Build from source

Dropline is a Swift Package with two executable targets — the app and the Finder extension — plus Sparkle as its only dependency. Building it needs nothing beyond Xcode's command line tools.

Requirements#

• macOS 13 Ventura or later
• Xcode 15 or later, or the Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install)
• Swift 5.9+ (bundled with the above)

Build and install#

git clone https://github.com/chen86860/dropline.git
cd dropline
./build.sh --install

That is the whole thing. --install does the extra work of putting the app where macOS expects it, which matters more here than for most apps:

1. Quits any running copy
2. Removes the previous install
3. Deregisters stale LaunchServices entries — two copies of Dropline.app on disk break the Services and Finder menu items, so this step is not optional
4. Copies the bundle to /Applications
5. Registers the Services menu entry and enables the Finder extension
6. Launches the app

Without --install, the script stops after producing dist/Dropline.app, which is useful for inspection but will not have a working context-menu item.

What the script does#

swift build -c release --arch arm64      # compile
assemble Dropline.app                    # bundle layout
package DroplineFinder.appex             # the Finder extension
embed Sparkle.framework                  # from the resolved package
generate the icon                        # tools/makeicon.swift
write Info.plist                         # version, feed URL, EdDSA public key
codesign --sign -                        # ad-hoc

The version number comes from the newest entry in CHANGELOG.md, so a build cannot disagree with the release notes. Override it if you need to:

DROPLINE_VERSION=1.4.1 ./build.sh --install

Signing#

By default the bundle is ad-hoc signed, which is why a downloaded release needs the Gatekeeper step. A locally built copy is generally not quarantined, so it just opens.

If you have a Developer ID certificate, use it:

DROPLINE_SIGN_ID="Developer ID Application: Your Name (TEAMID)" ./build.sh --install

Building on an Intel Mac#

The script hard-codes --arch arm64 to match the published release. On Intel, change that line to your architecture — or drop the flag to build for the host:

-swift build -c release --arch arm64
+swift build -c release

Everything else in the script is architecture-independent. Nothing in the app itself is Apple-Silicon-specific; only the shipped binary is.

Project layout#

If you are adding a preset, ProfilePresets in Models.swift is the one place to touch; it drives the + menu in Settings → Hosts directly.

Troubleshooting the build#

❌ Can't find Sparkle.framework — resolve the package first:

swift package resolve

The right-click menu item does not appear after installing — you probably have a second copy of the app somewhere. ./build.sh --install cleans stale registrations; running plain ./build.sh and dragging the bundle yourself does not.

Nothing changed after rebuilding — quit the running app first; --install does this for you.

Next#

Host configuration →