.14.6-12)
    • Installs the following Moraea tweaks to the APFS data volume:
      • /Library/Application Support/SkyLightPlugins/DropboxHack.dylib
      • /Library/Application Support/SkyLightPlugins/DropboxHack.txt
      • /Library/Application Support/SkyLightPlugins/CatalystButton.dylib
      • /Library/Application Support/SkyLightPlugins/CatalystButton.txt
    • Removes the following kexts from /System/Library/Extensions:
      • AMDRadeonX4000.kext, AMDRadeonX4000HWServices.kext, AMDRadeonX5000.kext, AMDRadeonX5000HWServices.kext, AMDRadeonX6000.kext, AMDRadeonX6000Framebuffer.kext, AMDRadeonX6000HWServices.kext, AppleIntelBDWGraphics.kext, AppleIntelBDWGraphicsFramebuffer.kext, AppleIntelCFLGraphicsFramebuffer.kext, AppleIntelHD4000Graphics.kext, AppleIntelHD5000Graphics.kext, AppleIntelICLGraphics.kext, AppleIntelICLLPGraphicsFramebuffer.kext, AppleIntelKBLGraphics.kext, AppleIntelKBLGraphicsFramebuffer.kext, AppleIntelSKLGraphics.kext, AppleIntelSKLGraphicsFramebuffer.kext, AppleIntelFramebufferAzul.kext, AppleIntelFramebufferCapri.kext, AppleParavirtGPU.kext, GeForce.kext, IOAcceleratorFamily2.kext, IOGPUFamily.kext, AppleAfterburner.kext
  • WebKit Monterey Common (sandbox profile fix):x: Most likely not the cause.
    • Installs the following to an unsealed APFS system volume (rootFS) snapshot:
      • /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework (11.6)
    • Installs the following to the APFS data volume:
      • /Library/Apple/System/Library/StagedFrameworks/Safari/WebKit.framework (11.6)

And just for completedness’s sake, here are the patches we do not share in common:

  • MacBookPro6,2: Intel Ironlake IGP kexts 【iron_gpu:x: Most likely not the cause.
    • Installs the following to an unsealed APFS system volume (rootFS) snapshot:
      • /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphics.kext (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphicsFB.kext (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphicsGA.plugin (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphicsGLDriver.bundle (10.13.6)
      • /System/Library/Extensions/AppleIntelHDGraphicsVADriver.bundle (10.13.6)
  • MacBookPro5,1: Legacy Wireless 【legacy_wifi:x: Most likely not the cause.
    • Installs the following to an unsealed APFS system volume (rootFS) snapshot:
      • /usr/libexec/airportd (11.5.2)
      • /System/Library/CoreServices/WiFiAgent.app (11.5.2)
    • Installs the following Moraea tweaks to the APFS data volume:
      • /Library/Application Support/SkyLightPlugins/CoreWLAN.dylib
      • /Library/Application Support/SkyLightPlugins/CoreWLAN.txt

I haven’t taken much more than a cursory glance at all this though — specifically, I haven’t looked too deeply into what the OpenCore team is doing with their fancy Moraea code injection framework, but I will definitely try and get this resolved one way or another, either from TotalFinder’s side or from Moraea’s.


※ EDIT: Oh, huh. I just noticed, it seems that applying the OpenCore root patches (at least for the MacBookPro5,1) actually also breaks macOS’s built-in sshd… somehow.

2 Likes

This is amazing news!

This is an strange one for me. There was a point where my machine needed the backlight hack. But something in one of the updates made it work sporadically . I noticed a few times ago before I applied root patches.

I have responded to the DM with the necessary info. It does indeed break it…odd.

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I wish a new and running version for Christmas! :wink:

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@akemin_dayo Just wondering if there’s an update? I hope I didn’t miss a beta release. When there is one, will you be posting about it here?

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@RickO

Don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything — I’ll definitely make a post here when the new beta is available!


@Thommy

I’ll try my best!


TotalFinder 1.14.4 beta development progress report

While the beta is indeed technically usable in its current state (in that there are no known crashes, and is a net improvement over 1.14.3), I don’t know how I feel about releasing something that is pretty much half-baked with missing features, as my standards for releasing beta software is usually “this should mostly work as intended, but there may be unforeseen bugs, or a few known issues that are either very minor or otherwise do not significantly impact functionality”.

In any case, here’s the progress report for those who may be interested:

What’s been fixed so far

  • Native Apple right-click context menu actions are no longer missing.
  • Copy Path context menu actions are fully working.
  • Having coloured labels enabled no longer causes Finder to crash.
  • Cut and paste partially works. (※ See below for further details.)
  • Coloured label rendering in all views (list, icon, desktop icon, and column) fully works, but… (※ See below for further details.)

What still needs to be addressed

  • Cutting a file/folder and attempting to paste it (either via Cmd-V or the context menu) into the current directory does not work.
    • Pasting it into a selected/highlighted folder via right-click works, however.
      • An unintended bug also currently exists that allows you to do this via Cmd-V as well, but this will need to be removed/fixed as it subverts user expectations and is not how the feature should behave.
  • Pretty much everything to do with coloured labels has been fixed… except one crucial piece of functionality: The ability for TotalFinder to look up the assigned tag colour of a given file/folder.
    • Apple made quite a few under-the-hood changes to Finder in macOS 13, one of which has made this… unexpectedly difficult, let’s say.
    • (It also doesn’t help that Finder is one of the more… convoluted apps that I’ve seen come out of Apple, which just makes reverse engineering it that much harder ;P)

Hopefully… I can get this figured out soon. While there’s pretty much “just” two things left to deal with, both of those things ended up being… more complicated than expected.

Once again, my apologies for the delay!


※ Also, regarding the code injection issues that occur on certain specific non-Metal Macs using OpenCore Legacy Patcher: I’ve gotten into contact with some people (including Amy/ASentientBot) on the OCLP team. This is most likely something that will have to be fixed from the OCLP side of things though, as their root patches on these particular machines are actually causing other broken behaviour, too.

8 Likes

You shouldn’t have to apologise, you can’t foresee how much time is needed for fixing something that’s changed so far than expected… moreover, I think I can speak for everybody here, we are grateful to you for every hour you spend for TF and also for the really detailed reports you are sharing with us.

3 Likes

Ditto that!

@akemin_dayo I very much hope that when you get this all worked out, you will make the new version a paid upgrade. You deserve compensation for all the time you’ve invested. I last paid $12 for TF five years ago. I’d gladly pay double that now for a Ventura-working version now.

Ditto!

@akemin_dayo, I wanted to thank you for all that you are doing to give us continued support for TotalFinder. I don’t want to use my Macs without it. As such, I’m still running Monterey 12.6.1 on my M1 Max. I haven’t found a suitable replacement for TF. No other Finder enhancement has the right tabs or Copy/Paste options. I’ve been using TF for quite a while yet and bought more than a few licenses…

Having been a SDLC professional for about 30 years - and a SQA DIR/VP - I’d be happy to lend a hand with testing if you need it. I have the M1 Max MBP and an M2 Air (Ventura). Let me know how I can help.

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Thank you everyone for your kind words and support!

(:pineapple:´ ▽`).。o :sparkles:


@ChrisSpera

I may actually take you up on this offer for the second macOS 13 beta, since I’ll need to test to see if my method for removing the need for the -arm64_preview_abi boot-arg works with M2 machines. I’ll DM you when the time comes!

(This will be sometime after the release of the first macOS 13-compatible beta, and will most likely just involve you testing a simple Hello World-style app.)

I felt the same way when I was initially looking into transitioning to an Apple Silicon machine — a few emails with Antonin later, I ended up here ;​P


Compatibility report: TotalFinder 1.14.2 works with macOS 12.6.2 21G320 Monterey (released 2022/12/13)!

Apple recently released a new security update, macOS 12.6.2 21G320 Monterey on 2022/12/13.

I can confirm that TotalFinder 1.14.2 works fine with it.

I have not tested macOS 11.7.2 20G1020 Big Sur yet (also released on the same day), but the same should apply there as well. I’ll update this post here when I do.

(The test machine I normally use for macOS 11 is somewhat… occupied with macOS 13 testing right now… oops.)

Below are Apple’s security patch notes for both macOS versions.

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Thanks for this update. Now I can install the macOS update on my production machine.

BTW, one little glitch I noticed on the update screen:

image

(I am not running pre-releases on this machine.)

@RickO

Ah, that’s caused by the fact that Antonin apparently never actually promoted 1.14.3 out of the pre-release channel.

I’ll uh, poke at him later to get that fixed.

3 Likes

so where DO we get this beta?

I’m interested too. I don’t seem to see a download link on this thread. Thanks Akemin_dayo!

I noticed that some users mentioned they can run TF 1.14.3 on macOS 13.1.

I can’t even launch it - nothing happens on attempt to launch TF.

I have SIP disabled and added the -arm64e_preview_abi boot-arg.

Mac Studio M1 Max, 64 GB

Are there other essential steps I’m missing?


Thanks,
Leo

I believe you have to check the “Include Pre-releases” checkbox in TF Preferences under Updates.

If you had Colored Labels turned on before update, TF will crash on launch in 13.1. The fix is to delete TF’s prefs file and then not turn on Colored Labels. More info in the thread above.

How can I do this if I can’t even launch TF?

MB Pro 13", M1, Ventura 13.1

Prefs file deleted, still that fine error display.

Have you read this entire thread? There are several hints/steps to get it to work on M1. I’m on Intel, so no personal experience.

1 Like