I finally solved this.
TLDR;
I managed to get my Wacom Intuos GD-0912-U first generation tablet working in High Sierra, with a fully functional Wacom Preference Pane, by using a newer driver and preference pane (6.3.15-3), and hacking the preference pane file with the Info.plist replaced in the package with the Info.plist from the old preference pane
(6.2.0w4).
Explanation;
I have an old first Wacom Intuos first generation (GD-0912-U) tablet, and ran into the same problems when I upgraded to Sierra / High Sierra.
After a lot of reading and trial-and-error, I now have a fully working old Wacom tablet, with a fully working Wacom preference pane in System Preferences.
I read all solutions in this and other threads, and specifically here;
https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/210737/272181
First, the following steps got me a more or less working tablet:
1. Using a legacy driver, in my case 6.2.0w4, downloadable on the Wacom website:
http://www.wacom.com/en-gb/support/product-support/drivers
2. Export/backup the Wacom preference file from another or older computer with the right settings with the Wacom Tablet Utility in Applications > Wacom-tablet.
Import/restore these setting with the same Wacom Tablet Utility.
The above works, you have a working tablet, but without Preference pane to change these settings.
3. The solution for a working Preference Pane for previous MacOS versions was to open System preferences in 32-bit mode, as described in the above link.
Unfortunately this does not work in Sierra and High Sierra.
I managed to get a working Wacom Preference Pane with the following trick/steps:
1. Downloade the old driver that works. With my Intuos1 tablet, in my case version 6.2.0w4
- Install the driver
- Look up the preference pane file in the Library
Libray/PreferencePanes/wacomtablet.prefpane
or it might be here in your User library;
~/Libray/PreferencePanes/wacomtablet.prefpane
- copy this prefpane file to your Desktop.
2. Download a newer driver, that does work in High Sierra. In my case version: 6.3.15-3:
http://www.wacom.com/en-gb/support/product-support/drivers
-Install this newer driver.
3. Open the old prefpane wacomtablet.prefpane file copied to your Desktop with: right-click > Show Package Contents. Navigate to /contents/Info.plist
Copy this file, or keep window open.
4. Navigate to your the prefpane of the newer driver:
Libray/PreferencePanes/wacomtablet.prefpane
or
~/Libray/PreferencePanes/wacomtablet.prefpane
Open it with: right-click > Show Package Contents.
Navigate to contents/Info.plist
Replace this Info.plist file with the one you copied from the old prefpane in step 3.
Just be sure you keep the newer prefpane file and replace Info.plist with the Info.plist from the old prefpane.
You can check versions of the prefpane file with Cmd-i if you get confused.
5. Restart computer
6. Open System preferences. The Wacom preferences pane now shows and opens, but acts weird.
7. Close System preferences.
8. Change System preferences to 32-bit mode (with a click with CMD-i on the System preferences app).
9. Open System preferences
10. Make some changes in the Wacom preference pane.
11. Close System preferences.
12. Revert the 32-bit mode opening by deselecting the 32 bit mode option.
13. Open System preferences and the Wacom preference pane: Voila: fully working preference pane, without any weirdness.
Steps 6-13 are crucial, without the 32bit switching and back, the prefpane does not work correctly.
In my case with the mentioned to driver versions, I have a fully working prefpane. All options/settings are working and can be saved.
Notes;
- I imagine this hack may work for other driver combinations, but I am not sure, just try it out.
- I read somewhere that next versions of MacOS may not have the 32 bit option anymore, so steps 6-13 will may not work anymore after High Sierra. In that case, I imagine that the hacked preference file still may work, but only the future will tell. I am not sure what causes the hacked prefpane only to work correctly after the switch of System Prefs to 32bit and back is performed. Maybe in a new MacOS version the copied, hacked prefpane will just work. Just be sure to keep a copy of the prefpane and drivers to be safe.
- I got this idea to hack the preference pane here:
https://magicutilities.net/unrelated/75-wacom-preferences-and-os-x
where this fix is described for a Graphire 3 - CTE-430. But without the 32bit System Prefence switch weirdness.
