I've been working on a project in Xcode 3.2.5 and today I tried migrating it up to Xcode 4.0. It compiles just fine; I can navigate to and execute the .app without a hitch (as expected). The only thing that is screwy is the fact that Xcode cannot launch the application, and displays the following error when it tries:
"Error starting executable. No executable file specified. Use the "file" or "exec-file" command" (image not available)
I've scoured the Project and Xcode settings and have been googling for half the day, but all I can find are dead ends and people bashing other people about breaking Apple NDA. FYI Xcode 4 has been released, and is no longer under NDA.
Should I just start a new project and copy in my source? Sounds wrong to me, but brute force works when brute force works.
Thanks in advance
At a guess, the schemes it set up for you based on your v3 targets and build settings might not be quite right. From the schemes menu, choose to edit the current scheme, then select the Run action from the list and make sure the appropriate exectuable is selected.
I ran into the same issue this question came up so I spent my time identifying the issue, reproducing the issue, narrowing it down and explaining as best I could how to not make it happen - as well as the general frustration that comes with an issue like this (it hit me on 2 different versions of Xcode in 2 weeks).
If you're going to delete my post then at least take the time to try and answer the question as I had tried to do.
Now, on to the reply that actually tells how this issue may be created and how to avoid that.
I JUST had this happen creating an app for iOS. Why? I renamed my target executable.
Just tested this by checking out a new copy of the source and rebuilding.
The app ran fine on my device.
Went in to Xcode 4.2, renamed the target. Ran the app. "Error starting Executable..."
I changed the filename back. Same error.
Cleaned and ran the app again and it launched.
Renamed the app, cleaned and ran it again. Not so much luck.
Don't rename your app by renaming the target.
This is such a stupid limitation. Apple lets you rename your target app, but by doing so, this prevents your app from launching on the device.
EDIT: I haven't checked in any code, but now I can't check out and build and run any app without this happening. How do you get the device/xCode out of this state once you've gotten it in to it?
Even the app now crashes on launch at int retVal = UIApplicationMain(argc, argv, nil, nil);
This is in Xcode 4.2 on Snow Leopard, but I got into the same state with Xcode 3 on another Machine last week.
Edit 2: Rebooted the device, rebooted my Mac. Built and ran in the simulator first, then on the Gen4 iPod touch. It works.
I had this issue when migrating a project from Xcode 4 to 4.1, and it ended up being due to the Target's "Product Name" being different in the debug and release configurations. A holdover from when I changed the name of the product many versions ago. So check that...
I've downgraded Xcode from 4.2 to 4.1 only to encounter an error at build and run on device: "Error starting executable. Don't know how to run ...". I've cleaned the project (Xcode > Project > Clean) and cleaned the build folder (Xcode > Project > (hold option key) Clean Build Folder). After that I had to build again and it built okay on iPod touch 4g running iOS 5.
Well, it sure sounds like a whole family of bugs behind that error message!
I got the error after loading up an Xcode 3 project under 4.2.x for the first time.
None of the above tips worked for me, however what I eventually did was switching from GDB to LLDB.
That fixed it.
It looked like the new path to the executable wasn't properly recognized by GDB (i.e. once locally at PROJECT/build/Debug/... in Xcode3 but now in the usual temp. folder location with Xcode 4 it was still looking for the executable in the build folder relative to the project sources)
I duplicated the target and rename the copied on to different name, I got this error message. What I did is to clean the project, exit Xcode, restart the Xcode, then it can run on my device.
Related
Details
Executable Not Found
Domain: DVTMachOErrorDomain
Code: 5
Recovery Suggestion: /Users/riber/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/digitalCurrency-hiyiyrokjaydkiagjimlwohehrtu/Build/Products/Debug-iphonesimulator/digitalCurrency.app is not a valid path to an executable file. Please rebuild the project to ensure that all required executables are created. Check your project settings to ensure that a valid executable will be built.
System Information
macOS Version 11.4 (Build 20F71)
Xcode 12.5 (18205) (Build 12E262)
Timestamp: 2021-06-11T16:34:20+08:00
Check if all files are available.
Targets -> Build Phases -> Compile Sources
If you see faint files, then they need to be removed or added.
Under "Build Settings" - "Architectures" check that you don't have "arm64" excluded under "Excluded architectures" for release, as all new iOS devices use this architecture.
I'm also get the same error. Let me share how I fix it.
I write cpp code on vscode.
I deleted a .cpp/.h file that I didn't need anymore a few days ago.
Everything nice and happy when I working on vscode.
".app is not a valid path" appeared when i switched back to the xcode to verification function.
I was confused.
(I don't immediately remember my delete operation a few days ago)
The key isn't the dialog showed "Executable Not Found",
Switch to "Issue Navigator" and drag to the bottom...
Now the ERROR shows up in front of U:
Finally the solution is :
TARGETS -> Select your ‘Target' -> Build Phases -> Compile Sources :
Select the ".cpp" file that had been delete, then "Remove Items" by click the second "-" button in the lower left corner.
I fixed it by adding x86_64 to VALID_ARCHS. Build Setting search "VALID_ARCHS",check the x86_64 is there or not, add and run.It worked with me .
resolve it using pod install.
as Frank said, I also use RN in my app.
I have tried clean derived data & even reboot, still happening
Check the Executable File in the Info(.plist). It should be named the same as your Product in Products
I have this issue on a react native application and I can resolve it reinstalling cocoaPods.
pod install
Inside the ios folder on your react native project.
Check if you have any other info.plist-s added to project.
I had similar issue when I added some pod sources (MKStoreKit) to the project - it had several info plists for different platforms which interfered with original one. Deleting wrong info plists solved the issue.
I have to delete the 'DerivedData' folder:
$ rm -Rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
EDIT: I've found a solution...
The problem in my case was because of project configurations and Pods. In the long life of my project the configuration files for the schemes changed and Xcode, using the new build system, did not like.
To fix it, just go to the Project -> Info tab. Under Configurations change the Based on Configuration value of the Targets and set them to None. Please note that I've changed only the Targets.
Now close Xcode and launch pod install from the Terminal.
reopen Xcode and launch your project.
Old answer:
I may have found a workaround to this issue... not a solution but a workaround.
I have to work on a not really recent project that was built using the Legacy System that, as you may know, is deprecated now.
While I was using Xcode 12 everything was fine. Then I installed the Xcode 13 GM and I upgrated the project to the new building system and I started to experience this issue. I have the same problem with any Xcode 13.x version. With the betas I had not, as far as I can remember.
The strange thing is that "sometimes" (I could not reproduce it sorry), the new build system worked... but just for a while.
The building phase succeeds but then, then the app is installed on simulator OR on a real device, I have that annoying message that we know...
This morning I may have find a solution...
In Xcode go to File -> Workspace Settings, keep the Legacy Build System and check the box "Do not show a diagnostic issue about build system deprecation"
Now the app builds and can be installed.
Honestly I don't know it is an Xcode bug or not... maybe it is.
if you are using git, there's huge chance there might be conflict in .pbxproj due to multiple people adding stuffs together. During the resolution xcode might try to recover those 'lost references' it got confused and unable to resolve the once there references. find those 'recovered references' in project explorer and remove them if they are invalid
Had the same issue. I deleted the simulators and added them again.
Please make sure that your runner isn't missing AppDelegate.swift or Runner-Bridging-Header.h file.
In my case, my AppDelegate.swift file and Runner-Bridging-Header.h files were deleted, so I copy and paste both the files in ios>Runner folder again from some other project (usually both of these files are same in all projects, just need to add the code lines for firebase configurations).
I am using Xcode 9 and I am trying to do Refactoring on my Swift based file but every time I am getting below error:
Refactoring engine ranges didn't match initial ranges
Why isn't it matching the initial range?
Workaround: Restart Xcode.
This has not been resolved yet as of January 2018 (Xcode 9.2).
Build your project (Command ⌘ + B) and it will fix the error. After doing it, I could rename my file successfully.
I have Xcode's project created using Xcode8 long time ago. For some reason I have to upgrade to Xcode9 (9.4.1 exactly). Then I experienced that error only on that old project, not the new one created using Xcode9.
So i think that error related to project issue. So I decided to compare the settings between old and new one. There are some differences, and after several tries, by changing Optimization Level for Debug solved refactor issue.
In project editor, select your Target, Build Settings
Set Optimization Level (Debug) = No optimization [-Onone]
Delete DerivedData folder related to your project in /Users/YourMacUsername/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
Clean project shiftcommandk.
Build project commandb.
Update For some reason, it's not happening for me anymore. I noticed also whenever I don't let indexing finishes before trying to start doing a refactor or tap on refactor many times, still see the error, but not permanent anymore.
I asked an engineer at WWDC 2018 about this issue. This issue was happening for me in only one project in my workspace. Other projects in the same workspace works fine. At the moment, there's no solution to this issue. If you want to help Apple to fix this, you can close your Xcode and run following command in terminal:
SOURCEKIT_SERVICE_LOG=3 /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/MacOS/Xcode 2>&1 | tee /tmp/sk-log.txt
And then try to reproduce the issue and send them the log file (/tmp/sk-log.txt) so they can narrow it down and hopefully fix it in future Xcode versions.
Notice This is project related issue and won't be fixed with OS updates, Xcode updates, or any number of restarting applications, at least the one that I'm having.
I have the same issue in Xcode 10.3.
Refactoring didn't work when I right clicked → refactor → rename on the class name in the class definition. However it did work when I did the same somewhere in code where I use that class.
Product -> Clean Build Folder -> Quit Xcode -> Reopen Project -> Build
I update to Xcode 10 and finally refactoring now it works again after a year without refactoring
I am on Mac M1 and using Xcode Version 12.5 beta 3.
I was facing the same issue when trying to rename ViewController.
Before renaming it, I moved it to a new group, and my code was in a running state. Not sure if that was the reason for the issue.
But I restarted the Xcode and the issue was resolved for me.
I was experiencing the exact same issue. It turned out that I had my build configuration set to Release mode. Changing it to Debug, cleaning build folder and recompiling fixed the issue for me.
Remove DerivedData
This worked for me for this error and other kind of refactoring errors.
Close Xcode
Remove DerivedData:
rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
I experienced this on a Mac M1, using Xcode Version 14.1 (14B47b).
This helped:
Clean project: shift-command-k.
Build project: command-b.
In one project I'm using I can't set breakpoints in Swift code, Xcode always crashes when reaching one of them, doesn't matter if it's a "manual" or an exception breakpoint.
In other projects everything works as expected, only for one project Xcode 6.4 (6E35b) always crashes.
I tried cleaning, deleting derived data, resetting simulator, restarting Xcode/Mac - nothing helped at all.
Anyone else experiencing this problem and hopefully knows what helps?
EDIT
Seems only to be the case on one machine (Xcode 6.4, 10.10.5), but not on the other (Xcode 6.4, El Capitan). But as I mentioned in the comments, reinstalling Xcode didn't help, are there some other preferences I could reset/delete?
EDIT2
Here's the Xcode crash log file:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/119600/Xcode_2015-08-12-074655_Stefans-iMac.crash
I would try uninstalling and reinstalling Xcode to see if it helps... I've heard of successes with this technique for similar issues.
Just delete the entire Xcode.app from /Applications, and reinstall from the .dmg. If you're not certain of the binaries and have time / bandwidth, consider re-downloading the .dmg.
If that doesn't work, try the following source control tricks (substitute "your favorite revision control" for "git"):
Try purging all objects not in source code control
Another approach: Check out the app again into a fresh repository (this will get even the files that may have been committed but ignored later).
If not under source code control, grab a .gitignore from here and add it to git, then check out into another directory (this will leave everything but source, interface builder, project files and resources/assets behind).
I'd suggest moving the breakpoint code to another location (such as making a function call and breaking either before or inside the function). However, if all Swift code has this problem, that may not work.
Finally, after making an interim commit (to roll back to), try it in Xcode 7 beta. Bit of a hassle because you have to upgrade to Swift 2.0, but if you keep the deployment target the same no iOS target changes are needed.
If this really is a burden and/or it's a small project, you could try creating a new project and migrating the files and storyboard over, but likely this is too much effort.
Either way, since you note it's pretty much all breakpoints in Swift code, file a bug with Apple's bug reporter. They really need to hear about issues such as this, since you don't seem to be alone in having this issue.
EDIT: Where are others seeing this issue?
Maybe we can see commonality -- since this is only reported in Swift projects (so far). A colleague has seen this problem with breakpoints (as well as stepping through code) in Xcode 6.4 on 10.10.4. (I've seen Xcode 6.4 crashes in the past as well).
I see OS version 10.10.5 mentioned as a target where this happens (#swalkner); is this a beta? If OS 10.10.4/5 is the only place we see this, it might be significant. If it's a project/OS interaction, it might be tricky to reproduce / fix, but I'd encourage everyone to submit detailed bug reports to Apple (maybe even link this post).
Some points to note if you're seeing this:
Operating System Version
Hardware
Target: Simulator vs. Hardware; iOS vs WatchKit app.
Target SDK version(s)
Swift only? Or on an Objective-C only project? Mixed?
Only one project, or several?
It's a longshot, but let me know if it's working:
uncheck the "Always show Dissasembly" check
Debug > Debug Workflow > Always Show Disassembly
In older versions of Xcode (<6.1):
Product > Debug Workflow > Show Disassembly When Debugging
I've just spent the past few hours trying to solve exactly the same issue.
I thought at first, it had started due to installing Xcode 7 on the same machine as Xcode 6.4. The problem certainly coincided.
However, due to having version control, I could look and see what files had changed since opening the project with Xcode 7.
The images.xcassets file had changed. Reverting this file back has stopped Xcode from crashing each time it hit a breakpoint.
I'm not sure whether this helps at all, but definitely look at images.xcassets and if needs be, delete it, recreate it and ensure it's setup 100%. It certainly fixed my issue.
So this seems to be quite a common question but all the answers I found were related to getting "xcode cannot run using selected device" when trying to run it on a connected device. My issue is getting this error just trying to run it in the iOS simulator.
Some background is that app was running in simulator fine, and then I changed the Project Name, the Target name and the Scheme name and that is when the problems started to occur.
I tried many of the different solutions in some of the other threads such as: Clean, Delete Derived Data, restart Xcode, restart computer, make sure using Default LLVM, remove Info.plist then re-add it into project again. None of them worked.
I finally discovered the problem and was able to get it working and will post my solution below.
What I discovered to be the problem, was that in the Info.plist file the Executable File (CFBundleExecutable) was hard coded as "MyAppName". When I changed the Project name and Target name and Scheme name, this hardcoded value was not changed, but still had the original app name in it.
So I changed Executable File (CFBundleExecutable) in the Info.plist file to be this constant:
${EXECUTABLE_NAME}
And the problem was solved :)
EDIT:
I had the problem occur again on a different project, however the above was already set to ${EXECUTABLE_NAME}.
So I went searching and found that under Build Settings > Build Options > Compiler for C/C++/Objective-C was set to UNSUPPORTED.
I changed this setting to DEFAULT and the problem was solved :)
EDIT:
I had the problem occur again and the above two things did not fix it.
So I went and made sure that the info.plist was removed (unticked) from any Target Membership, and this solved the problem. It seems that there are multiple things that will cause this issue, so try all the solutions!
I ran into this and had to change the deployment target (iOS version) in the general tab of the project options menu. Apparently xcode had been updated to support iOS 8.2, but my simulator had not, therefore nothing appropriate was showing up in the list of simulator targets. Changing the deployment target to 8.1 fixed the issue. I'm sure that keeping my Mac up to date would also help.
I have an XCode project which copies SDL.framework to my app bundle and, up until recently, this worked fine. I could give my bundle to someone who didn't have SDL.framework and it would work. But yesterday a friend of mine said my app was crashing because it couldn't find SDL.framework. I removed SDL.framework from my /Library/Frameworks folder to test it on my machine and he's right. Even though SDL.framework exists in my bundle the app still crashes because it can't find it.
Why would this be? The only thing I can think of is that the last time I did a working build was on MacOS 10.6 and using XCode 3. I'm now on 10.7. I've tested a new build with XCode 3 and XCode 4 but both produce the problem listed above.
I had this happen to me the other day when I was building a tool for sending Email. I was linking against the Pantomime framekwork. Here are the settings that I had to set in order for it to start working and stop crashing with "could not find library" You can see where I have the framework in relation to the project files / workspace files.