CODESIGN_ALLOCATE(1)

💖 CODESIGN_ALLOCATE(1) 💖

okay bestie, welcome to codesign_allocate from the General Commands Manual, section 1. This is the little tool that handles adding code signing data to a Mach-O file, and yes it's giving “quiet backstage icon” energy. 🎀

🌸 NAME 🌸

codesign_allocate — add code signing data to a Mach-O file

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

codesign_allocate -i oldfile [ -a arch size ]... [ -A cputype cpusubtype size ]... -o newfile

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So here's the vibe: codesign_allocate sets up a Mach-O file that the dynamic linker uses, so that space for code signing data — at the size you specify for the architecture you specify — is embedded in that Mach-O file. It's basically reserving the booth seats before the linker walks in. 💅

And the rule for how many -a / -A args? Listen up: for a universal file, you have to pass one -a argument or one -A argument for each architecture in that universal file. For a thin file, you pass exactly one -a or -A. That's the vibe check, no cap.

• -i oldfile — tells it the input file is oldfile. Hi, source file, come on in. 🫶
• -o newfile — tells it the output file is newfile. That's where the glow-up gets written. ✨
• -a arch size — for the architecture arch, sets the size of the code signing data to size. And bestie, size must be a multiple of 16. No exceptions, fr fr.
• -A cputype cpusubtype size — for the architecture given as a pair of decimal integers, cputype and cpusubtype, sets the size of the code signing data to size. Same deal: size must be a multiple of 16. 🎀
• -r — removes the code signature data and the LC_CODE_SIGNATURE load command. It's literally the same as specifying the -a or -A option with a size of zero. Bye, signature data. 👋
• -p — page aligns the code signature data by padding the string table and changing its size. Heads up: this is not the default, because codesign(1) currently can't use this option. So it's iconic but not the everyday setting. 💀

Lowkey important: those 16-multiple size rules for -a and -A are not suggestions. They're the requirement. Don't try to be cute with a random number. 🙈

This page is from the General Commands Manual, brought to you by Apple, Inc., dated April 17, 2017 — yep, that's the source/version and date sign-off, bestie. CODESIGN_ALLOCATE(1) out. 🫶💖