VLC crashes on startup: OSX 10.15.4

[abatie]

Just setup a new mac mini with 10.15.4 and vlc pops up the window for about a half second then dies. Oddly enough, if I start it from the command line, it works. I did allow it the accessibility security crap, and tried installing the latest 3.0.10 version (even removed the previous installation and reinstalled), but no change. I'd swear it was working, then quit, but I could be mistaken there.

[ePirat]

Hi, this should be fixed in the next update. Feel free to try the nightly in the meantime available at https://artifacts.videolan.org/vlc-3.0/nightly-macos/20200512-0628/vlc-3.0.10-f39c6bc4.dmg

[abatie]

That did not fix it...

[ePirat]

Uh thats weird… Can you obtain the crash log for me and paste it here please? (In case there is no Window with it popping up, you should be able to find it in Console.app)

[abatie]

Well, I see the crash log from the 12th and the old version of vlc ( 2.2.8 ), but the new one ( 3.0.10-15-gf39c6bc495 ) is not generating one. The window just disappears immediately and it shuts down.

[ePirat]

Thats weird and quite unfortunate as without a crashlog its nearly impossible to know whats going wrong… It's especially weird that it starts fine from the command line…

[abatie]

Yeah, I agree; I also wish Apple wouldn't make dtruss useless as that would probably provide a lot of insight as well, except for the part where it works from the command line

[ePirat]

Hi, did you eventually manage to obtain a crash log now? Sometimes it helps to reboot the Mac or in general just to wait a bit before trying again as it seems the crash reporting tool does not always kicks in an generates a crashlog…

[abatie]

No, it still isn't generating one. What exactly happens to invoke an app when you double click it? Maybe I can figure out a way to get a trace out of the thing...

[ePirat]

Could you try starting VLC like so from Terminal:

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open -W /Applications/VLC.app

Does it work or crash in the same way?

[abatie]

It does indeed crash that way, though dtruss refuses to do anything useful. I don't know why they even bothered including it.

[ePirat]

Can you try adding -F to the open command and see if it still crashes?

[ePirat]

Additionally please try to search for VLC in the Console.app system log (make sure to add the search query before trying to launch VLC, so relevant messages get collected, if any)

[abatie]

OK, -F doesn't change anything, I wasn't getting logs and dtruss didn't work even when I copied VLC.app to my home directory because to get it to fail, I still had to run open, so I disabled SIP with crsutil disable in recovery mode. dtruss still didn't work, but now I got log messages (too many to post all in one, so here's the first part):

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default 14:15:40.049910-0700 Finder LAUNCHING:0x0-0x57057 VLC foreground=1 bringForward=1 seed=128 userActivityCount=0 default 14:15:40.055027-0700 loginwindow -[PersistentAppsSupport applicationReady:] | App: VLC, ready, updating active tracking timer default 14:15:40.055078-0700 loginwindow -[ApplicationManager checkInAppContext:eventData:] | ApplicationManager: Checked in app : VLC default 14:15:40.066420-0700 distnoted register name: com.apple.sharedfilelist.change object: com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments/org.videolan.vlc token: f42e5 pid: 544 default 14:15:40.070522-0700 runningboardd Resolved pid 2070 to [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] default 14:15:40.073026-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] This process will not be managed. default 14:15:40.073066-0700 runningboardd Now tracking process: [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] default 14:15:40.073515-0700 runningboardd Acquiring assertion targeting executable<VLC(501)> from originator [daemon<com.apple.coreservices.launchservicesd>:178] with description <RBSAssertionDescriptor; foregroundApp:2070; ID: 389-178-215; target: 2070> attributes = { <RBSDomainAttribute: 0x7ff922e047b0; domain: com.apple.launchservicesd; name: RoleUserInteractiveNonFocal; sourceEnvironment: 0x0>; } default 14:15:40.073652-0700 runningboardd Assertion 389-178-215 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) will be created as active default 14:15:40.074081-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Ignoring jetsam update because this process is not memory-managed default 14:15:40.074100-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Ignoring resume because this process is not lifecycle managed default 14:15:40.074099-0700 runningboardd Acquiring assertion targeting executable<VLC(501)> from originator [daemon<com.apple.coreservices.launchservicesd>:178] with description <RBSAssertionDescriptor; foregroundApp:2070; ID: 389-178-216; target: 2070> attributes = { <RBSDomainAttribute: 0x7ff922c2b660; domain: com.apple.launchservicesd; name: RoleUserInteractiveNonFocal; sourceEnvironment: 0x0>; } default 14:15:40.074124-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Set darwin role to: UserInteractiveNonFocal default 14:15:40.074141-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Ignoring GPU update because this process is not GPU managed default 14:15:40.074217-0700 runningboardd Assertion 389-178-216 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) will be created as active default 14:15:40.074284-0700 runningboardd Finished acquiring assertion 389-178-215 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) default 14:15:40.074652-0700 runningboardd Finished acquiring assertion 389-178-216 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) default 14:15:40.074659-0700 runningboardd Invalidating assertion 389-178-215 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) from originator 178 default 14:15:40.100577-0700 VLC HALPlugInManagement::RegisterPlugIns: skipping in-process plug-ins error 14:15:40.100598-0700 VLC AddInstanceForFactory: No factory registered for id <CFUUID 0x600003ece660> F8BB1C28-BAE8-11D6-9C31-00039315CD46 error 14:15:40.116445-0700 VLC HALC_ShellDriverPlugIn::Open: Can't get a pointer to the Open routine default 14:15:40.124404-0700 VLC FRONTLOGGING: version 1 default 14:15:40.124422-0700 VLC Registering, pid=2070 default 14:15:40.126899-0700 VLC CHECKIN: pid=2070 default 14:15:40.138212-0700 launchservicesd CHECKIN:0x0-0x57057 2070 org.videolan.vlc default 14:15:40.138480-0700 loginwindow -[ApplicationManager checkInAppContext:eventData:] | ApplicationManager: Checked in app : VLC default 14:15:40.138928-0700 VLC CHECKEDIN: pid=2070 asn=0x0-0x57057 foreground=1 default 14:15:40.144733-0700 tccd -[TCCDAccessIdentity staticCode]: static code for: identifier org.videolan.vlc, type: 0: 0x7faa23604ee0 at /Applications/VLC.app default 14:15:40.152317-0700 tccd -[TCCDAccessIdentity staticCode]: static code for: identifier org.videolan.vlc, type: 0: 0x7faa234372e0 at /Applications/VLC.app default 14:15:40.162203-0700 VLC Registered, pid=2070 ASN=0x0,0x57057 default 14:15:40.162313-0700 VLC Registered, pid=2070 cgConnectionID=bb21f default 14:15:40.164797-0700 VLC BringForward: pid=2070 asn=0x0-0x57057 bringForward=1 foreground=1 uiElement=0 launchedByLS=1 modifiersCount=1 allDisabled=0 default 14:15:40.164941-0700 VLC BringFrontModifier: pid=2070 asn=0x0-0x57057 Modifier 0 hideAfter=0 hideOthers=0 dontMakeFrontmost=0 mouseDown=0/0 seed=0/0 default 14:15:40.165039-0700 VLC BringForward: pid=2070 asn=0x0-0x57057 default 14:15:40.165102-0700 VLC SetFrontProcess: asn=0x0-0x57057 options=0 default 14:15:40.166205-0700 runningboardd Acquiring assertion targeting executable<VLC(501)> from originator [daemon<com.apple.coreservices.launchservicesd>:178] with description <RBSAssertionDescriptor; frontmost:2070; ID: 389-178-217; target: 2070> attributes = { <RBSDomainAttribute: 0x7ff922c0af30; domain: com.apple.launchservicesd; name: RoleUserInteractiveFocal; sourceEnvironment: 0x0>; }

[abatie]

Here's the second part:

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default 14:15:40.166342-0700 runningboardd Assertion 389-178-217 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) will be created as active default 14:15:40.167779-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Ignoring jetsam update because this process is not memory-managed default 14:15:40.167922-0700 runningboardd Finished acquiring assertion 389-178-217 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) default 14:15:40.168056-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Set darwin role to: UserInteractiveFocal default 14:15:40.168442-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Ignoring GPU update because this process is not GPU managed default 14:15:40.170409-0700 VLC Current system appearance, (HLTB: 1), (SLS: 0) default 14:15:40.174000-0700 VLC Post-registration system appearance: (HLTB: 1) default 14:15:40.183931-0700 distnoted register name: com.apple.xctest.FakeForceTouchDevice object: org.videolan.vlc token: f426a pid: 2070 default 14:15:40.191596-0700 VLC NSApp cache appearance: -NSRequiresAquaSystemAppearance: 1 -appearance: (null) -effectiveAppearance: <NSCompositeAppearance: 0x600001098180 ( "<NSAquaAppearance: 0x6000010e5c00>", "<NSSystemAppearance: 0x6000010e5c80>" )> default 14:15:40.205058-0700 distnoted register name: com.apple.nsquiet_safe_quit_give_reason object: org.videolan.vlc token: f427f pid: 2070 default 14:15:40.372517-0700 VLC Registering for test daemon availability notify post. default 14:15:40.372642-0700 VLC notify_get_state check indicated test daemon not ready. default 14:15:40.417951-0700 VLC SignalReady: pid=2070 asn=0x0-0x57057 error 14:15:40.420614-0700 tccd Failed to copy signing info for 2070, responsible for file:///Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/VLC: #-67062: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-67062 "(null)" default 14:15:40.423994-0700 VLC SIGNAL: pid=2070 asn=0x0x-0x356439 default 14:15:40.424422-0700 loginwindow -[PersistentAppsSupport applicationReady:] | App: VLC, ready, updating active tracking timer default 14:15:40.430023-0700 tccd -[TCCDAccessIdentity staticCode]: static code for: identifier org.videolan.vlc, type: 0: 0x7faa0340d730 at /Applications/VLC.app default 14:15:40.558104-0700 hidd Connection added: IOHIDEventSystemConnection uuid:80F17B9B-AC39-4557-8436-5B789EF7C5E6 pid:2070 process:VLC type:Passive entitlements:0x0 caller:HIToolbox: ___GetIOHIDEventSystemClient_block_invoke + 26 attributes:(null) state:0x0 events:0 mask:0x0 default 14:15:40.608228-0700 VLC Failed to resolve item 3D18F160-1392-4EA5-B9AE-D69DF6C47825 for list com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.608323-0700 VLC Failed to resolve bookmark 0x7f9c0c0fe000 for item 3D18F160-1392-4EA5-B9AE-D69DF6C47825 with error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.608774-0700 VLC Failed to resolve item D04F1924-EDC9-4C97-ADB6-CE1C50397329 for list com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.608828-0700 VLC Failed to resolve bookmark 0x7f9c0c0e5000 for item D04F1924-EDC9-4C97-ADB6-CE1C50397329 with error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.609148-0700 VLC Failed to resolve item 698696CB-8FB9-462B-A579-F6C897B1F4DA for list com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.609453-0700 VLC Failed to resolve bookmark 0x7f9c0c0fe600 for item 698696CB-8FB9-462B-A579-F6C897B1F4DA with error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.609663-0700 VLC Failed to resolve item E60D1AA7-D504-436E-BBEB-E237D29347EC for list com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.609848-0700 VLC Failed to resolve bookmark 0x7f9c0c0a4800 for item E60D1AA7-D504-436E-BBEB-E237D29347EC with error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=<private>} default 14:15:40.621419-0700 hidd Connection removed: IOHIDEventSystemConnection uuid:80F17B9B-AC39-4557-8436-5B789EF7C5E6 pid:2070 process:VLC type:Passive entitlements:0x0 caller:HIToolbox: ___GetIOHIDEventSystemClient_block_invoke + 26 attributes:(null) state:0x1 events:0 mask:0x0 default 14:15:40.625713-0700 runningboardd [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] Death sentinel fired! default 14:15:40.627013-0700 runningboardd Invalidating assertion 389-178-217 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) from originator 178 default 14:15:40.639332-0700 runningboardd Invalidating assertion 389-178-216 (target:executable<VLC(501)>) from originator 178 default 14:15:40.644129-0700 loginwindow -[PersistentAppsSupport applicationQuit:] | for app:VLC, _appTrackingState = 2 default 14:15:40.644165-0700 loginwindow -[PersistentAppsSupport applicationQuit:] | App: VLC, quit, updating active tracking timer default 14:15:40.735110-0700 runningboardd Removing process: [executable<VLC(501)>:2070] default 14:15:40.742554-0700 runningboardd Removing assertions for terminated process: [executable<VLC(501)>:2070]

[ePirat]

Can you try removing all preferences and then start it again using open -F, please? (Ideally backup them, in case they did cause the crash, so I we can check them in more detail)

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rm -r ~/Library/Application\ Support/org.videolan.vlc rm ~/Library/Preferences/org.videolan.vlc/vlcrc rm ~/Library/Preferences/org.videolan.vlc.plist open -F VLC.app

Eventually it is some UI state restoration issue…

[abatie]

OK, we're getting somewhere - removing the vlcrc file allows it to start, and when it ends, it writes a new one that allows it to continue working; here's the diff from the saved one to the good one:

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$ diff -c save.prefs vlcrc *** save.prefs 2020-05-23 14:15:40.000000000 -0700 --- vlcrc 2020-05-23 16:48:57.000000000 -0700 *************** *** 169,175 **** #macosx-nativefullscreenmode=0 # Display VLC status menu icon (boolean) ! macosx-statusicon=0 # Allow automatic icon changes (boolean) #macosx-icon-change=1 --- 169,175 ---- #macosx-nativefullscreenmode=0 # Display VLC status menu icon (boolean) ! #macosx-statusicon=1 # Allow automatic icon changes (boolean) #macosx-icon-change=1 *************** *** 214,223 **** #macosx-control-itunes=1 # Continue playback where you left off (integer) ! macosx-continue-playback=1 # Control playback with the Apple Remote (boolean) ! macosx-appleremote=0 # Control system volume with the Apple Remote (boolean) #macosx-appleremote-sysvol=0 --- 214,223 ---- #macosx-control-itunes=1 # Continue playback where you left off (integer) ! #macosx-continue-playback=0 # Control playback with the Apple Remote (boolean) ! #macosx-appleremote=1 # Control system volume with the Apple Remote (boolean) #macosx-appleremote-sysvol=0 *************** *** 226,232 **** #macosx-appleremote-prevnext=0 # Control playback with media keys (boolean) ! macosx-mediakeys=0 # Video device (integer) #macosx-vdev=0 --- 226,232 ---- #macosx-appleremote-prevnext=0 # Control playback with media keys (boolean) ! #macosx-mediakeys=1 # Video device (integer) #macosx-vdev=0 *************** *** 1163,1169 **** #lua-config= # Password (string) ! http-password=<pw> # Source directory (string) #http-src= --- 1163,1169 ---- #lua-config= # Password (string) ! #http-password= # Source directory (string) #http-src= *************** *** 1239,1248 **** [adjust] # Image properties filter # Image contrast (0-2) (float) ! contrast=2.000000 # Image brightness (0-2) (float) ! brightness=1.666166 # Image hue (-180..180) (float) #hue=0.000000 --- 1239,1248 ---- [adjust] # Image properties filter # Image contrast (0-2) (float) ! #contrast=1.000000 # Image brightness (0-2) (float) ! #brightness=1.000000 # Image hue (-180..180) (float) #hue=0.000000 *************** *** 1783,1789 **** [auhal] # HAL AudioUnit output # Audio volume (integer) ! auhal-volume=320 # Last audio device (string) auhal-audio-device=0 --- 1783,1789 ---- [auhal] # HAL AudioUnit output # Audio volume (integer) ! #auhal-volume=256 # Last audio device (string) auhal-audio-device=0 *************** *** 3522,3528 **** #mouse-hide-timeout=1000 # Video snapshot directory (or filename) (string) ! snapshot-path=/Users/alan/Desktop # Video snapshot file prefix (string) #snapshot-prefix=vlcsnap- --- 3522,3528 ---- #mouse-hide-timeout=1000 # Video snapshot directory (or filename) (string) ! #snapshot-path= # Video snapshot file prefix (string) #snapshot-prefix=vlcsnap- *************** *** 3783,3789 **** #network-synchronisation=0 # Record directory (string) ! input-record-path=/nfs/nas04/media/vlc # Prefer native stream recording (boolean) #input-record-native=1 --- 3783,3789 ---- #network-synchronisation=0 # Record directory (string) ! #input-record-path= # Prefer native stream recording (boolean) #input-record-native=1 *************** *** 3921,3927 **** #preparse-timeout=5000 # Allow metadata network access (boolean) ! metadata-network-access=1 # Subdirectory behavior (string) #recursive=collapse --- 3921,3927 ---- #preparse-timeout=5000 # Allow metadata network access (boolean) ! #metadata-network-access=0 # Subdirectory behavior (string) #recursive=collapse *************** *** 3954,3963 **** #intf= # Extra interface modules (string) ! extraintf=lua # Control interfaces (string) ! control=(null) # Mouse wheel vertical axis control (integer) #hotkeys-y-wheel-mode=0 --- 3954,3963 ---- #intf= # Extra interface modules (string) ! #extraintf= # Control interfaces (string) ! #control= # Mouse wheel vertical axis control (integer) #hotkeys-y-wheel-mode=0

[ePirat]

Thanks, do you have a backup of the org.videolan.vlc.plist too? (Feel free to send it to me as private message if you dont want to share it publicly, it should not contain any passwords or such but possibly some file paths of last played file and configuration of UI stuff like the EQ presets)

[ePirat]

I will try going thru the vlcrc file and see if anything could cause the crash on start but on first glance I see nothing suspicious/unexpected there.

[ePirat]

Nevermind, I managed to reproduce using the exact config you posted!
Thanks a lot for the help and investigating this issue!

[abatie]

No problem, glad to help!

[ePirat]

So the issue turns out to be the "lua" extraintf setting, as it causes the lua rc interface to be used. This is an interactive terminal interface, it works fine when used from Terminal but when starting the actual app, there is no stdin (or rather, it is immediately closed when trying to read from it) which causes the lua interface to cause VLC to terminate as it thinks there is no more input.

As workaround if you want to keep a console interface as extraintf you can use the "oldrc" interface, which is quite similar to the lua rc one.

[abatie]

Thanks, I don't normally use it either way, so the new config it generated is fine.