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alex_free

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2020
1,060
2,245
Hi all,

After almost two weeks of working, building, compiling, and doing it all over again several times, I've created something that will hopefully be of use to the community. I give you the The Unofficial TenFourFox Development Toolkit. https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/the-unofficial-tenfourfox-toolkit

This is an installer I created to ease the installation of a TenFourFox build environment. Instead of needing multiple days to bootstrap a MacPorts environment, this will reduce it to less than 30. It is a meta-package that contains two installers. The browser itself will still take a long time to compile, though.

This installer provides:

  • A full MacPorts environment with everything required to build TenFourFox. It will not interfere with existing MacPorts installations as it uses a separate prefix.
  • An Automator app that executes a shell script installed at /opt/macports-tff/build_tenfourfox in a new terminal window.
The build_tenfourfox script:
  • Downloads the latest copy of the TenFourFox source code from GitHub
  • Asks you which kind of processor you would like to build it for
  • Detects if you have an existing tenfourfox-master folder and asks if you want to re-download, start the build over from scratch, or continue from where you last left off.
  • Modifies the source code to work with the alternate MacPorts prefix
  • Compiles the code
  • Drops the fully built web browser on your desktop
This is only compatible with OS X 10.4. If you intend to distribute your own builds with this toolkit, please be sure to respect Dr. Cameron Kaiser's (the creator of TenFourFox) wishes by changing the name and icon of the application in the source code.

Please note, this project is in no way affiliated with FloodGap.com or Dr. Cameron Kaiser.

Special thanks to @wicknix and @alex_free for teaching me more about the MacPorts build process and giving me the inspiration to make this. Another special thanks to @Melchieor for testing. As always, I'm open to any input on how to make this better and easier.
This is exactly what is needed for people that want to try messing with the source without the headache of setting up the dependencies, and it doesn’t interfere with existing MacPorts! Amazing work, exactly how I imagined this.
 

z970

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2017
3,580
4,502
You know, I've been unable to shake one question throughout all this ...

Are we referring to Cameron as Dr. Kaiser because he has a figurative PhD in retro browser wizardry, or because he just happens to work in the medical industry?

I'm confused.
 

repairedCheese

macrumors 6502a
Jan 13, 2020
618
820
You know, I've been unable to shake one question throughout all this ...

Are we referring to Cameron as Dr. Kaiser because he has a figurative PhD in retro browser wizardry, or because he just happens to work in the medical industry?

I'm confused.
I was under the impression he actually was a full doctor of medicine, and the PPC stuff was a hobby.
 

Macbookprodude

Suspended
Jan 1, 2018
3,306
898
It's not a donation if it comes with the expectation that someone will do something that you want.
I would pay him also. I don’t expect anything in life for free.. I know, I speak from experience, I believe a man should be compensated for giving to the community. Nothing in life is free.
 

pipetogrep

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 27, 2021
296
440
So question. Is it possible to compile for the G5 from a G4? It seems to error out when attempting that.

Looks like I still have some fixes to make. It still tries to export the finished build even if the build fails. I’ll keep optimizing the script.
 

alex_free

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2020
1,060
2,245
So question. Is it possible to compile for the G5 from a G4? It seems to error out when attempting that.

Looks like I still have some fixes to make. It still tries to export the finished build even if the build fails. I’ll keep optimizing the script.
Nope, at least I think you can’t because it probably tries to test executing the files in various configure scripts. You might be able to patch that out, but I never tried.
 

wicknix

macrumors 68030
Jun 4, 2017
2,606
5,264
Wisconsin, USA
No. You really need 4gb of ram or more. It'll build on 2gb, but will probably run out of ram and fail a few times before it'll complete the linking stages.

Cheers
 
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Macbookprodude

Suspended
Jan 1, 2018
3,306
898
No. You really need 4gb of ram or more. It'll build on 2gb, but will probably run out of ram and fail a few times before it'll complete the linking stages.

Cheers
Ok, given 104fox is much larger to compile, can a Titanium PowerBook G4 1Ghz compile Classila ?
 

Imixmuan

Suspended
Dec 18, 2010
526
425
That is the case.

He was the infectious disease/public health MD for Riverside County CA, but he's mentioned a recent day job change. He went to Loma Linda University, which is a Seventh Day Adventist affliated Medical School. Loma Linda California is one of those "blue zones" around the world where people have unusually long life spans. Seventh Day Adventists are often vegetarian or vegan, and that plus strong religious faith have been shown to add about 7 years to the average human life span.

 
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Jubadub

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2017
342
425
He was the infectious disease/public health MD for Riverside County CA, but he's mentioned a recent day job change. He went to Loma Linda University, which is a Seventh Day Adventist affliated Medical School. Loma Linda California is one of those "blue zones" around the world where people have unusually long life spans. Seventh Day Adventists are often vegetarian or vegan, and that plus strong religious faith have been shown to add about 7 years to the average human life span.

Dr. Norton must be full of envy.
 

wicknix

macrumors 68030
Jun 4, 2017
2,606
5,264
Wisconsin, USA
@pipetogrep It works well. Installed last night and let it build. 10 hours later = success.
success.png

Now there is one thing i remember from when i did iceweasel is that ./mach package breaks and doesn't fully create a standalone .app. Currently you can only run TFF from the build source directory. Will have to look in to that again one of these days.
Cheers
 

pipetogrep

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 27, 2021
296
440
@pipetogrep It works well. Installed last night and let it build. 10 hours later = success.
View attachment 1759178
Now there is one thing i remember from when i did iceweasel is that ./mach package breaks and doesn't fully create a standalone .app. Currently you can only run TFF from the build source directory. Will have to look in to that again one of these days.
Cheers
Thanks for testing! Regarding being able to only run it from the source directory, it runs the “./104fx_copy.sh” script and drops the built version on your desktop. I’ve tried copying the app from my desktop to another machine and it works. And I missing something?
 
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Melchieor

macrumors member
Jan 24, 2021
77
98
@pipetogrep It works well. Installed last night and let it build. 10 hours later = success.
View attachment 1759178
Now there is one thing i remember from when i did iceweasel is that ./mach package breaks and doesn't fully create a standalone .app. Currently you can only run TFF from the build source directory. Will have to look in to that again one of these days.
Cheers
Curious , Which system did you use to compile ?
 

Melchieor

macrumors member
Jan 24, 2021
77
98
@pipetogrep You are correct the TenFourFox_build is indeed a standalone.app. I'm just use to building firefox varients using ./mach build, ./mach run, and ./mach package (the proper way). I forgot TFF uses a non-standard procedure. My bad. Carry on. :)

@Melchieor My slowest G5. 1.6ghz single cpu w/4gb ram.
Interesting , that's about how long it took to compile on my G4 dual 1ghz MDD.
 

wicknix

macrumors 68030
Jun 4, 2017
2,606
5,264
Wisconsin, USA
On my Dual 2ghz G5 it's roughly 3.5, maybe 4 hours.
Years ago i built TFF on a 1.5ghz mac mini G4. That took almost a full day. 20-ish hours. (and failed a lot from lack of ram)
Quiet a difference.
 

Melchieor

macrumors member
Jan 24, 2021
77
98
I am curious how a quad g5 would 16GB would fair. Too bad mine is still dead. someday... someday...
 
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