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mac signing (debug builds)

This app is usually built from scripts/package-mac-app.sh, which now:
  • sets a stable debug bundle identifier: ai.fased.mac.debug
  • writes the Info.plist with that bundle id (override via BUNDLE_ID=...)
  • calls scripts/codesign-mac-app.sh to sign the main binary and app bundle so macOS keeps TCC permissions stable. For stable permissions, use a real signing certificate.
  • uses CODESIGN_TIMESTAMP=auto by default for Developer ID signatures. Set CODESIGN_TIMESTAMP=off to skip timestamping for offline debug builds.
  • injects build metadata into Info.plist: FasedAgentBuildTimestamp (UTC) and FasedAgentGitCommit (short hash).
  • Packaging requires Node 24 recommended, or Node 22.14+ with node:sqlite: the script runs TS builds and the Control UI build.
  • reads SIGN_IDENTITY from the environment. Add export SIGN_IDENTITY="Apple Development: Your Name (TEAMID)" to your shell rc to always sign with your cert.
  • requires explicit opt-in for ad-hoc signing via ALLOW_ADHOC_SIGNING=1 or SIGN_IDENTITY="-". This is not recommended for permission testing.
  • runs a Team ID audit after signing and fails if any Mach-O inside the app bundle is signed by a different Team ID. Set SKIP_TEAM_ID_CHECK=1 to bypass.

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Usage

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Ad-hoc Signing Note

When signing with SIGN_IDENTITY="-" (ad-hoc), the script automatically disables the Hardened Runtime (--options runtime). This prevents crashes when the app loads embedded frameworks that do not share the same Team ID. Ad-hoc signatures also break TCC permission persistence; see macOS permissions for recovery steps.

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Build metadata for About

package-mac-app.sh stamps the bundle with:
  • FasedAgentBuildTimestamp: ISO8601 UTC at package time
  • FasedAgentGitCommit: short git hash (or unknown if unavailable)
The About tab reads these keys to show version, build date, git commit, and whether it is a debug build via #if DEBUG. Run the packager to refresh these values after code changes.

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Why

TCC permissions are tied to the bundle identifier and code signature. Unsigned debug builds with changing UUIDs can cause macOS to forget grants after each rebuild. Signing the binaries and keeping a fixed bundle id/path (dist/FasedAgent.app) preserves grants between builds.