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[riparius]

I am a longtime Windows user and am not experienced with Macs, but several months ago I purchased a Mac mini and set up MC20 for Mac on it solely to act as a music server, which I control using the JRemote app on an iPod Touch.  I've not connected the Mac mini to a monitor and keyboard in a couple of months, because the monitor and keyboard are not required for the music server function---I just have to boot up the Mac mini, and then control it with JRemote on the iPod Touch via Airport Express.  But tonight I decided to hook it up to my monitor and keyboard in order to update the OS and make some changes to my MC20 library.

When I did this, MC20, which is configured to start up in media server mode with the Mac mini, prompted me to update (or perhaps automatically updated without any input from me---I don't remember) from v.94 to v.126, and when I did so, the process went through the usual initial steps but ultimately failed, repeatedly.  Specifically, despite the fact that MC20 indicated, when I checked the version info at the end of the update process, that it was now v.126, whenever I closed MC20 and reopened it, I found that it had reverted to my previous version (v.94).  

So, in order to get around this problem, rather than updating from within the MC20 program, I decided to download the install file from here (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=98584.msg681714#msg681714).  But when I went through the install process, it didn't install properly.  No shortcut icon was created, and each time I shut down the Mac, the Mac OS displayed a message indicating that MC20 had to be closed (which has always been the case), but instead of MC20 restarting automatically upon reboot as it used to do, it failed to do that, despite the fact that I've configured MC20 to do that. Also, instead of the MC20 icon that I used to have in the Mac mini dock, there is a question mark icon, which when clicked brings up the Mac window that you see at the end of the MC20 install process, and I have to click on the MC20 icon in that install window every time I reboot to get MC20 running again.  Also, there is no longer an MC20 entry shown in the Mac's "Applications" folder.

I've not had anything like this happen before with MC20, in either Windows or this Mac, I've spent hours fiddling with this, and it's driving me nuts.  Can someone please tell me what might be going wrong here, and what I might do to get the new version of MC20 installed correctly on this Mac and working correctly again.  I've left out a couple of details of what happened along the way and may not be describing things 100% accurately, because I simply can't remember everything that happened over the last few hours, but I hope that my account of the situation will at least give someone a general idea of the nature of the problem. Thank you!

[JimH]

A couple of people have reported a similar problem and it was solved by using MC's "Package Installer" to install the dmg.  I think you right click on the dmg file (install file) and choose the program.

[blgentry]

Installation of programs on Mac is different than Windows and most other OSes.  But it's pretty simple once you get the hang of it.  Here's a quick step by step for you:

1.  Find the installation DMG that you downloaded from the thread.  It's probably in your Downloads folder.
2.  Double click the DMG to mount it.  You should get a new window with the MC app and an icon of your Applications folder.  In most recent builds the window that appears is kind of small and you might have to expand the window so you can see both the MC application and the icon of the Applications folder.
3.  Here's where you actually do the installation:  Drag the MC icon on top of the Applications folder icon until you see a green + sign appear.  Then let go of the mouse button.  It should start copying.
4.  As the copy begins, you will probably get a message telling you that MC is already in your Applications folder.  This is expected because you have a previous version installed (.94).  It will ask if you want to keep the old one or over write it with the new one.  Choose to overwrite with the new one.
5.  Go into your Applications folder and find MC.  It's now installed there for you to use.  Double click it and watch it launch.
6.  Once MC is open, go to Help > About Media Center...  It should give you a little dialog box showing you information, including the version, which should be reported as 20.0.126 .
7.  Go to back to Finder (the icon with the blue smiley face on the dock).  Find the DMG "disk".  It will show as a mounted disk in the left side bar of Finder.   Press the eject icon next to it's name.  This dismounts the DMG file.  This step isn't strictly necessary; it's just for completeness and housekeeping.

The big thing that most people don't realize about Mac installation is that you need to copy the App into the Applications folder.  A lot of people just try to run the App from the DMG instead.  This will run the App one time, but it doesn't install it.  Then they get confused about where the App went after they rebooted.  Because they never installed it.

The process is pretty straight forward once you get used to it.  Good luck!

Brian.

[riparius]

Brian,
First of all, a big "thank you"!  Your instructions were excellent.  FWIW, the only point where my situation diverged from your description was at your step #4.  At some point during my efforts, I looked for MC20 in the Applications folder, but the MC20 icon that had previously been shown in the Applications folder for version .94 was no longer there.  Perhaps it was removed as a result of my having run---albeit unsuccessfully---the MC20 v.126 update process, or maybe at some point in the course of my confused effort to troubleshoot the failed update/install I dragged the v.94 icon from Applications to the Trash, I can't remember. 

Anyway, your instructions were successful, and as you said, the process is straight forward once you know it.  I'm inclined to point an accusatory finger at Apple here, though, because their app install instructions, at support.apple.com, are quite misleading.  Here they are, in their entirety:

"To install apps downloaded from the Internet, double-click the disk image or package file (looks like an open box). If the provided installer doesn’t open automatically, open it, then follow the onscreen instructions."

"Onscreen instructions"?  There are none!  Yeah, in retrospect I can see that the arrow graphic pointing (if I recall correctly) to the Applications folder represents a prompt to drag the app icon to the Applications folder icon, but that's not my idea of "onscreen instructions".  Consequently, I did the intuitive thing (for a Windows user, at least), and simply double-clicked the MC20 app icon that was displayed above the Applications folder in the little window that you referred to, which, as you've indicated, merely ran the MC20 app, but had me thinking that I'd installed the thing.  Nope!  OK, mini-rant over. :^)
 
Thanks again for your excellent, detailed instructions and helpful comments!

George             

[blgentry]

Very glad my instructions helped you. 

A final note or two:

You'll want to do this same process when upgrading MC to new versions (including V21 coming up).

*Many* Mac apps install like I've outlined.  It's mostly the standard.  But there are a good number that have their own installers, much like a Windows program.  Just take a look at what is in the DMG and it's normally pretty clear.

Enjoy MC on your Mac!

Brian.

[riparius]

Thanks for the additional info and tips, Brian!
 
And I am very much enjoying MC on my Mac, thank you.  For a few years, I'd been wanting a system that could do what my Mac mini/MC20 server/iPod Touch/JRemote/AirPort Express system does, and it's been great to finally make it happen.

Cheers,
George