MacOS 10.15 Catalina: Read this BEFORE you update to Catalina or Big Sur

 Updated: July 30, 2020

IMPORTANT information about free 64-bit / full retina versions of Screenwriter coming

SEE / BOOKMARK / FOLLOW THIS FAQ FOR STATUS ABOUT ALPHA/BETA/RELEASE FOR CATALINA:

https://screenplay.zendesk.com/knowledge/articles/360034951751/en-us?brand_id=114094274212

We're still working on the free 64-bit update for Screenwriter 6.5 (and Dramatica Story Expert) that will be required in order to run under 10.15 Catalina and MacOS 11 Big Sur.  A free "Alpha Test" release of Screenwriter 6.7 for Catalina & Big Sur was made available in early June, 2020, and is updated regularly.

PLEASE DON'T OPEN A SUPPORT TICKET ASKING FOR ESTIMATED DATES.  Just monitor or bookmark this FAQ to check on beta announcements.

Installing MacOS 10.15 Catalina BEFORE we provide you with a compatible update will prevent Screenwriter 6.5 and Dramatica Story Expert 5.3 from running on any computer with 10.15 Catalina installed.  However, you CAN download the Alpha version of Screenwriter 6.7, which will run on Catalina and Big Sur.

Below we have some suggestions on preparing for Catalina, as well as a strategy to run the current Screenwriter 6.5 and/or Dramatica Story Expert 5.3 if you accidentally upgrade to Catalina or Big Sur before our update is ready.

QUICK TAKEAWAYS:

1. Apple released the first version of MacOS 10.15 Catalina in October 2019, and Big Sur (MacOS 11) in November 2020;
2. The current Screenwriter 6.5 and Dramatica Story Expert 5.3 will not run on MacOS 10.15 or MacOS 11;
3. However, any user with a Screenwriter 6.5 serial number is free to download Screenwriter 6.7 Alpha, which is an early release version that will run natively on Catalina;
4. Screenwriter 6.7 will eventually be released as a free update to Screenwriter 6.5 that will run on MacOS 10.15 Catalina and Big Sur;  A free update for Dramatica Story Expert 5.3 will come AFTER Screenwriter is updated.
5. To download and try the INITIAL "Alpha" releases of Screenwriter 6.7 that will run on Catalina please see this FAQ.
6. If you install MacOS 10.15 Catalina (or 11.0 Big Sur) on your primary writing computer: Screenwriter 6.5 and/or Dramatica 5.3 will cease to run;
7. Wait until Write Brothers has shipped the free upgrade of Screenwriter, or use the free Alpha or Beta version;  Dramatica users will get a separate notice when that free update is ready.
8. You are NOT affected at all if you stay with any current version of MacOS:

• 10.14            Mojave
• 10.13            High Sierra
• 10.12            Sierra
• 10.11            El Capitan
• 10.10            Yosemite

NOTE that all new computers purchased will have MacOS 10.15 Catalina (or MacOS 11 Big Sur) PRE-INSTALLED.  However, it may be possible to request that MOJAVE (10.14.6) be installed.  IF you can, we suggest holding off on hardware purchases until our update is available.

HOW CAN I CONTINUE TO WORK WITH SCREENWRITER / DRAMATICA IF MY MACHINE GOT UPGRADED TO 10.15 CATALINA?  (LINK TO FAQ)

There will always be some clients that accidentally upgrade to a new and incompatible operating system.  Here's some strategies for working in the meantime:

1. Screenwriter 6.5 users can download the early Alpha test versions of Screenwriter 6.7 for Catalina.
2. Set up a separate (small) partition on your computer (or on a separate, external USB drive), so you can boot into MacOS 10.14 Mojave or MacOS 10.13 High Sierra.  This approach allows you to switch back-and-forth between your current version of MacOS and 10.15 Catalina by restarting and holding down the OPTION key.  You will be able to easily copy files BETWEEN the two partitions.
3. Use this FREE, PRE-CONFIGURED VIRTUAL MACHINE that will let you run your current software in a window running on CATALINA!  one of the Virtual Machines programs which would allow you run Screenwriter 6.5 or Dramatica Story Expert 5.3 on any pre-10.15 Catalina version of MacOS in a window at the SAME TIME as 10.15.  Some Virtual machine programs include the free Virtual Box (Oracle), Parallels Desktop for Mac, or VMWare Fusion Pro.  It is unknown if this approach works on Big Sur.
4. Revert your computer's version of MacOS back to Mojave;
5. Temporarily write in a program that supports Final Draft .fdx file format.  Since Screenwriter 6.5 can import / export .fdx file format, you can temporarily write in another program and bring that work back to Screenwriter.  NOTE: we don't recommend this for scripts in-production, due to incompatibilities between the way Screenwriter and Final Draft handle locked production scripts.

We do not have an official date for the update yet.  Please bookmark this FAQ and check it for updated  release date information.  ALSO -- your version of Screenwriter 6.5 will notify you that an update is ready, if you have automatic check for updates turned on (which it is by default).

Best Regards,

Stephen Greenfield
President
Write Brothers, Inc.