SpriteFont Doesn't Work on Mac

[David_Lent]

I’m using Visual Studio 2019 on Mac and adding a SpriteFont Description always causes a build error. I have verified this with several different projects. I’m using add → new in the Monogame Content Editor to add the Sprite Font Description and the file shows up in the project and it is also visible in the Content.mgcb file, but it’s XML lines are in red when viewed in a text editor. Here’s the build error when I build:

Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone been able to use Sprite Font Descriptions on Visual Studio for Mac. Below is my Content.mgcb file. The project runs if the Spritefont section is deleted.

#----------------------------- Global Properties ----------------------------#

/outputDir:bin/$(Platform)
/intermediateDir:obj/$(Platform)
/platform:DesktopGL
/config:
/profile:Reach
/compress:False

#-------------------------------- References --------------------------------#

#---------------------------------- Content ---------------------------------#

#begin earth.png
/importer:TextureImporter
/processor:TextureProcessor
/processorParam:ColorKeyColor=255,0,255,255
/processorParam:ColorKeyEnabled=True
/processorParam:GenerateMipmaps=False
/processorParam:PremultiplyAlpha=True
/processorParam:ResizeToPowerOfTwo=False
/processorParam:MakeSquare=False
/processorParam:TextureFormat=Color
/build:earth.png

#begin Score.spritefont
/importer:FontDescriptionImporter
/processor:FontDescriptionProcessor
/processorParam:PremultiplyAlpha=True
/processorParam:TextureFormat=Compressed
/build:Score.spritefont

#begin shuttle.png
/importer:TextureImporter
/processor:TextureProcessor
/processorParam:ColorKeyColor=255,0,255,255
/processorParam:ColorKeyEnabled=True
/processorParam:GenerateMipmaps=False
/processorParam:PremultiplyAlpha=True
/processorParam:ResizeToPowerOfTwo=False
/processorParam:MakeSquare=False
/processorParam:TextureFormat=Color
/build:shuttle.png

#begin stars.jpeg
/importer:TextureImporter
/processor:TextureProcessor
/processorParam:ColorKeyColor=255,0,255,255
/processorParam:ColorKeyEnabled=True
/processorParam:GenerateMipmaps=False
/processorParam:PremultiplyAlpha=True
/processorParam:ResizeToPowerOfTwo=False
/processorParam:MakeSquare=False
/processorParam:TextureFormat=Color
/build:stars.jpeg

[Trinith]

I wonder if this is the same problem that myself, and others, have encountered. Is this build error something like “This MGFX effect was built for a different platform!”? If so, try removing the /platform line in the Global Properties section of your Content.mgcb file.

If you want to get a more detailed error message, I think you might have to run that command manually. Copy/paste what it spits out in the error window and run it in the Mac equivalent of a command prompt.

Anyway, I’m just guessing here… I’m not sure if this is the same issue, but worth a shot.

[SOLVED] Conditional compilation of pipeline Content based on Visual Studio project / platform

tl;dr: If your shared Content.mgcb file has a “/platform:<some_platform>” line defined somewhere near the top, remove it. Save the file. Clean, rebuild, and redeploy your solution. Ok, so I’ve made a discovery. I also have the correct MonoGamePlatform setting in my project files. I took a look at the targets file and everything looks like it checks out there as well. That header definition gets referenced in the command and should work. Having said that, it looks like if a /platform line is d…

[David_Lent]

Hi. Thanks! I ran the command manually like you suggested and got a useful error message. It looks like the problem is a nuget package was built for MacOs 10.15, but I only have 10.13 I can’t upgrade my operating system, because my Mac isn’t compatible with 10.15 Time to buy a new Mac.

Building Font /Library/Fonts/Arial.ttf

dyld: lazy symbol binding failed: Symbol not found: ____chkstk_darwin
Referenced from: /Users/davidlent/.nuget/packages/monogame.content.builder.task/3.8.0.1641/tools/netcoreapp3.1/any/libfreetype6.dylib (which was built for Mac OS X 10.15)
Expected in: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib

dyld: Symbol not found: ____chkstk_darwin
Referenced from: /Users/davidlent/.nuget/packages/monogame.content.builder.task/3.8.0.1641/tools/netcoreapp3.1/any/libfreetype6.dylib (which was built for Mac OS X 10.15)
Expected in: /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib

Abort trap: 6