RootsMagic and the Mac Catalina Operating System

Just received from RootsMagic:

Important Information about macOS 10.15 (Catalina)

Apple has been busy working on the next version of the desktop operating system, macOS 10.15, also known as “Catalina.” While there have been several delays, today Apple has released the official update. While there are several new features and changes, one change, in particular, affects RootsMagic users: Catalina requires all applications to be 64-bit applications. RootsMagic 7 RootsMagic 7 runs on macOS, although it is not a “native” application. It runs using a “wrapper” that is provided by CodeWeavers, makers of the popular CrossOver software that allows Windows applications to run on a Mac. This wrapper made by CodeWeavers is a 32-bit application and does not run on Catalina.  CodeWeavers has been working for quite some time updating their software to be a 64-bit application so that it can run on Catalina and future versions of macOS. While they’ve made great progress, some last-minute problems in Catalina itself have caused delays. Unfortunately, their wrapper is not yet available. This means that RootsMagic 7 for Mac will not be able to run on macOS Catalina until CodeWeavers finishes their update to a 64-bit application. RootsMagic 8 First, the good news- RootsMagic 8 is a fully-native, 64-bit macOS application and runs great on macOS Catalina. The bad news? It’s still in testing, and isn't available despite macOS Catalina's release. Other Applications RootsMagic is not the only application that will stop running under Catalina. If you want to see what other apps you have that will be affected: Click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen. Click About this Mac. Click System Report… From the list on the left, select Software then Applications. Click 64-Bit (Intel) on the right side of the list’s header. This sorts the applications by 32/64 bits. Any applications that have “No” are 32-bit and will not run under Catalina. Our Recommendation As much as we hate to say this- we recommend that if you need to be able to run RootsMagic 7 on your Mac, do not update to macOS Catalina. Wait until CodeWeavers finishes their 64-bit wrapper for RootsMagic 7 or for the official release of RootsMagic 8. For most users, there is no urgent need to install Catalina as previous versions of the operating system will continue to work and be supported for quite some time. In the meantime, CodeWeavers is doing all that they can to update their wrapper as quickly as possible, while we continue to work night-and-day to finish RootsMagic 8 for you. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Advice from The Genealogy Guys We have just made an important change on our Macs to prevent the Catalina operating system from automatically installing and undermining RootsMagic and other software programs. 1. Go to System Preferences. 2. Click to open Software Update. 3. UNCHECK THE BOX labeled "Automatically keep my Mac up to date" This will prevent Catalina from installing. Catalina is already available. If you are prompted to install it, don't. Follow the instructions above to prevent automatic update of your operating system.

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