App Wrapper altool error

Good afternoon

As I want to publish one or more apps on one of my websites I thought I give App Wrapper a go.

Besides the sparse documentation and Intel only platform (took me a long while to figure out options and what they mean ;o) I got this error in packaging:

failed  Running altool at path '/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/SharedFrameworks/ContentDeliveryServices.framework/Frameworks/AppStoreService.framework/Support/altool'...
2024-10-17 15:00:29.809 *** Error: altool: option '-' is unknown: ignored

2024-10-17 15:00:29.814 *** Error: altool encountered an error. No command argument was specified. Use -h for help. (-1003)
 {
    NSLocalizedDescription = "altool encountered an error.";
    NSLocalizedFailureReason = "No command argument was specified. Use -h for help.";
}

Or is there somewhere a good step-by-step documenation? Maybe got something set up wrong (o;

Are you using the 4.7 version? (from September/2024)

Yes…just downloaded today……and running on 15.0.1

What you see if you type this cmd in the terminal?

pkgutil --pkg-info=com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables

I guess you need to inform Ohanaware about this. And Include the infos about your macOS version and the Xcode CLI tools version reported by the pkgutil
Probably something changed and has broken AppWrapper (a very Sequoia current behavior :laughing:)

Not sure if related:

klingler@Mac-Studio ~ % pkgutil --pkg-info=com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables
package-id: com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables
version: 16.0.0.0.1.1724870825
volume: /
location: /
install-time: 1726727286

I almost bet that AppWrapper has a problem with this XCode version 16

altool is an XCode command line tool used for interacting with various Apple services.

If you are trying to notarize an app for deployment outside the Mac App Store then altool can no longer be used as it was discontinued about a year ago.

I suggest you contact Sam to see if there is a new version that uses notarytool which is the altool replacement.

Just did now (o;

Let’s hope the new version will also be an universal build (o;

But: has anyone stumbled upon a good step-by-step guide for App Wrapper? The built-in help is rather useless as it doesn’t explains all fields to fill out.

Do you have version 4.7. I’ve just used it to sign an application and build a package.

As stated above…yes…downloaded it today for the first time (o;

Do you build on macOS 15.0.1?

Yes, 15.0.1 Arm M1 Max. I was signing for the Mac App store?

Odd…then there must be something else I can’t figure out due to the poor documentation…

What do you see if you type this cmd in the terminal?

pkgutil --pkg-info=com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables

Richard K reports

version: 16.0.0.0.1.1724870825

Something differs. The CL Tools versions? Or maybe AppWrapper settings?

CL Tools are exactly the same version.

version: 16.0.0.0.1.1724870825

My App Wrapper settings are the same as they’ve always been.

As I said, I’m signing for the Mac App Store.

First, use XCode to manage your Apple Development certificates.

Optional, use a DMG creation tool (“DMG Canvas” and “Drop DMG” are integrated with AppWrapper)

Second, as far as I still remember within AppWrapper:

  • Top left, on “Code signing”: Check if your certificates are right.
  • Middle left, “Bundle Contents” → “Build Help” → Add your help files created with HTML.
  • Middle left, “Packing”: Create without DMG file in the first step.
  • Run the process with the gear wheel located at the top of the window, select “Wrap & Pack”

Then, in the DMG creation tool, check if your altered application is set to be included.

  • After creating a ZIP file, run the process with the DMG File creation as well
  • In the “Result” list, there is a “Notarize” button near the created files.

If I miss something, someone with more knowledge should reply, please.

  1. I’ve added my Apple Developer ID into the IDE, so the IDE code-signs my app at build time.

  2. There is some other stuff (mailto URL) I have AppWrapper add to the app, so to have that happen I drag and drop the app onto AppWrapper and then choose Wrap from the little Process menu at the top.

  3. I use the “New Image from folder” option in Disk Utility to create a DMG out of a folder with the now-code-signed app and some other stuff in it. I don’t set any DU options.

  4. D and D the dmg onto AppWrapper, and select my account and app-specific password, AppWrapper checks that is OK and then I click Notarise.

  5. Need to click a second Notarise button, then have a coffeee while AppWrapper sends my dmg to Apple and waits for the results.

1 Like

But that does not mean Richard K is as yours. His configs are unknown.

Good morning (o;

This provisioning/packaging is all new to me…and I’m kinda lost here (o;

When for example adding a provisioning profile for web deployment it tells me that a certificate can’t be found though it is installed on the machine:

But APp Wrapper Diagnostics tells me:

!5 AD 2025-06-20 System !Missing "Private Key", required for signing.; "Apple Development: Richard Klingler (R2AXV2983A)"

Obviously.

This means you have not downloaded the development certificate correctly. XCode is able to do this. Alternatively you need to download to include the public key. Which it will only do if there is a passphrase in the file. I think it’s pks3 that supports this. I’m not at a machine at the moment.

Do not try adding new certificates unless you are sure there is no other option. You only get 5 developer and 5 AppStore certs ever.