StarTools does not run on macOS Big Sur 11.2.2

[AstroRookie]

Hello,

I recently upgraded to macOS Big Sur (and already regret it).
The StarTools.app file had a "forbidden" icon, and the size of it was 0; so I downloaded the latest version from the startools.org/downloads.
I copied my license in the folder where it belongs. Now when I double click StarTools.app, after having "trusted" the application (annoying Apple nag-ware), it flashes and that's it, it does not start. Weird is also that Startools.app has a timestamp of 01 January 2013 12:55 whereas all other files have a timestamp of 20 February 2021 16:48.

Anybody any clue what's going on, or what I'm doing wrong here?

Thanks,

AstroRookie

[admin]

Hi,

StarTools should work with Big Sur.
It does, however, need to be unquarantined, or - alternatively launched - via control + clicking (right clicking) on the application, Show Package Contents, navigating to Contents/MacOS and clicking on the application. To avoid having to do the latter procedure every time, a simple unquarantining procedure will be required. You can find the instructions with screenshots here.

I hope this helps!

[AstroRookie]

Hello Ivo,

thanks for your help, but that is exactly what I've been doing.
In /var/log/system.log I find following entry trying to launch StarTools that way:

Mar 7 08:59:42 macbookgdq com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]: Coalition Cache Hit: app<application.com.SiliconFields.StarTools.12899093063.12899093067(501)> [971

Googled this error, but nothing reallly useful for my problem in the results.

Finally I made it work via the command line:
- open terminal
- cd into the directory where the StarTools executable is located (.../Contents/MacOs)
- ./StarTools &

Kind regards,

AstroRookie

[admin]

Hmmm...
Did the 'xattr' command output any errors? Or did it complete successfully?

[AstroRookie]

Hello Ivo,

no xatrr did not report any error, terminated without any message (no news, good news).
Anyhow for me starting it from the command line is no problem.

Thanks for your concern.

AstroRookie

[admin]

Thank you. I will keep an eye out for other reports, as starting from the commandline is not ideal.
xattr returning nothing should indicate a successful unquarantine...

It is most frustrating - no other OS goes through such great lengths to keep people from distributing and using applications, without someone forking over some sort of credit card details, cash and - most frustratingly - time in the process.

[N_DD]

Hi,

in my case StarTools works perfectly on Big Sur 11.2.3 (MacBook 2017, Intel CPU and Iris 650 GPU)

Best,

Nico

[admin]

In my case StarTools works perfectly on Big Sur 11.2.3 (MacBook 2017, Intel CPU and Iris 650 GPU)

Thank you very much for chiming in - with so many different configurations out there, these sorts of reports are very useful!