Hero Designer (HD) on Apple Mac Desktop or Laptop

[jfg17 14]

 Does HD work on Apple computers? If yes, what are the Mac requirements, and what special steps might I need to take to get it set up? Many thx.

[Simon 1,045]

It's developed on a Mac, so I'd say that it runs just fine on them 😉

The requirements are the same as for all other systems: a full/functioning installation of the Java JRE (version 6 or better, but that's kind of a given these days).

[jfg17 14]

TY - I have the latest version (Version 8 Update 251), so I'll assume I'm all set!

[unclevlad 813]

The latest version is, I believe, 13.  Not sure the last update number.  But if you're not coding in Java?  It's not likely you need to go past 8...or at least not often.  10, perhaps, as there were some significant language chances in 9 and 10, but I suspect it's not common for general-use apps.  

[Korren9 0]

I downloaded the ZIP (after paying for it!) and Unzipped it and opened the .JAR file (on Mac AirBook) and it told me I need the JDK (Java Developers' Kit) so I downloaded and installed THAT, now when I open the .JAR file absolutely nothing happens. I mean, it makes the little animation like it's starting a program, but nothing is showing up, anywhere. {sigh}

[Brian Stanfield 573]

6 hours ago, Korren9 said:

I downloaded the ZIP (after paying for it!) and Unzipped it and opened the .JAR file (on Mac AirBook) and it told me I need the JDK (Java Developers' Kit) so I downloaded and installed THAT, now when I open the .JAR file absolutely nothing happens. I mean, it makes the little animation like it's starting a program, but nothing is showing up, anywhere. {sigh}

If I recall correctly, I had the same problem on my Mac. I think I deleted every bit of the installed HD files, restarted and reinstalled and it ran fine. 

[Simon 1,045]

A couple of things:

1. You need the JRE, not the JDK.  The JDK is for developers.  It will include the runtime environment that you need for HD, but also has a LOT of stuff that you won't need.  The JRE is the runtime environment only.

2. Most likely, your system is prompting you to approve opening a downloaded application.  If you missed the popup, you'll likely see it in the Security & Privacy section of your System Preferences panel.

Also note that you need to have HD in a directory that you have full read-write permissions to.

[Korren9 0]

Thanks to both Simon and Brian, but neither of those solutions worked. I know about the "Unidentified Creator" and I typed in admin password to bypass that. After doing that the first time, it said it needed JDK and wouldn't do anything and sent me to the Oracle site to download it. (I'd uninstall it, if I knew how, just to get the error message screenshot!)

 

I'm running OS X Yosemite v 10.10.5 on a MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)

I don't know which version of Java I'm running, though. Where do I look that up? I know there's no Java "Program" to start up, otherwise I'd select Open File and try to find the HD software from there!

 

Thanks,

Corey

[Simon 1,045]

It's sounding increasingly like you don't have Java installed properly on your system.

 

Open a terminal and enter 

java -version

That will run Java and output the current version that is installed.

[Korren9 0]

After figuring out what the hell a launchpad and a Terminal was (thank you, Google!), it gives me this error:

 

Error: dl failure on line 558

Error: failed /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-14.0.1.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/server/libjvm.dylib, because dlopen(/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-14.0.1.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/server/libjvm.dylib, 10): no suitable image found.  Did find:

/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-14.0.1.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/server/libjvm.dylib: code signature invalid for '/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-14.0.1.jdk/Contents/Home/lib/server/libjvm.dylib'

[Simon 1,045]

Yeah...you don't have Java properly installed.

 

I'd remove the JDK that you attempted to install (google is your friend as that is going to be well outside of the purview of this site).  Once that's done, go to java.com and install the current JRE -- it's the big red button that says "Java Download"

[Korren9 0]

That seems to have done it! Thanks, Simon!!

 

Thanks,

Corey

[Brian Stanfield 573]

Wow! That whole process was almost as complicated as making a Champions character by hand . . . 

[Simon 1,045]

Yes, of course....helping someone troubleshoot a bad installation of Java (not HD) means that pen and paper (and keeping track of all of the HERO System rules surrounding character generation) is easier.  Couldn't be clearer.