CodeWalker is documented as a Windows application; Map Studio is a separate browser planner. Opening our editor on a Mac is not running a native macOS port of CodeWalker. Keep those products and their output formats distinct when deciding how to work.
You can split a mapping project into source planning, Blender asset work and Windows-side compilation/testing. The useful question is which stage you can complete and verify on each machine—not whether one screenshot means the whole pipeline is supported.
What belongs to each stage
| Stage | Tool | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Arrange prop placements and simple room plans | Map Studio | Browser-source work; no native GTA archive viewer or compiler |
| Model geometry and organize asset definitions | Blender with a compatible Sollumz release | Follow the installed release’s supported platform and export options |
| Run the CW Studio source handoff | The versioned Blender companion | Legacy source XML; not native compilation on macOS |
| Inspect and compile using CodeWalker | Windows CodeWalker environment | Match the tool build to the game data and target edition |
| Accept the finished map | Intended development FiveM environment | Requires actual gameplay checks, independent of source export |
The CodeWalker repository is the authority for its requirements. A download labeled “CodeWalker for Mac” by an unrelated mirror is not evidence of an official native port. Use the original download sources rather than a repacked executable.
Start with browser-editable source
Use the three-prop source example to test the browser workflow. Open the JSON, make one small placement change and save a new copy. Then reopen that copy before doing substantial work. This confirms that you can retain and recover your source rather than relying on a tab remaining open.
The editor uses illustrative shapes and local project data. It does not need you to upload your game archives, and it cannot infer the real dimensions of every GTA model from a name. Verify referenced assets in the desktop toolchain later.
Keep downloads in a named project directory. Browser storage is not a cross-machine sync service or a replacement for source control. Transfer the saved files you intend to use, not an assumption that another browser will contain the same state.
Use the companion only within its tested source scope
The companion’s documented source baseline is Blender 4.2.23 LTS, Sollumz 2.9.0 and szio 1.3.0.dev9. These are compatibility pins for this particular integration, not a claim that they are the newest software releases. Check the included toolchain notes before substituting versions.
Install Sollumz first, then CW Studio. In the companion panel, import the package, validate it and export to a fresh directory. Inspect the build report for the exact files produced. The Blender/Sollumz setup guide covers that sequence and links the package.
The companion does not compile native binaries on macOS and does not launch CodeWalker or FiveM. A successful XML export should be recorded as source produced, not “map finished.” The MLO guide keeps these acceptance stages separate.
Hand off a complete source package to Windows
Transfer the original project, editable Blender scene where relevant, source XML, custom textures you have rights to use, and the version/build record. Keep the source untouched while compiling into a new output directory. Do not flatten the folder structure so that texture or asset paths lose their meaning.
On the Windows side, confirm the same target edition and inspect the compiled files in a fresh CodeWalker project. Only then package the native resource and test it on the intended server. Record what was actually tested rather than copying the source-stage status into a release note.
Virtual machines and compatibility layers add separate graphics, runtime and game-data constraints. This guide does not certify a Wine, CrossOver or Windows-on-ARM setup. A window opening is not evidence of successful 3D rendering, native asset compilation or gameplay. Prefer an already verified Windows environment for the final acceptance stage.
Keep the handoff reversible
Use separate source/, xml/, native/ and test-records/ folders and assign a revision identifier before transferring them. Include the missing steps explicitly: for example, “XML exported; native reload and collision tests pending.” That is actionable information for the next machine or collaborator.
For a stalled Windows launch, use CodeWalker not loading. For a source package that exports but fails in-game, use the release checklist rather than treating the problem as a Mac-download issue.