Sidecar - Has anyone got it working?

[VolceOntra]

According to SideCarCore (terminal window:


cat /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore

)

here are the models not supported:

iMac13,1iMac13,2iMac13,3iMac14,1iMac14,2iMac14,3iMac14,4iMac15,1iMac16,1iMac16,2MacBook8,1MacBookAir5,1MacBookAir5,2MacBookAir6,1MacBookAir6,2MacBookAir7,1MacBookAir7,2MacBookPro9,1MacBookPro9,2MacBookPro10,1MacBookPro10,2MacBookPro11,1MacBookPro11,2MacBookPro11,3MacBookPro11,4MacBookPro11,5MacBookPro12,1Macmini6,1Macmini6,2Macmini7,1MacPro5,1MacPro6

This should be able to be patched by editing and resigning

 

[Brammy]

That makes sense, thanks. Be nice if they just said, "that feature is not supported on your Mac."

 

[VolceOntra]

Got it working on my unsupported iMac15,1.

Steps:

• Backup /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore
• Download a hex editor (I used iHex)
• Find out your model number (Apple Logo -> System Report -> Hardware (first item)
• Use https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/number/ascii-to-hex.html to convert your model number to hex
• Open iHex or other hex editor and search for your model number in hex
• Change the unsupported hex to some other version (For example I made iMac15,1 -> iMac10,1)
• Close and save (you might have to save into a different directory and move it over to the framework again
• Code sign.... Open a terminal window and type
• sudo codesign -f -s - {{Your adhoc profile}} /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore
• Make sure at this point that this is the new version.
• sudo chmod -x /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore

• Force close System Preference if open and you should be good to go on the next launch

EDIT: Though the menu and the iPad appear as an option now, it is still not actually working

EDIT 2: You need to sign with an AD-HOC provisioning profile

 

[Ultracyclist]

If it is all this "easy" one could just make patched SidecarCore file that would enable all Catalina supported Mac's right?

 

[falcwine]

Having a MacBookPro15,2 here and its not working. Also when connecting iPad(6th Gen)via USB-C

 

[VolceOntra]

If it is all this "easy" one could just make patched SidecarCore file that would enable all Catalina supported Mac's right?

Yeah, someone could I guess replace all the unsupported macs model numbers to something like 00,0 and this would allow everyone to have the menu. Though like I said, my solution doesn't seem to be fully working.

 

[EugW]

This reddit user has done some interesting research on the topic: https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/bx3eet/sidecar_support_on_older_macs/

According to SideCarCore (terminal window:


cat /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore

)

here are the models not supported:

iMac13,1iMac13,2iMac13,3iMac14,1iMac14,2iMac14,3iMac14,4iMac15,1iMac16,1iMac16,2MacBook8,1MacBookAir5,1MacBookAir5,2MacBookAir6,1MacBookAir6,2MacBookAir7,1MacBookAir7,2MacBookPro9,1MacBookPro9,2MacBookPro10,1MacBookPro10,2MacBookPro11,1MacBookPro11,2MacBookPro11,3MacBookPro11,4MacBookPro11,5MacBookPro12,1Macmini6,1Macmini6,2Macmini7,1MacPro5,1MacPro6

This should be able to be patched by editing and resigning

That reddit link states that it may be due to hardware HEVC encode support.

 

[jacklivehere]

Usb-c connection works with iPad Pro and Mac mini 2018.

Times out in wireless connection , using google Wifi mesh network

 

[falcwine]

Just discovered its also important that both devices (Mac and iPad) must be using the same Apple ID. Was not working on my 2018 MacBooPro until i started using the same Apple ID on both devices

 

[TMRJIJ]

Got it working on my unsupported iMac15,1.

Steps:

• Backup /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore
• Download a hex editor (I used iHex)
• Find out your model number (Apple Logo -> System Report -> Hardware (first item)
• Use https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/number/ascii-to-hex.html to convert your model number to hex
• Open iHex or other hex editor and search for your model number in hex
• Change the unsupported hex to some other version (For example I made iMac15,1 -> iMac10,1)
• Close and save (you might have to save into a different directory and move it over to the framework again
• Code sign.... Open a terminal window and type
• sudo codesign -f -s - {{Your adhoc profile}} /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore
• Make sure at this point that this is the new version.

• Force close System Preference if open and you should be good to go on the next launch

EDIT: Though the menu and the iPad appear as an option now, it is still not actually working

EDIT 2: You need to sign with an AD-HOC provisioning profile

This seems very similar to the CoreBrightness.framework provisions for Night Shift which Pike R Alpha found in Sierra. If you want, you can use my Night Shift Patch script to make your own SidecarCore patch.
I'll probably make my own later when Catalina is in public beta

 

[jackluke]

Here are all the offsets, will give a try just for fun. Thanks @VolceOntra for pointed it out.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Here are all the offsets, will give a try just for fun. Thanks @VolceOntra for pointed it out.

What happens when you remove the offset completely or put just one model there? I'm can't run Catalina right now to test due to my freelance work.

 

[VolceOntra]

What happens when you remove the offset completely or put just one model there? I'm can't run Catalina right now to test due to my freelance work.

You'd have to edit a bunch of other stuff. The easiest thing is to just make all of them 00,0 for a universal solution.

 

[jackluke]

What happens when you remove the offset completely or put just one model there? I'm can't run Catalina right now to test due to my freelance work.

As first attempt I just tried simply to exchange the MacBookPro9,1 with mine unsupported MacBookPro6,2 , codesigned but "Sidecar.prefpane" just doesn't show in system preferences, maybe there is some subcheck if a Metal or Video acceleration driver is loaded, or if an IPadOS device (that I don't have) is in the same wifi network, don't know.

I just changed this: 4d 61 63 42 6f 6f 6b 50 72 6f 39 2c 31

into this: 4d 61 63 42 6f 6f 6b 50 72 6f 36 2c 32

but nothing. Maybe a wrong Xcode dev tools version, but it says signature replaced.

I used the same method I did for Catalina Corebrightness.

edit:
For moment maybe after launched the binary, is appeared a sub screen with something like mirroring screen to left-right-center.

But I repeat I don't have an IPadOS and don't have Metal or Acceleration driver on that machine.

 

[VolceOntra]

As first attempt I just tried simply to exchange the MacBookPro9,1 with mine unsupported MacBookPro6,2 , codesigned but "Sidecar.prefpane" just doesn't show in system preferences, maybe there is some subcheck if a Metal or Video acceleration driver is loaded, or if an IPadOS device (that I don't have) is in the same wifi network, don't know.

I just changed this: 4d 61 63 42 6f 6f 6b 50 72 6f 39 2c 31

into this: 4d 61 63 42 6f 6f 6b 50 72 6f 36 2c 32

but nothing. Maybe a wrong Xcode dev tools version, but it says signature replaced.

I used the same method I did for Catalina Corebrightness.

edit:
For moment maybe after launched
the binary, is appeared a sub screen with something like mirroring screen to left-right-center.

You might also have to do this in terminal:

• sudo chmod -x /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore

And make sure you did code sign with an adhoc profile.

 

[jackluke]

You might also have to do this in terminal:

• sudo chmod -x /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SidecarCore.framework/Versions/A/SidecarCore

And make sure you did code sign with an adhoc profile.

Probably is that, but I haven't neither iCloud signed in in this Catalina installation (cause is an unsupported machine), I should try from HighSierra to re-codesign with adhoc profile.

edit:
Since I used the beta Xcode dev tools from Catalina, then I retried to re-codesign from HighSierra where I use a full Xcode with Dev profile, but same result, then I tried to open manually the /S/L/PreferencesPanes/Sidecar.prefpane and I got this message.

The weird fact is that is appeared a couple of times. I guess it requires a device in the same wifi, that at the moment I don't have.

edit:
without do nothing it's appeared again that little window for screen mirroring I guess it's Sidecar that probably tries to detect my phone.

 

[VolceOntra]

Probably is that, but I haven't neither iCloud signed in in this Catalina installation (cause is an unsupported machine), I should try from HighSierra to re-codesign with adhoc profile.

edit:
Since I used the beta Xcode dev tools from Catalina, then I retried to re-codesign from HighSierra where I use a full Xcode with Dev profile, but same result, then I tried to open manually the /S/L/PreferencesPanes/Sidecar.prefpane and I got this message.

The weird fact is that is appeared a couple of times. I guess it requires a device in the same wifi, that at the moment I don't have.

Can you not plug-in a device? I do not think a WiFi connection is required... and you are you sure you replaced the framework with the one that has the update support? If you open up the file again again from the framework location does it list your device as not supported?

 

[jackluke]

Can you not plug-in a device? I do not think a WiFi connection is required... and you are you sure you replaced the framework with the one that has the update support? If you open up the file again again from the framework location does it list your device as not supported?

I could but haven't upgraded yet I am still at iOS 12.3.1 . I think I replaced in the exactly framework path. But randomly that mini sidecar window pops up prompting me to choice left-right-center side.
Only doesn't show in prefpane.

 

[TMRJIJ]

I could but haven't upgraded yet I am still at iOS 12.3.1 . I think I replaced in the exactly framework path.

Well, I'm backing up my MBP late 2013 right now. I'll try to get Catalina installed on an External then upgrade my iPad Air 2 tonight.

You'd have to edit a bunch of other stuff. The easiest thing is to just make all of them 00,0 for a universal solution.

Did you happen to see any supported iPad models in the Framework?

 

[jackluke]

Well, I'm backing up my MBP late 2013 right now. I'll try to get Catalina installed on an External then upgrade my iPad Air 2 tonight.

Did you happen to see any supported iPad models in the Framework?

Apparently there aren't, I hope they are not from the IPadOS side, I mean inside a device iOS framework, hard to be patched in that case, but I guess iPad Air 2 should be sidecar supported.

Then there is this other privateframeworks SidecarUI but from a quick check doesn't contain Ipad models hex strings.

 

[Brammy]

Steve Troughton-Smith reports this works.
defaults write com.apple.sidecar.display allowAllDevices -bool YES

 

[TMRJIJ]

Apparently there aren't, I hope they are not from the IPadOS side, I mean inside a device iOS framework, hard to be patched in that case, but I guess iPad Air 2 should be sidecar supported.

Then there is this other privateframeworks SidecarUI but from a quick check doesn't contain Ipad models hex strings.

Well, if a dev certificate is required to codesign this framework then I just don’t know how we could make a patcher for every other Mac.

Steve Troughton-Smith reports this works.
defaults write http://com.apple.sidecar.display allowAllDevices -bool YES

I think that’s just for Display Devices (iPhone being included). Did it actually work for you?

 

[TimothyR734]

Steve Troughton-Smith reports this works.
defaults write http://com.apple.sidecar.display allowAllDevices -bool YES

did you mean to put http://com.apple in the string

 

[Brammy]

did you mean to put http://com.apple in the string

no. That’s weird. Edited
[doublepost=1559786962][/doublepost]

I think that’s just for Display Devices (iPhone being included). Did it actually work for you?

I haven’t tried. I am not near my Mac.

 

[rumormiller]

Sidecar needs HEVC hardware support. Well that's one major feature that isn't gonna work for me. Oh well, Duet and Astropad work great on my iMac 14.3 and iPad Pro 9.7 so all is not lost.