TechNote (Archived)

Authorware and Macintosh computers

This TechNoteprovides details about Authorware playback on Macintosh operating systems. This information only applies to Authorware versions 6.5 and 7.

Authorware is only supported for the Windows operating system. Content created with Authorware can however be packaged to play on Macintosh OS 8.6 through OS X. The Authorware Mac Packager packages Authorware files created on Windows computers for playback on Macintosh computers. The Mac Packager for Authorware 6.5 is now available.

Authorware 7on OSX
Authorware 7 introduces native Authorware support for playback on Macintosh OS X. The Authorware Mac Packager can take Authorware files created on a Windows based machine and package them to run on Macintosh OS X. Once the Authorware 7 Mac Packager is available, Authorware web pieces will be viewable on the OS X platform.

Note:The Authorware 7 Mac Packager will be available for download soon after the Authorware 7 release. Check this TechNote for updates.

Authorware 6.5playback on OS X
Authorware 6.5 packaged pieces are not natively supported on OS X . A Macintosh computer with OS X installed may be able to play a Mac packaged piece if the computer can run "Classic" applications. Macintosh computers running OS X without a working version of OS 9.x will not be able to playback Authorware 6.5 content. In order to play an Authorware 6.5 piece on OS X in "Classic mode" the file extension must be changed. For more information see Authorware files packaged on Mac don't run correctly on OS X (TechNote 15875).

Authorware playback on OS 8.6- OS 9.x
The Mac Packager for Authorware 6.5 creates files for playback on Macintosh OS 8.6 - OS 9.x. The Authorware Mac Packager for Authorware 7 can package Authorware content for either OS X or OS 8.6 - OS 9.x.

Download the Authorware Player
The Authorware Web Player is available for the Macintosh platform. Download the Macintosh version of Authorware Web Player to view Authorware pieces over the web.