Compiling the viewer (Mac OS X)

The following are instructions for building the Second Life viewer on Mac OS X. For other platforms, see Compiling the viewer

You will also need to check the Build Notes column of the table on source downloads page.

Development Environment

Lindens use XCode 2.4.1 for building on Macintosh computers. For simplicity, we suggest installing everything from the mpkg.

You will need to install the proprietary libraries as well as all of the other third party libraries below.

Installing Files

Viewer Source, Libraries, and Artwork

The required source code, pre-compiled third-party libraries, and artwork files are available from the source downloads page. Download the Mac/Linux (LF) source, the Mac library package, and the Artwork zip file.

Unpack them into a single directory. The directory that you work in should should have no spaces in the name. For example, from the directory where you downloaded the tarballs (x.x.x.x = version number, e.g., 1.14.0.1.):

$ tar xvfz slviewer-src-x.x.x.x.tar.gz
$ tar xvfz slviewer-darwin-libs-x.x.x.x.tar.gz
$ unzip slviewer-artwork-x.x.x.x.zip

If you have Stuffit installed on your system, it may automacially unstuff .gz, so use tar xvf, without the z to extract the tar file. It may also automatically unzip files. Instead of clicking on the file link, right click on the file link and select Download Linked File which will keep .gz and .zip intact.

The exact filenames will differ with the version number. If you open them with the double click file extract, remember that dragging folders on top of each other will overwrite the original contents, not merge them as in Windows.

Check the source downloads page for any special Build Notes associated with the viewer version, if any.

Installing Proprietary Libraries

The Viewer depends on some proprietary libraries. Lindens do not distribute these libraries, so you will need to fetch and install these even if you download the libraries packages. (This is due to licensing restrictions. Don't ask, Lindens already did, and can't get permission. So you do have to get them yourself.)

Fmod

• Download & extract fmod 3.75 programmers api for macintosh.
• (You do *not* want the latest version, instead scroll down to v3.75)
• Copy the extracted files. Note the name change for the x86 library.

$ cp -p fmodapi375mac/api/inc/*.h linden/libraries/include
$ cp -p fmodapi375mac/api/lib/libfmod.a linden/libraries/powerpc-darwin/lib_debug
$ cp -p fmodapi375mac/api/lib/libfmod.a linden/libraries/powerpc-darwin/lib_release
$ cp -p fmodapi375mac/api/lib/libfmodx86.a linden/libraries/i386-darwin/lib_debug/libfmod.a
$ cp -p fmodapi375mac/api/lib/libfmodx86.a linden/libraries/i386-darwin/lib_release/libfmod.a

Installing Libraries From Scratch (Optional)

For convenience, Lindens package up the libraries they are allowed to distribute so you can download and unpack them into your development working directory. The above procedure installs pre-compiled third-party library files. If you want to build the libraries yourself, this section will show you how to compile them and copy them into the viewer source tree.

We recommend creating a separate third party library directory named 'lindenlib' on the same level as the 'linden' tree in your directory structure. Download, unpack, and build from there and copy the files specified to their final location.

$ cd to linden libraries location
$ mkdir lindenlib

A sample directory structure:

Second_Life_Viewer
   linden
      LICENSE-libraries-mac.txt
      etc.
   lindenlib
      boost_1_33_0
      etc.

Most of the libs built here are architecture specific, so these instructions will refer to $PLATFORM to denote that. You can set an environment variable to make it so copy & paste from these instructions will work:

$ export PLATFORM=`uname -p`-darwin

Building the Universal target requires that you have built both the i386 and ppc libraries. (Please see [1] for more background information.)

Using gcc 4.0 on a ppc box when building many of these libraries will insert an undefined reference to _fprintf$LBDLStub which then fails to link later. Until we have a better solution to this issue, you will need to use an earlier version of gcc. Some of the instructions below will include a call to gcc_select which is only necessary if you are building on a ppc box.

Boost

Download & extract Boost source. The viewer does not link to the boost libraries, so much of this is not necessary. You can simply copy the header files if you have problems getting the boost package to build.

Copy the Headers

$ cp -r lindenlib/boost_1_33_0/boost linden/libraries/include/boost

Build Boost.Jam

$ sudo gcc_select 4.0
$ cd boost_1_33_0/tools/build/jam_src
$ ./build.sh
$ if [ $PLATFORM = "i386-darwin" ]; then PLATDIR=bin.macosxx86; else PLATDIR=bin.macosxppc; fi
$ printenv PLATFORM (displays platform name)
$ cp $PLATDIR/bjam ../../..
$ unset PLATDIR

Build Boost

$ cd ../../../ (puts you into boost_1_33_0 directory)
$ export PYTHON_ROOT=/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.3/
$ export PYTHON_VERSION=2.3
$ ./bjam stage

Copy the Libraries

$ cd boost_1_33_0
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_python-gcc.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_python-gcc-d.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug/libboost_python-gcc.a
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_python-gcc-mt.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_python-gcc-mt-d.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug/libboost_python-gcc-mt.a
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_regex-gcc.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_regex-gcc-d.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug/libboost_regex-gcc.a
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_regex-gcc-mt.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp src/stage/lib/libboost_regex-gcc-mt-d.a libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug/libboost_regex-gcc-mt.a

Apache Portable Runtime

• Download & extract apr and apr-util.
• Build and install the headers and lib files using a terminal.

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
(Note: sudo gcc_select 3.3 is used until your run XCode, so you don't have to keep selecting it in each section)
$ cd lindenlib/apr-1.2.8
$ ./configure --disable-shared --disable-lfs --prefix=/tmp/apr
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -pR /tmp/apr/include/apr-1 linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/include
$ cp /tmp/apr/lib/libapr-1.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp /tmp/apr/lib/libapr-1.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug

$ cd lindenlib/apr-util-1.2.8
$ ./configure --disable-shared --disable-lfs --with-apr=/tmp/apr --prefix=/tmp/apr-util
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -pR /tmp/apr-util/include/apr-1 linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/include
$ cp /tmp/apr-util/lib/*.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp /tmp/apr-util/lib/*.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug

zlib

• Download and extract zlib.
• Build and install it.

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ cd lindenlib/zlib-1.2.3
$ ./configure --prefix=/tmp/zlib
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -Rp /tmp/zlib/include linden/libraries/include/zlib
$ cp -p /tmp/zlib/lib/libz.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug/libllz.a
$ cp -p /tmp/zlib/lib/libz.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release/libllz.a

• Note that the library has a different name in the libraries directory.

Expat

• Download an extract the 1.95.8 version of expat.
• Build and install the library

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ cd lindenlib/expat-1.95.8
$ ./configure --prefix=/tmp/expat
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -pR /tmp/expat/include linden/libraries/include/expat
$ cp -p /tmp/expat/lib/libexpat.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp -p /tmp/expat/lib/libexpat.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug

XMLRPC-epi

• Download a source package for xmlrpc-epi.
• $ cd lindenlib/xmlrpc-epi-0.51 (save patches here and run here)
• Apply patch 1 and 2 from the instructions in patch xmlrpc-epi.
• Configure the project:

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ ./configure --disable-shared --prefix=/tmp/xmlrpc-epi

• Apply patch 3 from the instructions in patch xmlrpc-epi.
• Finish the removal of expat, build, and install

$ rm -rf expat
$ mkdir expat
$ cp /tmp/expat/include/* expat
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -pR /tmp/xmlrpc-epi/include linden/libraries/include/xmlrpc-epi
$ cp -p /tmp/xmlrpc-epi/lib/libxmlrpc.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp -p /tmp/xmlrpc-epi/lib/libxmlrpc.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug

JPEGlib

• Download & extract jpeglib. You will minimally need jpegsrc.v6b.tar.gz.
• Build and install the library:

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ cd jpeg-6b
$ ./configure
$ make
$ cd ../..
(if directory doesn't exist do: $ mkdir linden/libraries/include/jpeglib)
$ cp lindenlib/jpeg-6b/jconfig.h linden/libraries/include/jpeglib
$ cp lindenlib/jpeg-6b/jerror.h linden/libraries/include/jpeglib
$ cp lindenlib/jpeg-6b/jinclude.h linden/libraries/include/jpeglib
$ cp lindenlib/jpeg-6b/jmorecfg.h linden/libraries/include/jpeglib
$ cp lindenlib/jpeg-6b/jpeglib.h linden/libraries/include/jpeglib
$ cp lindenlib/jpeg-6b/libjpeg.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug/liblljpeg.a
$ cp lindenlib/jpeg-6b/libjpeg.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release/liblljpeg.a

• Note that the library has a different name in the libraries directory.
• If you plan to use the header file from windows, you will need to patch jpeglib using any terminal.

OpenJPEG

• Download and extract version 1.1.1 openjpeg source.
• Copy the linden openjpeg makefiles into the openjpeg source top level directory. We do this to maintain 10.3.9 compatibility.
• Build and install the library

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ cd lindenlib/openjpeg
(if directory does not exist do $ mkdir ../../linden/libraries/include/openjpeg)
$ cp -p libopenjpeg/openjpeg.h ../../linden/libraries/include/openjpeg
$ make -f Makefile-i386.ppc libopenjpeg.a
$ cp libopenjpeg.a ../../linden/libraries/ppc-darwin/lib_debug
$ cp libopenjpeg.a ../../linden/libraries/ppc-darwin/lib_release
$ make -f Makefile-i386.ppc clean
$ make -f Makefile-i386.osx libopenjpeg.a
$ cp libopenjpeg.a ../../linden/libraries/i386-darwin/lib_debug
$ cp libopenjpeg.a ../../linden/libraries/i386-darwin/lib_release

• 02-26-2007, another set of patches is required to Second Life to make it usable, that is fix a crash, make it look good, and speed it up. See https://jira.secondlife.com:443/browse/VWR-123

Freetype

• Download and extract FreeType.
• Build and install the FreeType library:

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ cd lindenlib/freetype-2.2.1
$ ./configure --prefix=/tmp/freetype
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -pR /tmp/freetype/include/freetype2/freetype linden/libraries/include
$ cp -p /tmp/freetype/include/ft2build.h linden/libraries/include
$ cp -p /tmp/freetype/lib/libfreetype.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release
$ cp -p /tmp/freetype/lib/libfreetype.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug

Vorbis & Ogg

• Download & extract libvorbis.
• Download & extract libogg.
• Build & copy libogg first:

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ cd lindenlib/libogg-1.1.3
$ ./configure --prefix=/tmp/ogg
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -pR /tmp/ogg/include/ogg linden/libraries/include
$ cp -p /tmp/ogg/lib/libogg.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug
$ cp -p /tmp/ogg/lib/libogg.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release

• Build & copy libvorbis:

$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
$ cd lindenlib/libvorbis-1.1.2
$ ./configure --prefix=/tmp/vorbis --with-ogg=/tmp/ogg
$ make
$ make install
$ cd ../..
$ cp -pR /tmp/vorbis/include/vorbis linden/libraries/include
$ cp -p /tmp/vorbis/lib/libvorbis*.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_debug
$ cp -p /tmp/vorbis/lib/libvorbis*.a linden/libraries/$PLATFORM/lib_release

CURL

• Make a sub-directory in lindenlib called curl; cd into it
• Download libcurl; untar; rename the expanded tree src-curl
• Download c-ares; untar; rename the expanded tree src-c-ares
• Run the following commands (you may find it convenient to put this in a shell script file):

#!/bin/sh

BUILD_C_ARES=$PWD/build-c-ares
BUILD_CURL=$PWD/build-curl

mkdir build-c-ares || true
mkdir build-curl || true

case `arch` in
    (i386)  export CFLAGS="-O2 -g -isysroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.4u.sdk";;
    (ppc)   export CFLAGS="-O2 -g -isysroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.3.9.sdk";;
    (*)     echo "unknown architecture"; exit 1;;
esac
    
#export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -arch i386 -arch ppc"
#export LDFLAGS="-arch i386 -arch ppc"
	# this won't work until we abandon 10.3.9

cd src-c-ares
./configure --prefix=$BUILD_C_ARES --disable-dependency-tracking
make clean
make
make install
cd ..

cd src-curl
./configure --prefix=$BUILD_CURL \
    --disable-dependency-tracking \
	--disable-shared \
	--enable-http \
	--disable-ftp \
	--disable-file \
	--disable-ldap \
	--disable-dict \
	--disable-telnet \
	--disable-tftp \
	--disable-manual \
	--disable-ipv6 \
	--enable-nonblocking \
	--enable-ares=$BUILD_C_ARES \
	--enable-verbose \
	--disable-cookies \
	--without-libidn \
	--with-ca-bundle=`curl-config --ca`
make clean
make
make install -k
	# because you won't be able to overwrite the ca-bundle in your system

cd ..

cp $BUILD_C_ARES/lib/libcares.a .
cp $BUILD_CURL/lib/libcurl.a libllcurl.a
    # note the name change

tar cvzf libs-curl-`arch`.tgz libcares.a libllcurl.a

• This builds a tar file called libs-curl-<arch>.tgz, where <arch> is either i386 or ppc
• Expand this tar file into linden/libraries/<arch>-darwin/lib_release and linden/libraries/<arch>-darwin/lib_debug

TUT

• Download tut into lindenlib
• Move it into a sub-directory, extract, and copy the headers

$ cd lindenlab
$ mkdir tut
$ mv TUT-2006-11-04.tar.gz tut
$ cd tut
$ tar xvzf TUT-2006-11-04.tar.gz

• Patch TUT to add test skipping.

$ cd ../..
$ mkdir linden/libraries/include/tut
$ cp -p lindenlib/tut/tut.h lindenlib/tut/tut_reporter.h lindenlib/tut/tut_restartable.h linden/libraries/include/tut

Mozilla

Download the llmozlib source tarball and extract it (it doesn't need to be in any particular place relative to the linden tree)

Note: The llmozlib tarball is not currently linked from the main source download page. There's a link to it on the Source archive page.

Build libxul from the mozilla source

If you have a multiprocessor machine, you may wish to enable parallel make for the mozilla build by adding the following line to llmozlib/build_mozilla/mac-universal-libxul-bits/mozconfig:

mk_add_options MOZ_MAKE_FLAGS=-j4

I use -j4 on a 4-core machine. Adjust to taste.

Run the shell script that checks out the mozilla source, applies a few patches, configures and builds:

$ cd llmozlib/build_mozilla
$ ./mac-checkout_patch_build.sh

You'll have to answer a CVS password prompt immediately after starting the script (use password "anonymous"), but the rest should complete without any intevention.

This will take some time. I usually go for a cup of coffee or a nice dinner.

If the build completes without errors, you've got the hard part done.

Copy headers and libraries needed to build llmozlib

$ cd llmozlib
$ ./copy_products_mac.sh

This copies certain of the headers and libraries created by the mozilla build into llmozlib/libraries. It also pulls the files needed by libxul at runtime into a .tgz file in the llmozlib directory.

After you've done this, you can safely delete the intermediate results created by step 1. These are:

llmozlib/build_mozilla/mozilla/
llmozlib/build_mozilla/objdir-mozilla-universal/
llmozlib/build_mozilla/cvsco.log

Build llmozlib

Open llmozlib/llmozlib.xcodeproj and build the "Release" configuration of the "llmozlib" target.

There's a problem which sometimes causes XCode to not be able to find some of the mozilla headers the first time you build after a clean checkout or download of llmozlib. Close the project, re-open it, and build again and it should work.

Alternately, if you'd rather stay on the command line, you can do:

$ cd llmozlib
$ xcodebuild -project llmozlib.xcodeproj -target llmozlib -configuration Release build

Copy build results into the linden tree

$ cd llmozlib
$ ./repackage_runtime_mac.sh ../path/to/linden/

This will copy the necessary libraries and runtime files to the linden source tree.

The argument to the script should be either a relative or absolute path to the root of the tree (i.e. the directory that contains 'indra').

Building the Viewer

Launch XCode, open the project file 'linden/indra/newview/macview.xcodeproj',

set 'libraries' as the active target, select an active build configuration, build the libraries. After that: set 'newview' as the active target, select an active build configuration, and build the project.

If you had to change gcc versions for a ppc build, restore gcc back to 4.0.

$ sudo gcc_select 4.0

Build Configurations

• Development: This configuration is more suitable for debugging. The build process will create the SecondLife application targeted for your host architecture.
• Deployment: This configuration is faster than the development version at the cost of some ability to debug. The build process will create the SecondLife application targeted for your host architecture.
• Universal: This configuration is the same as the Deployment target except that all supported architectures - ppc and i386 - are built.

Building the Unit Tests

From XCode, open the project 'linden/indra/test/MacTester.xcodeproj', set 'MacTester' as the active target, and build.

Submitting Patches

This is probably far down the road, but if you make changes to the source and want to submit them, see the page about submitting patches.