luisherranz

I've just finished my first external. I compiled it in 32bits with XCode, and it is working fine in 32bits Max, as expected.

I supposed I had to re-compile it in 64bits format but I opened Max in 64bits and the external works just fine as well.

- Don't the externals have to be in the same architecture than the host? What's going on here?

- Even if the external work, is there any downside of it being 32bits in a 64bits host?

- Windows has .mxe and .mxe64 type of files, but how can you compile a 32 and a 64bits version in OSX if both files extensions are .mxo?

I've just finished my first external. I compiled it in 32bits with XCode, and it is working fine in 32bits Max, as expected.
I supposed I had to re-compile it in 64bits format but I opened Max in 64bits and the external works just fine as well.

- Don't the externals have to be in the same architecture than the host? What's going on here?
- Even if the external work, is there any downside of it being 32bits in a 64bits host?
- Windows has .mxe and .mxe64 type of files, but how can you compile a 32 and a 64bits version in OSX if both files extensions are .mxo?

32bit-external-working-on-64bit-max

Some of the questions are answered in the 

. Basically MacOS have a notion of fat architecture the same mxo can contain more than one architecture… Windows does not.

Some of the questions are answered in the SDK documentation. Basically MacOS have a notion of fat architecture the same mxo can contain more than one architecture… Windows does not.


Thanks for your answer Emmanuel. Yes, I read the SDK but I didn't get all the answers so I asked here.

One question remains unanswered tho, Why the 32bits external work on the 64bits host?

Thanks for your answer Emmanuel. Yes, I read the SDK but I didn't get all the answers so I asked here. 

One question remains unanswered tho, Why the 32bits external work on the 64bits host?


If your computer has a 64-bits architecture, the 32-bits softwares should run on it (the reverse is not true) but a 64-bits software should be faster(~).

- Don’t the externals have to be in the same architecture than the host? What’s going on here?

Your external should have the same architecture than Max.

No but it should be better to use the same architecture.

If your computer has a 64-bits architecture, the 32-bits softwares should run on it (the reverse is not true) but a 64-bits software should be faster(~). 

No but it should be better to use the same architecture.


32bit external working on 64bit Max?