Flare on a Mac

[Nita Beck]

For anyone interested, MadCap asked me to write a blog article on my experience running Flare on a Mac, in my case, a MacBook Pro. It's here: http://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/2015 ... ac-oh-yes/

I'd love to hear your experiences, too, either here or in the comments section of the blog article.

[jbkalla]

Fantastic! Thanks, Nita!

FYI: You list the specs of your MacBook Pro as having a "7GHz" i7 processor. I think you probably meant 2.7GHz.

I have a similar setup and have been using it for the past couple years to use Flare when attending my local Flare user group here in Colorado. I've noticed no problems using Parallels (another virtual machine application, similar to Fusion). I don't know if Parallels has the same 8GB/half the available RAM limitation as Fusion does, but I will check and get back to you. In any case, 8GB seems to be plenty for Flare. I run Win8.1 full screen, though Parallels gives the option to run Flare without the visible Windows 8 interface. I really like using four-finger-swipe to move between Flare/Win8 and my Mac applications!

I also run Flare on my 27" iMac (with an additional 27" Apple Thunderbolt monitor) with a similar setup. The only difference is that the iMac has 32GB RAM total, though I believe I'm probably giving Windows only 8GB. My work setup is similar, but uses an hp workstation with dual 27" monitors, i7 processor, and only 16GB RAM. I was unable to convince my workplace to authorize the use of a Mac, sadly, so I have to deal with Windoze there. In my case, a Mac mini would have been a lot cheaper than the multiple-thousands of dollars the PC setup cost, but the process of getting a Mac authorized in our work environment was prohibitive. Hopefully, it will happen in the future.

[Nita Beck]

Love hearing about your experience! (And yep, that's a typo re the processor, so I'll get that fixed. It's supposed to read 2.7 GHz.)

I know that not every person/business can afford the Apple/Mac hardware, but it really has been so reliable and enjoyable to work on.

[kwag_myers]

Thanks for the blog, Nita. I've just been informed that the whole company is switching to Mac and running Flare was my first concern. Judging from your blog, it's not an issue.

[Nita Beck]

I run Flare 11, Flare 12, and Flare 2016r2 on a weekday daily basis, and often on the weekends! I have no issues whatsoever, at least not anything that seems related to running them on a virtual machine on a Mac. I also run the same versions on a Microsoft Surface Pro. I experience no diff between the two platforms.

One thing of note, which I did not realize when I wrote the blog article. I believe that the most memory you'll be able to assign to the virtual machine is half of the Mac's total memory. So although I have a MacBook Pro with 16GB of memory, the virtual machine (and therefore Flare) gets only 8GB. Perhaps this'll give you some ammunition for asking for a really souped-up Mac for yourself.

[bianca_writer]

My co-worker and I each have MacBook Pros, and we use Flare via virtual machines. For the most part, we don't experience any issues. Sometimes the programs in the VM slow down a little, but in those situations I close out the programs and re-start the VM, and it works just fine again.

[Isleofgough]

For those of you who are using Flare on a VM, can you preview targets and do all the conversions use programs on the Win side or OSX side? I've had problems where the pdf conversion seems to use Acrobat on the OSX side rather than Acrobat on Win10, and ebooks open IBooks on OSX rather than Digital Editions on Win 10. Do you have your VM set to save files on the OSX side but disable sharing of OSX programs?

[bianca_writer]

@Isleofgough:

That sounds very odd! My Windows VM and Mac OS basically have no idea that the other exists. Flare has used only programs in the Windows VM. Good luck! You may have already done this, but I recommend Googling this. Or, if someone else set up the VM (like your IT team), I recommend asking them.

[RamonS]

@Isleofgough
Which virtualization software do you use? If it is VMWare, do you have Unity enabled?

[Isleofgough]

I am using win10 through parallels. Parallels has a lot of sharing configuration options for file storage location and accessing win programs in osx and osx programs in windows. I don't know how windows registry picks which program to open. Unlike boot camp, the two sides continue to interact. I used to use VMware but had issues with most recent version and was doubtful of its future after many staff were laid off.

EDIT: it looks like Flare is now working. I disabled access of OSX programs from Windows 10 in parallels sharing option, and it now defaults to the windows side.

[Rona Kwestel]

I'm going to be starting a new job shortly and have been given the option to choose either a Mac or Windows laptop. In the event that I convince them that Flare is the way to go for docs, I want to make sure I haven't painted myself into a corner with my choice of machine.

I read Nita's blog post on using Flare on VMware Fusion, and see that others are successfully using Parallels, but I'm concerned about the access to git/BitBucket from the VM. Are you storing your files in a shared folder that both Flare on the Windows side and git on the Mac side can access? Or are you using git on the Windows side as well? Somehow it does seem more complicated than just sticking with Windows.

This is a bit off-topic, but if I go with a Windows machine, they're choosing the HP Spectre x360. If anyone has used that machine and feels that its tablet/touch features make it an attractive Mac alternative, feel free to weigh in. Thanks.

[Nita Beck]

Morning, Rona.

Like bianca-writer reports about (I assume) her setup, the Mac side of my computer and the Windows side don't know that each other exists. I don't use any shared folder that both OSs can access. Others will have to weigh in on your question about shared folders.

Re BitBucket, I've had no issues whatsoever having Windows on VMWare be able to interact with BitBucket. FWIW, I use Flare's built-in Git commands to interact with my BitBucket repos.

HTH

[LeslieT]

Hi Rona,

I also use Flare on a Macbook via VMware Fusion. It works pretty seamlessly. In fact, I think I have better performance because I have an allocated amount of memory for the Windows guest system and I only run MadCap apps on it, with all other functions happening on the Mac host. I don't typically use the Unity setting, just because I like to treat my Windows VM as if its just another application window open-- but that is just a personal preference. You do have to install Acrobat Reader on the Windows side in order to use the PDF preview function.

I house all of my Flare project files in a shared directory that is accessible by both systems. I do not use the Flare project binding features, but I have experimented and you can use them with your files living in a shared directory rather than the C drive. I am currently using Bitbucket/Git and I love its integration with SourceTree. I do all of my source control management on the Mac side because it is just a better and cleaner system when it comes to dealing with files. You can certainly use Git on the Windows side, but I really recommend doing it on the Mac side.

[Rona Kwestel]

Morning, Rona.

Like bianca-writer reports about (I assume) her setup, the Mac side of my computer and the Windows side don't know that each other exists. I don't use any shared folder that both OSs can access. Others will have to weigh in on your question about shared folders.

Re BitBucket, I've had no issues whatsoever having Windows on VMWare be able to interact with BitBucket. FWIW, I use Flare's built-in Git commands to interact with my BitBucket repos.

HTH

Thanks, Nita. So do you just clone the doc repo(s) on the Windows side? I'm trying to understand the workflow and am having a hard time wrapping my head around it. Suppose you were on the Mac side and sending an email to someone, and wanted to attach a file from the repo. If it's on the Windows side rather than shared, how would you access it from your email client to attach it?

[Rona Kwestel]

Hi Rona,

I also use Flare on a Macbook via VMware Fusion. It works pretty seamlessly. In fact, I think I have better performance because I have an allocated amount of memory for the Windows guest system and I only run MadCap apps on it, with all other functions happening on the Mac host. I don't typically use the Unity setting, just because I like to treat my Windows VM as if its just another application window open-- but that is just a personal preference. You do have to install Acrobat Reader on the Windows side in order to use the PDF preview function.

I house all of my Flare project files in a shared directory that is accessible by both systems. I do not use the Flare project binding features, but I have experimented and you can use them with your files living in a shared directory rather than the C drive. I am currently using Bitbucket/Git and I love its integration with SourceTree. I do all of my source control management on the Mac side because it is just a better and cleaner system when it comes to dealing with files. You can certainly use Git on the Windows side, but I really recommend doing it on the Mac side.

Thanks, Leslie. Is this how you're setting up the shared drive? https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/micro ... Id=1004055

I also didn't prefer using the Flare project binding. If I'm understanding you, it sounds like you use git on the Mac side to get your branch up to date, then work in Flare on the Windows side, pointing to the shared folder, then go back to the Mac side to commit/push your updates, yes?

Hadn't heard of SourceTree; will take a look at that.

[Nita Beck]

Thanks, Nita. So do you just clone the doc repo(s) on the Windows side? I'm trying to understand the workflow and am having a hard time wrapping my head around it. Suppose you were on the Mac side and sending an email to someone, and wanted to attach a file from the repo. If it's on the Windows side rather than shared, how would you access it from your email client to attach it?

I do all of my business tasks on the Windows side of my Mac. When I'm "at work," I'm 100% operating in Windows. I tend to use the Mac side for personal stuff only. Why bother to have a Mac? For me, it's because I so very much prefer Mac hardware. Comfortable to use, with a lovely screen for my aging vision, and overall with longer useful life than any Windows laptop I've ever had, and I've had a lot.

[Rona Kwestel]

Oh, thanks for clarifying that, Nita. I agree the Macs are gorgeous. I splurged on the 27" iMac for myself and love the screen - it's like a wide-open vista. But this machine purchase about which I'm debating is strictly for work, and not on my dime, so I don't need to be quite as concerned about longevity, unless it's so short that it becomes a headache of lost time and work while continually waiting for it to be repaired/replaced.

But this particular HP machine I mentioned seems to be encroaching on Apple's "form" dominance, has features that even Apple doesn't have yet, and is well-reviewed, so it's tempting to go with that one.

Still, good to know that either one will ultimately work with Flare.

[LeslieT]

Thanks, Leslie. Is this how you're setting up the shared drive? https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/micro ... Id=1004055

I also didn't prefer using the Flare project binding. If I'm understanding you, it sounds like you use git on the Mac side to get your branch up to date, then work in Flare on the Windows side, pointing to the shared folder, then go back to the Mac side to commit/push your updates, yes?

Hadn't heard of SourceTree; will take a look at that.

Rona,

Yes, this is exactly how I share the directory that houses my repository. I do use Git on the Mac side -- I have tested and it runs a lot faster there, but I'm not sure why that is. Basically, I only use the Windows host to run MadCap applications. I close out Flare before I do any source control anyway, especially since Flare does not like it if you have the project open and make any changes to the files from outside.

I am a Mac lover too. Even if not for the longevity, I know many IT people that tell me how many fewer headaches there are to keep them running smoothly. In fact at one of my past companies they were going to make the Windows laptop people give them up because they did not want to support them anymore.

I actually have two Macbooks -- one for work (company-owned) and one that is my personal laptop. I have the same system setup on each with VMware Fusion/Windows guest. That way I can do some outside Flare experimentation for things I want to learn and those files are mine.

[Rona Kwestel]

Thanks so much, Leslie. As it turns out, I ended up getting a Windows laptop for work, but it's still good to know in case I ever need to run Flare on my Mac at home.