Fix problem with packaged Unified Auctions UI app

[LukSteib]

Goal

Install and run the application from release notes

Context

I tried to put myself in the shoes of a normal user to get the Unfied Auctions UI app running:

• Accessed the latest release
• downloaded the attached .dmg file
• Installed app
• Trying to run the app results in the following blocking popup (see assets below)

Note: Building the application locally via running npm run build in the /electron folder of this repo works perfectly fine

Assets

Tasks

• Check whether this is a problem we need to account for
• Resolve the issue

[aomafarag]

• downloaded the attached .dmg file

Did you download the .dmg.blockmap file as well? If not, please do and place both files in the same directory, and retest.

[valiafetisov]

"Unified Auctions Ul" cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.

That's expected behaviour until we register at developer.apple.com, pay them something like $100 per year and then get a certificate the sign the app. We want to go this route, since it centralises the packaging and this doesn't prevent apple revoking the certificate at any time. But this is a macOS thing only and the only action we should take here is to add readme line somewhere to right-click + open the application for the first time. I think every power user knows about it and many big applications just ignore this "unverified developer" thing whatsoever.

[LukSteib]

Did you download the .dmg.blockmap file as well? If not, please do and place both files in the same directory, and retest.

This did not help. Was still not able to open the app

But this is a macOS thing only and the only action we should take here is to add readme line somewhere to right-click + open the application for the first time.

Worked. Didn't know this workaround... thx for pointing out and of course makes sense to go this route if power users know and we add this hint to the readme

[valiafetisov]

Would there be another issue to add the readme note/workaround?

• We can add readme instructions like https://www.wikihow.com/Install-Software-from-Unsigned-Developers-on-a-Mac
• And/or we can add custom background to the dmg file, aka replace this gray image with arrow with text "right-click -> open" or disclaimer about it being unsigned 🙂

[LukSteib]

Would there be another issue to add the readme note/workaround?

Re-opened the issue to tackle the leftover part.

We can add readme instructions like https://www.wikihow.com/Install-Software-from-Unsigned-Developers-on-a-Mac
And/or we can add custom background to the dmg file, aka replace this gray image with arrow with text "right-click -> open" or disclaimer about it being unsigned

I like both proposals and hence would vouch to do both. Especially the 2nd one as it is really at the touchpoint of the user journey where it is needed. We can't ensure that everyone checks the Readme but together with this indicator users will be aware

[valiafetisov]

Technical notes:

• To configure dmg background image: https://www.electron.build/configuration/dmg.html
• Current image: https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/blob/master/packages/dmg-builder/templates/background.tiff
  • note that there are two images inside tiff, to make it retina-compatible – it should stay the same for the new image!