Welcome back, QMC2!

Update 6 May 2024 - GitHub Fork with MacOS Binaries

For easier deployment, I created a fork of the QMC2 Github Repository here:

https://github.com/estefan3112/qmc2-mame-fe-MacOS

You'll find here latest pre-compiled and code-signed versions of QMC2 for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. You'll also find Shell scripts for compiling the Upstream source code and self-sign the app. Right now only for Apple Silicon, soon for Intel Macs as well.

Question: I downloaded the QMC2 app, but MacOS tells me that the file is corrupted. I already tried right mouse + open at least twice, but with no success.

Answer: Sorry to hear, your QMC2 app might be in the quarantine. To lift the quarantine, please execute this command in the Terminal

xattr -cr /Applications/qmc2-sdlmame.app (please adjust the path to your QMC2.app, if required)

Enjoy.

Update March 2024 - in (far too late) Memory of Rene Reucher

Only these days, far too late, I learnt that Rene Reucher, the creator of the QMC2 frontend, passed away in spring 2023. Back in 2022, when I wrote the first version of this post, Rene has restarted his work on this quite unique MAME frontend, and it was a pleasure for me to help him out on some minor things in relation to Macs, albeit nothing crucial. From two phone calls, I remember him as a very reasonable and pleasant person. This is my very late "Sorry, and all the best, Rene."

At the same time, as fellow developers have now resumed work, it is nice to see that Rene's work will be continued. So I am happy to present new QMC2 v244 builds - and I am quite confident that Rene would accept that I link these two messages together:

AppleSilicon: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15lX5UOpHGFxHPkLojg0vGYSZ8rX-0b5W/view?usp=drive_link

MacIntel: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tI12260ce9ijJKJ7R5F0nvvJuK_1CyB9/view?usp=drive_link

This time, also the MacIntel build should have proper code signatures and should even run on Apple Silicon - though there is really no need to do this.

So far it's the best version I've ever tested. History.xml is now supported, so you can update to the latest history.xml file to have great machine information. The Silicon Mac version is blazingly fast, and further bugfixing is never a bad thing. On top, the latest libraries are bundled, including the latest QT5 version. That's why I found it worth to provide new builds.

As always, please care for the instructions in the ReadMe and do report any problems back, many thanks.

I started MAME with the help of QMC2, and it is still a classic frontend experience

Original post in the following (no longer relevant and rather outdated, as it builds nicely now with Homebrew):

One of the first MAME frontends - QMC2 of Rene Reucher - is back! 

Rene has a new repository on Github: https://github.com/qmc2/qmc2-mame-fe

So let's fire up our Terminal and let us compile it!

The largest hurdle: You need MacPorts (instead of Homebrew) because only MacPorts still provides the required Qt5 packages. The good news: On my X64 and Silicon Macs, uninstalling Homebrew and installing MacPorts was no problem at all. I got used to MacPorts rather swiftly, as it is very well documented.

MacPorts packages needed:

• qt5 (@5.15.6, including dependencies)
• qt5-qtwebkit (@5.9.2_2, including dependencies)
• *new* qt5-qtwebengine (v5.15.10, takes a very long compile with further dependencies)

You need to set the path to the qmake binary of MacPorts (only once) as follows:

export PATH=/opt/local/libexec/qt5/bin/:$PATH

Be sure to have a recent MAME and the latest version of the SDL2 Framework installed (for basic setup instructions - please see this post).

With these prerequisites, the app compiles below one minute on my M1 Mac Mini:

In the Terminal, move into a directory of your choice, then:

git clone --recursive https://github.com/qmc2/qmc2-mame-fe

cd qmc2-mame-fe

make -j8

sudo make install

The install command copies the completed App Binaries into a folder qmc2 in Applications (stupid me, I forgot about the subdirectory and looked for it in the Applications directory without success).

The arcade app currently does not work, though.

Please also remember that QMC2, quite different to other MacOS apps, places the main system files in /Library/Application Support/qmc2 (root folder - for all users), 

This directory is for all MacOS users.

while only the user-specific cache files and the user-specific qmc2.ini is placed in ~/Library/Application Support/qmc2

This is the directory for the single user.

As always, QMC2 sets up the system at first start and checks all roms. After this, the app launches very fast.