#599 Several macOS CLI Bugs

[Anon]

First, I hope I have the correct bug tracker. I noticed I have VeraCrypt bug forum accounts on both SourceForge and Github. I would have thought Github was the latest, but it timed out whenever I tried to go to site.

System: macOS 14.7.1 (23H222) on M2 Max MBP
VeraCrypt 1.26.7

I have encountered several CLI bugs trying to use the CLI to generate keyfiles. Since the bugs are all semi-related, I'm writing them up in one place. Bug # 1 is a UI bug, and the other bugs are simply inconsistencies which should probably be fixed when fixing Bug # 1.

BUG # 1.
Please refer to attachment "VC-GenKeyFiles-CLI.png".

a) The "Keyfiles size" can only be set using the the up and down arrows--you cannot paste a value into the dialog box. This is a MAJOR pain if you want a large keyfile size.

b) The "Keyfiles base name" is less than one character wide, so you cannot view what is typed in the field.

BUG # 2.
This is a minor documentation bug.

In Documentation >> Command Line Usage,, it reads: "For information on command line usage applying to the Linux and Mac OS X versions, please run: veracrypt –h".

That will work on Linux if veracrypt is in the $PATH, so it should not be a problem for most Linux users.

However, on macOS, the correct command should be:
/Applications/VeraCrypt.app/Contents/MacOS/VeraCrypt -h

BUG # 3.
Please refer to attachment "VC CLI-HELP.png"
Entering the command: /Applications/VeraCrypt.app/Contents/MacOS/VeraCrypt -h
opens a dialog box (which is tiny and cannot be resized) which states the syntax for creating keyfiles is:
(dash)(dash)create-keyfile[=FILE_PATH]

If you specify an =PATH as part of the command, VeraCrypt pops up a dialog box that says: "Incorrect command line specified." In the terminal window, it also gives the error: Unknown long option 'create-keyfiles'.

Additionally, it dumps the help syntax in the terminal window (which is FAR more useful/usable than the dialog box!) and it gives the create-keyfiles syntax as NOT containing any file path--which is the syntax which works correctly.

Suggestion: Kill off the help command dialog box and stick with what is given in the terminal window. It is both correct and FAR easier to read.

[Anon]

second attachment

[Anon]

Regarding Bug # 2.

Rather than updating the documentation, perhaps the better solution is at the end of the install process, create a symbolic link in /usr/local/bin which points to VeraCrypt. That is:

ln -s /Applications/VeraCrypt.app/Contents/MacOS/VeraCrypt /usr/local/bin/veracrypt
chmod -h 755 /usr/local/bin/veracrypt

This would make VeraCrypt's CLI behavior consistent with Linux implementations.