Working Catalina solution for the impatient

[Fantomas]

Hi all,

as CodeWeavers CrossOver 19 is in the Beta phase and as far as I know, everything works, I'd like to start this thread to help others make this work.

1. You need to get your hands on the Beta version of CrossOver. To do this, register at https://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/beta as a Beta tester. It's a simple procedure, you shouldn't have to pay anything. First you need to sign up as a new user and then become a beta tester. Then you can download the beta, it's one zip file, which you simply unpack into the Applications folder.

2. After you run the program, you will probably need to log into your CodeWeavers account to make it work.

3. Then you need to install BibleWorks 10. If you're not sure, how to do it, look here: https://www.codeweavers.com/support/...ial/alistedapp
As there is no preset, you can use one for the previous version, just direct the installer to the installation file in the connected ISO of the install DVD. The important thing is: don"t use 64-bit bottles. I tested the Windows 7 (32-bit) bottle and everything runs just fine.

4. If someone needs the Central European language version, let me know. You just need to install and use an ANSI CP1250 font file, but they're not exactly lying around the internet, so I had to prepare my own.

Some final remarks:

• If you have a problem getting the Beta version, I can send the file. I just don't want to go round CodeWeavers' back right away.
• If you see any bug in the Beta, please report it to CodeWeavers. Not just in BW, of course. You will help also other people by doing that.
• Eventually, the Beta will stop working. Then you will have to pay for the program or use other solution to get the full version (there is even a legal solution to do it for free).
• This new version of CrossOver will eventually come out as a new version of Wine. As far as I know, there is no timeline yet, but I don't think CodeWeavers will rush to do this, for business reasons. But it will happen. So you can just wait.
• If you have further questions, just ask. Good luck

[jfidel]

In addition to the above, WordSearch uses the same company to provide access to their windows program on a mac. They are indicating that it will be another 4-5 weeks before their program will be Catalina compliant. Probably the time the beta program goes gold.

[driessencsb]

Thank you for this info! I am still in Mojave because I don't want to lose access to my BW. So can I sign up for Beta testing for Crossover, set it up and THEN upgrade to Catalina, or do I have to first upgrade to Catalina? Christine

[Fantomas]

Thank you for this info! I am still in Mojave because I don't want to lose access to my BW. So can I sign up for Beta testing for Crossover, set it up and THEN upgrade to Catalina, or do I have to first upgrade to Catalina? Christine

Hi Christine,
it doesn't really matter in what order you do this. The Beta comes in a zip file, which you simply unpack into the Application folder or any other desired location. I upgraded first, then I was able to install an older version of CrossOver anyway, so this shouldn't be an issue.
Cheers, Jiří.

[driessencsb]

I thought crossover was designed to allow windows versions to work on a Mac, but I have a Mac version of BW10 that I want to make work with Catalina. Will crossover work with Mac programs which don't have the 64bit or whatever it is that is missing?

[Fantomas]

I thought crossover was designed to allow windows versions to work on a Mac, but I have a Mac version of BW10 that I want to make work with Catalina. Will crossover work with Mac programs which don't have the 64bit or whatever it is that is missing?

Exactly. CrossOver is an interface for windows programs to run on Mac. You don't actually have a Mac version of BW10 as nothing like this has ever existed, you have a windows version of BW10 in a standalone CrossOver bottle, however the older CrossOver version used there doesn't work on Catalina. I asked Mike if they plan to update this Mac distribution once a functional CrossOver distribution becomes available, but he hasn't responded yet...

No, CrossOver will most definitely not work with any Mac program, be it 32-bit or PowerPC. It is just a windows interface for Mac, which is designed to run windows programs "natively" on mac without the need of a virtual machine and an extra windows installation.

[Mad Dog]

Exactly. CrossOver is an interface for windows programs to run on Mac. You don't actually have a Mac version of BW10 as nothing like this has ever existed, you have a windows version of BW10 in a standalone CrossOver bottle, however the older CrossOver version used there doesn't work on Catalina. I asked Mike if they plan to update this Mac distribution once a functional CrossOver distribution becomes available, but he hasn't responded yet...

No, CrossOver will most definitely not work with any Mac program, be it 32-bit or PowerPC. It is just a windows interface for Mac, which is designed to run windows programs "natively" on mac without the need of a virtual machine and an extra windows installation.

I tried and it fails.

I tried it using the Bibleworks 10 ISO - Failed.

I tried again and it failed again - giving a different error message.

I tried it using lBW9 - it installed Windows explorer - but it failed to install BW9 as there was no application for it in my Mac (I had previously upgraded to BW10).

I tried again using BW10 ISO and fails

Had you previously installed BW10, as I had done?

[Mad Dog]

I tried and it fails.

I tried it using the Bibleworks 10 ISO - Failed.

I tried again and it failed again - giving a different error message.

I tried it using lBW9 - it installed Windows explorer - but it failed to install BW9 as there was no application for it in my Mac (I had previously upgraded to BW10).

I tried again using BW10 ISO and fails

Had you previously installed BW10, as I had done?

Well - suddenly its working. But by a different process. Somehow BW10DVD1 appeared in my Finder. I then double clicked on setup.exe and away it went ... reinstalling it from the BW site.

Now to restart my Mac and see what happens (fingers crossed)

[now john]

Glad you got it to work. Just FYI, sometimes trying to install BW10 from a mounted ISO also fails on Windows10. If you can extract the ISO to a folder, it might work from there. You might want to run BWCheckDisc.exe in the extracted folder and check the integrity of the download and the extraction. If it is good, run setup.exe as usual.

[Fantomas]

Well - suddenly its working. But by a different process. Somehow BW10DVD1 appeared in my Finder. I then double clicked on setup.exe and away it went ... reinstalling it from the BW site.

Now to restart my Mac and see what happens (fingers crossed)

Glad you got it running! As there is no CrossTie for BW10 (yet), you need to point CrossOver to the installer (setup.exe from the installation DVD image). But you know this now
Actually, what you did is probably a simpler solution, but only as long as you already have a right bottle.