Meld v3.21.0 (r4) hot-fix for macOS on Intel CPU / Apple Silicon CPU with Rosetta

meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh

### Test on https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20
### OSX - 3.21.0 (r4) Sonoma
### !!! Note: You need put the Meld.app r4 build to the /Applications path first.

#!/bin/zsh

#Fix libpng16.16.dylib not found
install_name_tool -change /usr/local/opt/libpng/lib/libpng16.16.dylib @executable_path/../Frameworks/libpng16.16.dylib /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Frameworks/libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib

#Fix libbrotlidec.1.dylib not found
install_name_tool -change /usr/local/opt/brotli/lib/libbrotlidec.1.dylib @executable_path/../Frameworks/libbrotlidec.1.dylib /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Frameworks/libfreetype.6.20.0.dylib

#Make MacOS trust Meld.app
xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Meld.app

#Removes the existing code signature
codesign --remove-signature /Applications/Meld.app

#Re-signs with system’s default certificate
codesign --force --deep --sign - /Applications/Meld.app

#if CPU type is Apple silicon, use Rosetta to execute
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :LSRequiresNativeExecution false" /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/Info.plist

#Try to open Meld
open /Applications/Meld.app

#Meld CLI Setup
curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_setup_cli.sh | zsh

meld_setup_cli.sh

#!/bin/zsh
RC_FILES=( .bashrc .zshrc )
for RC_FILE in "${RC_FILES[@]}"
do
  [ -f ~/${RC_FILE} ] && {
    ( cat ~/${RC_FILE} | grep "alias meld=" ) && {
        echo "Already put it at ~/${RC_FILE}"
    }|| {
        echo "alias meld='meld_script(){ /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/MacOS/Meld \$* 2>/dev/null & };meld_script'" >> ~/${RC_FILE}
        . ~/${RC_FILE}
        echo "Put it at ~/${RC_FILE} .. ok"
    }
  }
done
echo "[!] You may need to reopen your Terminal."

z_readme

1. Download the official **3.21.0 osx4 (r4 pre-release)** [https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20] version. 
2. Move the Meld.app file to the /Applications directory. 
3. Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (**only one line**): 
`curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh`

For macOS 15.1 (24B83)
The application “(null)” does not have permission to open “(null)”.

@k4u5hik, @stevejordi Thank you for the feedback. I have already made adjustments for this issue. You can simply run the hot-fix script again to continue using Meld.app.

-> Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (only one line): curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

If it still fails, you can go through the process again.

1. First, Remove the original Meld.app located in the /Applications directory.
2. And, go to https://github.com/yousseb/meld/releases/tag/osx-20 and download the official 3.21.0 osx4 (r4 pre-release) version.
3. Move the Meld.app file to the /Applications directory.
4. Execute the hot-fix script at CLI with the following command (only one line):
   curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

@syneart @Sunac Thanks to these, meld works well from both command line and Applications, but I'm not able to configure it as a difftool/mergetool with git. After adding the settings suggested at https://yousseb.github.io/meld/ to .gitconfig, when I execute git difftool, the following error appears on the right side of the window (the left side is loaded ok):
There was a problem opening the file “filepath”.
Error opening file /filepath: No such file or directory
Please help me with the right config.

Thanks a lot, you save my day :)

Thank you so much! Meld is the best tool for the job and you saved the day!

could anybody provide the right configs for git difftool/mergetool, please?

@rolandkozma-sg

[difftool "meld"]
    cmd = /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/MacOS/Meld "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" 2>/dev/null

This has been working for me. Though I've been having to blindly answer "Launch meld?" by hitting return. I think that's caused by something else in my terminal/git config setup though.

Edit: oh, and mergetool should be:

[mergetool "meld"]
    cmd = /Applications/Meld.app/Contents/MacOS/Meld "$LOCAL" "$BASE" "$REMOTE" --output "$MERGED" 2>/dev/null

Thanks @liamjones!

FYI, for most people, I would now recommend installing Meld on Mac OS via brew install dehesselle-meld. I wrote up some details in https://gist.github.com/ilyagr/1b40f6061d8ad320cee4c12843df1a23.

Update: As of May 2025, brew install meld now works and is equivalent to what brew install dehesselle-meld previously was. In particular, it no longer installs a broken version of yousseb's Meld as it used to in 2023. (By contrast, this gist installs a fixed version of yousseb's Meld).

It has the downside of not supporting a proper MacOS menu bar, and probably misses some other MacOS integrations.

However, I used syneart's recipe in this gist for a long time, and it works well too (and even results in a slightly nicer Meld version). Thanks syneart and yousseb!

+1 seems to work for m4 pro / sequoia 15.4

Upgrade from Sonoma to Sequoia (Intel) break the install, but running this fix it again:

curl https://gist.githubusercontent.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2/raw/meld_hotfix_sonoma.sh | zsh

Thanks for this. Much appreciated

Repeating my edit to https://gist.github.com/syneart/4a8724cd479d31f0f742f499f807dcb2?permalink_comment_id=5404734#gistcomment-5404734, brew install meld now again works, and installs what used to be called deheselle-meld. This is different from what brew install meld did in 2023 and earlier.

This is also different from what you get if you follow this gist; see my earlier comment for some examples (I find the differences minor, but YMMV). This gist continues to work fine if you prefer it.

That's a great news @ilyagr !!! 🎉
Thanks for sharing it :)