How to install FORScanon Macbook Pro for ELM327

I have successfully got FORScan working for the latest mac os version sierra 10.12.1 using a macbook pro 2011

Firstly make sure you have the correct drivers installed for the ELM device. I am using ELM 327 USB v1.5 bought from here:

http://www.cardiagtool.co.uk/elm327-v15-plastic-obdii-eobd-canbus-scanner-without-ft232rl-chip.htmlIt’s $8 around.

I find there are ELS27 FORScan cables also available. Cables come with software:

http://www.cardiagtool.co.uk/esl27-forscan-for-ford-mazda-lincoln-mercury-vehicles.html

It’s $30 around. No need take risk to test software online.

I installed Driver Pack 1 & 2 from here: http://www.totalcardiagnostics.com/support/Knowledgebase/Article/View/19/0/how-to-install-elm327-usbbluetooth-on-mac-and-obd-software

Don’t use the Driver Pack 3 from the link above, instead you can find the drivers for your OS, which are kept up to date here: http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=229&pcid=41

I used PL2303_MacOSX_1.6.1, after installation restart your machine

Follow Alchemyx’s steps but before you do step 4 you have to find out what your mac will name the ELM device:

Open terminal (cmd + space, type ‘terminal’, press enter) > Disconnect ELM from your mac and run:

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ls /dev

This shows the current list of devices connected. Connect the ELM to your mac and run again:

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ls /dev

Compare the two outputs, you are looking for one similar to tty.usbserial

If you find something other than tty.usbserial then replace tty.usbserial within step 4 of Alchemyx’s post:

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ln -s /dev/tty.usbserial ~/.wine/dosdevices/com1
Next do step 5 of Alchemyx’s steps. If your struggling you may need to have a better understanding about wine. ‘.wine’ is a hidden folder. If you google how to show hidden folders on a mac you will be able to access this folder and continue with Alchemyx’s step 5, or you could do it through a bash script.

When you complete Step 5 and you are now showing hidden folders, you should revert your mac to hide the folders again.

At this point if you haven’t already download FORScan from the downloads page and save to downloads. Open terminal and ‘cd’ to the downloads folder. Once you are at the folder level you can run:

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wine $FORScanDownload.exe
Change $FORScanDownload.exe to whatever your download name is. Run the installation as normal, no need to change any folder paths.

The penultimate thing is to ‘cd’ to wherever the wine folder of FORScan.exe is and then do:

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wine FORScan.exe

You can create a script that will do this for you using Script editor.

Open script editor (cmd + space, type ‘Script Editor’, hit enter):

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tell application “Terminal”
do script “cd ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\\ Files/FORSCAN
wine forscan.exe”
end tell

Save as .application to the desktop. Now you can run FORScan like a normal app on your mac.

Ultimately when FORScan is running on your mac go to the settings screen, hit connection tab then configure as per below:

FORScan-mac
Now connect ELM327 usbto your mac and your vehicle and then go to the initial screen and try to connect.

Job done!