This article presents a step-by-step guide on installing the Theater Node (Film Node) on macOS. Knowing how to install the Theater Node on macOS will help users run their node properly to both help support the network and get credit in the distribution. 

Assumptions Made

Gala Node Requirements‍

What is a Distribution?

Sign Up for a Gala Games and Entertainment Account

Download the Gala Node Software

Download Gala Node Software at this link: https://links.gala.com/DownloadMacNode

The Gala Node software will allow a user to run their Theater Node. Before installing the Gala Node software on Mac, there are three prerequisites to running the Gala Node Software.

Gala Node Prerequisites:

CPU Virtualization

macOS 11 or newer

Docker

CPU Virtualization

A user’s Mac needs a CPU with virtualization enabled to make sure Docker runs properly, as it would throw an error message if it’s not enabled. It is enabled on newer versions of Mac by default. If it is not, please refer to Apple’s documentation on how to enable it.

macOS 11 or newer

Docker requires a version of macOS that is 11 or newer to function correctly. The version of macOS is Big Sur (11), Monterey (12), and Ventura (13). Users need to ensure that their system meets this requirement.

Docker Installation

1) Navigate to https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/ and select Mac with Intel chip or Mac with Apple chip, depending on your Mac's CPU chip. It is recommended to download the latest version of Docker. You can check which chip your Mac has by clicking the Apple Icon at the top left of your screen and selecting About This Mac. 



NOTE: Selecting the wrong installation package will cause Docker installation issues. Please select the proper installer depending on your Mac's CPU chip.

2) Click Allow to download Docker. 



3) When the docker installation window appears, drag Docker into the Applications folder.



4) Once the installation is complete, select it in the Applications folder. 



5) When opening docker for the first time a prompt like below may appear. Click Open.



6) When opening Docker for the first time, it will request privileged access. Click OK to continue.



7) Enter the password for the current macOS user and select Install Helper.



8) Click Accept.



9) Start or Skip tutorial.



10) Select the Settings icon at the top right, enable Start Docker Desktop when you log in and click Apply & Restart.



Users can confirm if Docker is running by selecting the Docker icon at the top right and it shows as Docker Desktop is running.

Installation of the Gala Node Software

1) After downloading the Gala Node Desktop software, drag it into the Applications folder.



2) After installation, open Gala Node Desktop in the Applications folder.



3) When starting the Gala Node software for the first time, it will ask for an API Key. Please see the Gala Node Dashboard article to learn more. Click Enter Now to continue.

4) Paste in an API key and click OK.

5) The Gala Node software will now be started. It can be found in the menu bar of macOS.



6) Select the workloads the machine should run. Under the select workloads section, make sure to check off all of the desired workloads, such as Theater Node (Film).

Please be sure to configure Port Forwarding if not already enabled. The Theater Node requires TCP ports 4002, 9096, and 5443 to be open on the user's firewall. If being hosted on a VPS, these ports may already be open. Check with your VPS provider if there are issues. Follow these guides to learn more.

Configure Port Forwarding on a Router
Confirming Port Forwarding Is Active

Please read this article here to learn more about navigating the Gala Node software: Managing the Gala Node Software on Windows or MacOS