I am encountering the

<code>Termination Reason: DYLD, [0x4] Symbol missing</code>

error when attempting to run 3.6.9 stable on Big Sur. The recommendation here is to upgrade to sonoma, but for reasons of other software I cannot upgrade without breaking critical software. Ishave not been able to find any earlier .dmg files, I was hoping to install the lastest version that remains compatible Big Sur. Is there a repo to try, a binary package of say 3.6.7?

(additional information from the error for reference, it has been discussed elsewhere in the forum without resoultion but to upgrade as far as I can tell)
<code>Application Specific Information:
dyld: launch, loading dependent libraries

Dyld Error Message:
Symbol not found: __ZTVNSt3__13pmr25monotonic_buffer_resourceE
Referenced from: /Applications/KStars.app/Contents/MacOS/../Frameworks/QtCore.framework/Versions/5/QtCore
Expected in: /usr/lib/libc++.1.dylib
in /Applications/KStars.app/Contents/MacOS/../Frameworks/QtCore.framework/Versions/5/QtCore</code>

I'm replying just to 2nd your questions on a Kstars stable or the beta release. I had been using 3.6.9 -beta? (whats on the download page,) and it had been working on my M1 Mac Air, and Monterey. Kstars download page is dated April 1 for apparenlty for a stable release date.

But after a 'hiatus' of months due to weather and upgrade to Sonoma, when trying to use it last week, to image Comet 12P, (under Sonoma) Kstars would immediately crash when I tried to take a frame with my Canon DSLR. In an older MBP Intel , it also did not work and would put up an indi-canon-driver crashed error message -buried behind several EKOS and INDI windows. So both are completely unusable and I'm shut down for any imaging with Kstars.

If there is not a new stable release soon, that works, as others I know have, I am going to have to abandon Kstars for another software that works and is updated correctly. Its been mostly great, but if I'm far more interested in doing 'astronomy' than fiddling with code.

I understand the frustration.

But Kstars is not the only macOS astronomy software to suffer this. Until I transferred to Kstars/Ekos a few months ago I was an enthusiastic user of TheSkyX. But that also went through a Sonoma crisis, in that a "Daily Build" (as they call them, even if only released every month or less) broke the program for every OS before Sonoma. Bear in mind that TSX is expensive to buy (though you get it free if you buy one of their mounts), but everybody has to pay an annual subscription to keep up to date. My subscription (admittedly for the fullest version) is about 200 USD per year.

So having a broken system here is not just frustrating but is also a financial hit. And it took quite a few months to find a fix. Personally I upgraded to Sonoma, earlier than I would have liked but that was that.

They also use Qt. Maybe that's the common factor?

In any case, like you I prefer a working system to fiddling (though I'm not averse to a bit of fiddling if it's leading to something). But frankly I'm prepared to face a few problems with an open source system which is free and maintained by a sizeable group of volunteers, rather than similar problems with an expensive system which, as far as I can tell, has fewer coders looking after it.

Cheers,
Richard

Thanks for your comments.. I was a 'very early adopter' of The Sky since the first Mac version in the early 90's. and I knew a couple of the Bisque brothers and was friends with some of the 'staff' as they and the shop are only 25 or miles from me And yeah, after the The Sky X and Pro came out I had a lot of trouble with Bisque 'customer support' after one friend in support had left and then it got really expensive. So I never 'adopted' the full pro version once they went subscription route and support got almost non-existant unless your had a Paramount . So I 'gave it up.'

About then Kstars came along and has been great - mostly. But lately seems to be 'overcome' by so many changes to the Mac OS X. I'm now missing at least 2 weeks worth of comet imaging - one of my main interests - and all I can do is x-fingers and hope Jasem or some 'expert' here pics up on these posts of problems us regular 'users' are having. I'll be off- for the eclipse for a couple weeks or more, so will see if something 'good' happens during the month. If not, then it'll be likely time to move on.