TRACE Boardviewer

TRACE Boardviewer for macOS (experimental)

Stable release: 1.3.3. The macOS package is experimental. Updated: .

TRACE 1.3.3 has an experimental download for Apple silicon Macs. It requires macOS 13 or later and is ad-hoc signed but not notarized. This page explains which package fits, how to check its download, and what to do if macOS blocks it.

Mac download and checksum Compare platforms and limits

Check whether the Mac package fits

  • Chip: Apple silicon (arm64) only. Intel Macs are not supported by this download.
  • System: macOS 13 or later.
  • Release state: 1.3.3 is the current stable project release; the macOS build remains experimental.
  • Signing: the app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized. Gatekeeper may block a downloaded copy. If it does, stop and wait for a signed and notarized release; do not remove the quarantine flag or change Gatekeeper settings.

For the exact packaging and validation boundary, see the tagged macOS validation notes and the 1.3.3 release notes.

Download and verify the archive

  1. From the Mac download section, get TRACE-Boardviewer-1.3.3-mac-arm64.zip and its SHA-256 sidecar. Both files are also listed on the 1.3.3 release page.
  2. In Terminal, calculate the downloaded archive's hash: 
    shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/TRACE-Boardviewer-1.3.3-mac-arm64.zip
    Compare the 64-character result with the value in the sidecar before extracting.
  3. Extract the ZIP and open TRACE Boardviewer.app. If Gatekeeper blocks it, stop there. This release does not provide a supported way around that block.

These links are for 1.3.3; use the matching checksum sidecar for any later release.

What TRACE can do on macOS

TRACE 1.3.3 includes the shared board-viewing workflows in its macOS package: open supported board formats, attach a matching schematic and PDF datasheets, search across them, cross-probe board and schematic, and keep local pin notes. Check the format table for exact variants, validation levels and limits; Getting started walks through a typical board, schematic and PDF workflow.

Board and document files are read on your Mac and are not uploaded. Network use is limited to optional features that you choose, such as checking for a release, sending a reviewed bug report, or verifying project support. See the platform and feature comparison before choosing a build. Windows x64 is the stable, portable target; macOS and Linux packages are experimental.

Known macOS validation limits

The release workflow builds and smoke-checks the Apple silicon ZIP on a hosted macOS runner. A development build was also run on an Apple M3, but neither result is native acceptance of the published downloaded package. The macOS package remains experimental until that acceptance is complete and signing and notarization are available. The app's user-data location is documented as ~/Library/Application Support/trace-boardviewer, but the tagged release notes say that location has not been confirmed on a native build.

If the app opens and you find a problem, use Report a bug in the app to review what would be sent; do not attach board files. If the app cannot be used, the GitHub issue form is available in a browser.

Mac download and checksum Exact supported formats Getting started

TRACE Boardviewer is not affiliated with Apple. “Mac” and “macOS” identify the platform and are used descriptively.