Installation

CueForge 0.99.1 is a private beta. This page covers how the beta is distributed, what your workstation needs, and what you will see when CueForge first opens.

Beta distribution

CueForge is currently distributed directly to approved beta participants. There is no public download page or self-serve installer during the beta.

• If you are part of the beta programme, you will receive the application and update instructions directly from the CueForge team.
• Personal signed licenses are supplied separately from the installer. The CueForge website’s downloads page carries the current status for everyone else.

Note: Beta builds may update frequently. Check the version shown in CueForge → About CueForge against the build you were sent, and report any mismatch to the beta team.

System requirements

CueForge is a desktop application built for show control workstations.

Verified platform:

• macOS on Apple Silicon (M1 or newer), using the supplied arm64 build. This beta does not provide an Intel Mac package.

Memory and storage guidance:

• 8 GB RAM is a practical minimum for small shows; 16 GB or more is recommended for shows with many simultaneous media cues.
• Keep media on fast local storage (SSD). Network drives are convenient for archiving but risky for live playback.
• A second display is strongly recommended: one screen for the operator interface, one for the audience-facing output.

Warning: Windows compatibility is unverified in this beta. A Windows x64 NSIS installer is supplied, but it has not been installation- or hardware-acceptance-tested on a Windows machine. Plan beta work on macOS and treat any Windows result as experimental until the team announces otherwise.

Note: Hardware-related features — audio device routing and bindings, multichannel channel maps, and attached control hardware — are implemented with automated validation, but physical validation on real show hardware is still in progress. See Current Limitations.

Install the supplied package and license

• macOS: open CueForge-0.99.1-arm64.dmg and copy CueForge to Applications, or use the supplied arm64 ZIP. The app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized.
• Windows x64: run CueForge Setup 0.99.1.exe. It is not Authenticode-signed and may produce a security warning.
• Use only the package provided by the beta team. If the operating system blocks it, send the exact message to the team rather than disabling system protection globally.
• Install your personal license through Settings → Licensing → Install License…. See Licensing for activation and expiry.

First launch

The first time CueForge opens, it lands on the Start Workspace — an in-window launcher for everything project-related:

• New Empty Project — start a show from scratch.
• Open Existing Project… — browse for an existing .cueforge project file.
• Recent Projects — quick access to recent work. Projects whose file can no longer be found are marked (missing) so you can tell at a glance what has moved.
• Project Templates — starting points for common show shapes.
• Demo Projects — the bundled demo material, useful for exploring CueForge without touching your own show.

Tip: If autosave recovery is pending from a previous session, the recovery banner takes precedence over the Start Workspace — deal with the recovered work first. See Projects, Saving and Recovery.

You can return to the Start Workspace at any time with File → Start Workspace (Cmd+Shift+N).

Updating during the beta

When a new beta build arrives, replace the application and open your existing project. Keep a backup before opening existing work on a new beta. The current project schema remains 0.11.0; verify your own show and media after updating. As with any live-production tool, open and rehearse the show on the new build before showtime — never update in the hours before a performance.