Deploying to MacOS from Windows in 2018?

[KingKraken]

Hey guys, I'm trying to understand a bit of deployment across operating systems, but I keep running into conflicting info. I see forums that say you can deploy MacOS from Windows and some that say you absolutely cannot deploy from Windows. Which one of these is correct?

Likewise, if it's possible to deploy from Windows now, what's the exact process for getting it to run? Along with regular conflicting information, I keep seeing forums saying that you just need to run the folder as a program on Mac systems? However, I see no instructions on how to do that. I'm trying to send a copy of a game to a friend(who uses a Mac), but he is not tech-savy in the slightest bit. So if running a folder as a program is the solution, how can I instruct him to do so?

Thanks in advance! I've been searching for hours and really scratching my head at this one.

 

[AceOfAces_Mod]

Well... That is pretty tricky. There isn't a way to pack a game to an macOS package directly from another OS (even Linux, even though both of them are based on Unix) . I was able to make a portable Linux by simply using the Windows Subsystem for Linux, so it's not completely impossible to build a version for a different OS. But since macOS is proprietary, it's difficult to do it without having a spare Macintosh, make a Hackintosh (which is a pain since you need pretty specific hardware) or get a working Virtual Machine image. Visual Studio (for example) can build macOS apps but you need a Mac, just to access the compiler. That's how closed it is.

 

[Andar]

There are two things that a lot of people confuse with each other, that is the reason why you get different answers.

First is the difference between iOS (Apples mobile OS) and MacOS (Apples computer OS).
There is absolutely no way to deploy to iOS from Windows, because the program to turn something into an iOS-app does not exist under Windows, it is available only for MacOS.

On the other hand, there is a possibility to deploy to MacOS directly from Windows - but with a restriction that sometimes confuse people as well.
MacOS uses a trick to hide what its apps really are - they are folders containing everything needed for the program, but appear to be single files to the end user. And this is caused by a special property that does not exist under windows.

So when you deploy to MacOS on a Windows-computer, you get a folder as a result and NOT an App for MacOS.
This deployment will work if you go directly to a MacOS with that folder - but it will not work if you try to upload the folder as a Mac-Program to a hosting service expecting a MacOS app file.
For that to work, you'll need a MacOS computer where you can tell that folder that it is a MacOS-app, and after that everything will work normally.

 

[KingKraken]

So when you deploy to MacOS on a Windows-computer, you get a folder as a result and NOT an App for MacOS.
This deployment will work if you go directly to a MacOS with that folder - but it will not work if you try to upload the folder as a Mac-Program to a hosting service expecting a MacOS app file.
For that to work, you'll need a MacOS computer where you can tell that folder that it is a MacOS-app, and after that everything will work normally.

So If I'm understanding correctly, if I deployed a game and uploaded the folder to something like dropbox and then they downloaded the folder, all they would have to do is "run" the folder as an app?

 

[SimProse]

So If I'm understanding correctly, if I deployed a game and uploaded the folder to something like dropbox and then they downloaded the folder, all they would have to do is "run" the folder as an app?

If you deploy the game while in Windows, it may not work properly. AFAIK, only the Mac can set up an app properly so it will run on a Mac without issues.

 

[KingKraken]

so if the deploying to mac is a hit or miss kind of deal, can something like deploying for web yield better results?

Would there be any compatibility issues with that?

 

[SimProse]

Nope, as far as I know. Deploying for HTML5 usually is fine, since it does no special encoding or anything.