How to start with signing audio plugins?

Audio Plugins
21

I’m now also starting with AU plugins. For VST3 I had to contact Steinberg in order to get a licence. How is it regarding AU? Anything that needs to be done except of signing and notarize the file?

22

That’s enough, yes.

1 Like
23

Hi @schnabel , you mentioned:

Which tricks are you referring to? I have tried removing the “com.apple.quarantine” attribute that is added to all downloaded and emailed files using this command:

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /path/to/your.vst

but my beta tester is still encountering the same issue, “‘Plugin.vst3’ cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified”. I’m wondering if there are any other methods you know of for getting an unsigned / unpackaged VST3 to work on someone else’s machine without them building it themselves?

The advice in this stackoverflow thread definitely doesn’t work.

24

Use DropDmg and sign the dmg… in the user’s security settings have them check Allow apps downloaded from App store and identified developers.

https://c-command.com/dropdmg/

Rail

1 Like
25

I am new to all this. What is “My common name”. Should the quotation marks arond “My common name” and “path/to/Plugin.vst3” remain?

26

I put in the code above including quotation marks, name on certificate, and file path. I get the error message: Warning: unable to build chain to self-signed root for signer “Developer ID Application: XXXX XXXXX (123456789)”

/Users/My Wife’s Name/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/My Plugin.vst3: errSecInternalComponent

I am using my wife’s MacBook Air and the vst3 plugins are built to the library location under her user name. Could this be the problem?

27

Did you create a Developer ID certificate on that machine? You can do this from Xcode’s Accounts screen (in its Settings panel).

Also note the quotes should be " straight quotes, not curly ones like the forum shows.

You do need quotes around the path to the VST since your path has spaces in it.

28

Thanks,
Yes, I hope I did this right: In the keychain “system” folder I now see a certificate named: Developer ID Application: My Name (123456789) with expiration date Jan 17 2030. Also, in the “System Roots” folder I see a certificate named: “Developer ID Certification Authority” with expiration date Feb 1, 2027. Is this correct?

Also, The authority one has the remark: “This certificate is valid” and the “Application” certificate is marked: “This certificate is marked as safe for all users”

29

Are you still getting errors? If so can you share the exact command you’re using for signing? Put it in between ``` quotes so the forum doesn’t mangle the text.

32

codesign -s "Hans Adamson" "/Users/Amanda/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/My Plugin.vst3" --timestamp

33

This should be the entire string "Developer ID Application: Hans Adamson (123456789)"

34

This is what I use:

codesign --force -s "Developer ID Application: Matthijs Hollemans (blablabla)" -v "/Users/matthijs/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Krunch.vst3" --deep --strict --options=runtime --timestamp

35

Thanks I appreciate the help. Will try it.

36

I used your code and replaced with my info but get the same error message. I put in:
codesign --force -s "Developer ID Application: Hans Adamson (123456789)" -v "//Users/Amanda/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/My Plugin.vst3" --deep --strict --options=runtime --timestamp

37

I guess this means it’s time to google for the error message:

This looks useful: Resolving errSecInternalComponent … | Apple Developer Forums

Are you SSH’d into the Mac by any chance?

What happens if you run security find-identity -p codesigning in Terminal, does this show your account?

38

I looked up the meaning of SSH and I don’t think this applies to this somewhat older MacBook Air. I run the code you suggested:

  Matching identities
  1) 12345678901234567890 "Developer ID Application: Hans Adamson (123456789)"
     1 identities found

  Valid identities only
  1) 12345678901234567890 "Developer ID Application: Hans Adamson (123456789)"
     1 valid identities found```
39

I added my Apple ID as an account to Xcode and when I go to manage certificates, it shows “Developer ID Application” as “revoked” with todays day. Is this normal? Is this what is causing my problems? WHen I signed up for Apple Developer I used my iPhone which doesn’t have credit card payment set up. I still received the certificate and no error messages until now. Could this be the culprit?

40

I added a credit card to Apple Pay, and now the “revoked” status for the certificate is gone. I also added an Apple ID to the Xcode accounts. When running the signing I get another problem:
Hans Adamson: ambiguous (matches "Apple Development: Hans Adamson (123456789)" in /Library/Keychains/System.keychain and "Developer ID Application: Hans Adamson (123456789)" in /Users/Amanda/Library/Keychains/login.keychain-db)

41

Yeah if the certificate is revoked the signing won’t work. You need to have the paid Apple Developer account, not the free one.

42

Thanks Kertuffle,
I managed to sign it now by specifying which certificate to use, like you suggested above. My initial problem seems to be non-payment for the certificate, because there was no credit card in my Apple Wallet. Secondary there is for some reason two certificates on my computer: “Developer ID Application” and “Apple Development” (in the system library). I needed to specify the “Developer ID Application.”