I am running Freehand on Yosemite via Parallels 10

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I just bought a MacbookAir (end 2014) running Yosemite 10.10. The process of running Freehand on Parallels must be the same no matter if you are running Yosemite or Mavericks, but there's an additional work around I found online that I believe many do not know.

First I installed Parallels 10 free trial, very straight forward, plus they have free phone support who can remotely control your computer if you run into problems or can't figure something out, which makes installing and understanding Parallels 10 a no-brainer. When the free trial runs out, Parallels costs $79.99 to keep it.

Then I bought Snow Leopard SERVER EDITION. Do NOT buy the normal Snow Leopard, it MUST be the server edition or it won't work. And this can ONLY be purchased via PHONING Apple, it's not available online. It cost 22.99 here in Canada.

Again, if you are confused about working with a Virtual Machine, Parallels support can walk you through it on the phone, but it is very simple.

From the virtual machine, I installed the Snow Leopard Server, very straight forward Apple installation process. After that I installed Freehand into the virtual machine now running Snow Leopard (it never even asked for my Macromedia serial number, very weird...).

Years ago, Adobe put a link on their website instructing how to get Freehand to work in Snow Leopard. You do everything in Adobe's link:
https://helpx.adobe.com/freehand/kb/can ... x-mac.html

Many people online say the instructions in the above link were all they needed to run Freehand in Snow Leopard, while many others said it still did not open. For me, it still did not open.

But then I found one lone post buried in a forum somewhere from a woman saying she had just the trick. And it worked for me so I'm pasting her instructions exactly as she posted them as I believe too many people didn't know this work around and gave up on trying to run Freehand altogether. I regret I no longer have her post or name to give her credit, and thanks, but I copied her words exactly in a file for safekeeping. Here they are:

"Step 1. Locate and drag to the desktop the Library/Application Support/Macromedia folder (folder has the name “Macromedia” only) with the Freehand MXa registration file inside.

Step 2. Delete local installation of Freehand, using FH install disk.

Step 3. Reinstall Freehand from the disk. Your note – “VERY IMPORTANT – DO NOT RUN FREEHAND AFTER INSTALL or LAUNCH WILL FAIL!”

Step 4. Locate and delete the newly created Library/Application Support/Macromedia folder.

Step 5. Drag the old Macromedia folder from your desktop back into Library/Application Support folder Exactly “as is” with Freehand MXa registration file inside.

Step 6. Locate and drag FH Application icon to dock. Click icon to start FH."

So that's all it takes:
1) install Parallels 10
2) install Snow Leopard Server Edition
3) install Freehand
4) put file on Adobe's website in correct folder per instructions
5) follow the lady's 6 steps above

I do have some small problems with Freehand which I can tolerate (some key commands are slow to respond, snap to grid is gone), while a bigger problem is driving me crazy (not all Pantone options have installed, specifically, Solid Coated did not install).

To all debating whether or not to try this, do not hesitate, I know NOTHING about this kind of thing and figured it out easily via the internet. There are a lot of steps but each step in itself is very straight forward!

Good luck!
Amy

[LiseyLu123]

Hi Amy

Thanks for posting these instructions.

I'm hopeful by the prospect this could work for me as I've just purchased a new Macbook Pro running OSX Yosemite 10.10.2.

I haven't found any software that replicates Freehand and neither can they open old files that have open fonts.

I'll call Apple and see if I can purchase Snow Leopard Server...My only concern is I don't have the original Freehand installation disks, so if the first steps don't work, then I'm stuck.

Has anyone else been successful with just the first steps? Any advice or feedback would be appreciated.

Fingers crossed..

[LiseyLu123]

Hi Amy

I was crossing my fingers your solution would work for me, and the software has just arrived.

BUT the software is on CD's and there's no CD drive on my 2014 Mac!!

How did you install the software?

[FFH Mark]

[saschabierl]

Here this even works under El Capitan and Parallels 11.
Freehand MX is running very stable but some minor bugs with the keyboard…