[SOLVED] Building Blender on macOS fails due to extended attributes

Building Blender
1

I’m on macOS Sequoia 15.3.1 and followed the tutorial in the docs by running:

mkdir blender-git
cd blender-git
git clone https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender.git
cd blender
make update

However, the build process fails with:

...
[ 62%] Linking CXX executable ../../../bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: replacing existing signature
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: resource fork, Finder information, or similar detritus not allowed
make[3]: *** [bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer] Error 1
make[3]: *** Deleting file `bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer'
make[2]: *** [source/blender/blendthumb/CMakeFiles/blender-thumbnailer.dir/all] Error 2
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
[ 63%] Built target bf_rna
[ 63%] Built target buildinfo
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make: *** [all] Error 2

I asked an LLM about this and learned that this error occurs because some files have extended attributes (such as resource forks or Finder metadata) that macOS does not permit in a signed or packaged app bundle.

The aforementioned Blender build docs for macOS don’t not seem to account for this quirk, and I’m not sure how to resolve it. Any advice would be highly appreciated.

2

Interesting, I haven’t seen this error before. It’s possible the blender-thumbnailer app extension we compile somehow globs some sort of detritus before signing, we added it not so long ago and its build process might still have some quirks as it requires manual signing.

As a first step, could you try running xattr -cr . in your blender-git folder to recursively clear such attributes in both your blender source tree and build folder and then try building again?

3

I did try that:

(base) USERNAME@BlackMac blender % make
...
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: replacing existing signature
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: resource fork, Finder information, or similar detritus not allowed
...
[ 62%] Linking CXX static library ../../lib/libextern_ceres.a
[ 62%] Built target extern_ceres
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make: *** [all] Error 2
(base) USERNAME@BlackMac blender % cd ..
(base) USERNAME@BlackMac blender-git % xattr -cr .
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/opensubdiv/lib/OpenSubdiv_static.framework/Resources
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/opensubdiv/lib/OpenSubdiv_static.framework/Versions/Current
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/opensubdiv/lib/OpenSubdiv_static.framework/Headers
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/opensubdiv/lib/OpenSubdiv.framework/Resources
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/opensubdiv/lib/OpenSubdiv.framework/Versions/Current
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/opensubdiv/lib/OpenSubdiv.framework/Headers
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/png/lib/png.framework/Resources
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/png/lib/png.framework/Versions/Current
xattr: No such file: ./blender/lib/macos_arm64/png/lib/png.framework/Headers
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/objects/pack/pack-22e254b6e5b13ff63546faed9e0681b4c6d5bbfd.idx'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/objects/pack/pack-22e254b6e5b13ff63546faed9e0681b4c6d5bbfd.rev'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/objects/pack/pack-22e254b6e5b13ff63546faed9e0681b4c6d5bbfd.pack'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/modules/release/datafiles/assets/objects/pack/pack-6521b6b77ec09c10330186baf2e415431321e529.rev'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/modules/release/datafiles/assets/objects/pack/pack-6521b6b77ec09c10330186baf2e415431321e529.idx'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/modules/release/datafiles/assets/objects/pack/pack-6521b6b77ec09c10330186baf2e415431321e529.pack'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/modules/lib/macos_arm64/objects/pack/pack-93b2af58de9b012549c36517dfc2e67ccaea0359.rev'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/modules/lib/macos_arm64/objects/pack/pack-93b2af58de9b012549c36517dfc2e67ccaea0359.idx'
xattr: [Errno 13] Permission denied: './blender/.git/modules/lib/macos_arm64/objects/pack/pack-93b2af58de9b012549c36517dfc2e67ccaea0359.pack'

When I try it in a more targeted manner and then try building again, I get the same result:

(base) USERNAME@BlackMac blender-git % xattr -cr ./build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex
(base) USERNAME@BlackMac blender-git % cd blender 
(base) USERNAME@BlackMac blender % make

Configuring Blender in "/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin" ...
-- Detected OS X 15.2 and Xcode 16.2 at /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
-- SDKs Directory: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs
-- Detected OSX_SYSROOT: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX15.2.sdk
-- Using /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/lib/macos_arm64/openmp for OpenMP
-- Found OpenPGL: /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/lib/macos_arm64/openpgl/lib/libopenpgl.a
-- Found Metal: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX15.2.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks/Metal.framework
-- Finding Python Module File: certifi/cacert.pem
CMake Warning at tests/python/CMakeLists.txt:560 (message):
  Disabling render tests because tests directory doesn't exist at
  /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data


-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/attributes/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/curve_primitives/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/curves/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/curves/interpolate_curves/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/foreach_geometry_element_zone/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/geometry/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/grease_pencil/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/instance/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/repeat_zone/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh_primitives/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh/extrude/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh/split_edges/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh/triangulate/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/points/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/texture/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/utilities/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/vector/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh/boolean/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/volume/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/mesh/subdivision_tests/ Not Found, disabling test.
-- Directory named /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/blender/tests/data/modeling/geometry_nodes/simulation/ not found, disabling tests
-- Configuring done (1.2s)
-- Generating done (2.8s)
-- Build files have been written to: /Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin

Building Blender ...
make -s -C "/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin" -j 16 install
[  0%] Built target bf_intern_mikktspace
[  0%] Built target bf_intern_atomic
[  0%] Built target bf_intern_clog
[  0%] Built target bf_intern_sky
[  0%] Built target extern_fmtlib
[  0%] Built target datatoc
[  0%] Built target glsl_preprocess
[  0%] Built target bf_intern_audaspace
[  1%] Built target zstd_compress
[  3%] Built target cycles_osl_shaders
[  3%] Built target cycles_graph
[  4%] Built target bf_intern_dualcon
[  4%] Built target bf_intern_eigen
[  4%] Built target bf_intern_guardedalloc
[  4%] Built target bf_intern_iksolver
[  4%] Built target cycles_kernel_osl
[  4%] Built target cycles_kernel
[  4%] Built target bf_intern_rigidbody
[  4%] Built target extern_curve_fit_nd
[  4%] Built target extern_rangetree
[  4%] Built target extern_nanosvg
[  4%] Built target bf_dna_blenlib
[  4%] Built target extern_wcwidth
[  4%] Built target extern_xxhash
[  4%] Built target bf_intern_openvdb
[  4%] Built target cycles_subd
[  4%] Built target bf_intern_quadriflow
[  5%] Built target extern_minilzo
[  5%] Built target cycles_session
[  5%] Built target extern_lzma
[  5%] Built target extern_gflags
[  5%] Built target cycles_bvh
[  5%] Built target bf_intern_slim
[  5%] Generating buildinfo.h_fake, buildinfo.h
[  9%] Built target bf_compositor_shaders
[  9%] Built target bf_ocio_shaders
[  9%] Built target extern_glog
[  9%] Built target cycles_integrator
[ 10%] Built target cycles_util
[ 15%] Built target bf_gpu_shaders
[ 27%] Built target bf_draw_shaders
[ 28%] Built target audaspace-py
[ 29%] Built target cycles_device
[ 30%] Built target bf_intern_itasc
[ 30%] Built target buildinfo
[ 30%] Building C object source/creator/CMakeFiles/buildinfoobj.dir/buildinfo.c.o
[ 30%] Built target makesdna
[ 30%] Built target buildinfoobj
[ 30%] Built target extern_quadriflow
[ 30%] Built target bf_dna
[ 30%] Built target bf_intern_memutil
[ 30%] Built target bf_intern_libmv
[ 30%] Built target bf_intern_mantaflow
[ 30%] Built target cycles_scene
[ 51%] Built target bf_editor_datafiles
[ 51%] Built target bf_intern_opensubdiv
[ 51%] Built target bf_functions
[ 53%] Built target extern_bullet
[ 54%] Built target draco
[ 55%] Built target extern_mantaflow
[ 55%] Built target extern_draco
[ 56%] Built target audaspace
[ 57%] Built target makesrna
[ 59%] Built target bf_blenlib
[ 61%] Built target extern_ceres
[ 61%] Built target msgfmt
[ 62%] Built target locales
[ 62%] Linking CXX executable ../../../bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: replacing existing signature
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: resource fork, Finder information, or similar detritus not allowed
make[3]: *** [bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer] Error 1
make[3]: *** Deleting file `bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer'
make[2]: *** [source/blender/blendthumb/CMakeFiles/blender-thumbnailer.dir/all] Error 2
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
[ 63%] Built target bf_rna
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
4

Can you give the result of xattr -lr ./build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex to check which attributes codesign might stumble upon?

The next step after that would eventually be to retry with a clean build. You can just delete the build_darwin and re-run make for this.

5 
(base) USERNAME@BlackMac blender-git % xattr -lr ./build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex
./build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/Info.plist: com.apple.provenance: 
./build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: com.apple.FinderInfo: 
./build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: com.apple.fileprovider.fpfs#P:

Simply deleting build_darwin/ and running make again in the blender/ directory just ends up with the same issue again:

...
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: replacing existing signature
[ 52%] Generating fa.mo
/Users/USERNAME/Documents/Dev/blender-git/build_darwin/bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex: resource fork, Finder information, or similar detritus not allowed
make[3]: *** [bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer] Error 1
make[3]: *** Deleting file `bin/blender-thumbnailer.appex/Contents/MacOS/blender-thumbnailer'
make[2]: *** [source/blender/blendthumb/CMakeFiles/blender-thumbnailer.dir/all] Error 2
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
...
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make: *** [all] Error 2
6

These attributes could be coming from iCloud syncing. If you do the build in a folder other than Documents it might avoid the issue.

2 Likes
7

I now managed to get it to build by running

cmake -DWITH_BLENDER_THUMBNAILER=OFF .
...
make
8

Ah, indeed! I tried the entire thing again in ~/Downloads, which is not synced via iCloud, and the build tutorial from the docs works perfectly! :partying_face: Thank you!