Clementine doesn't work on macOS Mojave

[slallum]

Before posting

Please follow the steps below and check the boxes with [x] once you did the step.

• I checked the issue tracker for similar issues
• I checked the changelog if the issue is already resolved
• I tried the latest Clementine build from here

System information

Please provide information about your system and the version of Clementine used.

• Operating System: macOS Mojave, MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017).
• Clementine version: 1.3.1, also tried 1.3.2rc1.

Expected behaviour / actual behaviour

Clementine is opening, showing the main window for a split second and then quits.

Steps to reproduce the problem (only for bugs)

Upgrade to Mojave and open Clementine.

[slallum]

Solved it.
Turns out I need to give accessibility control to Clementine under "Security and Privacy" preferences:

[edwardgalligan]

@slallum I also experienced this, so thanks for posting the workaround. However, since it's a workaround and not a bugfix (the bug still exists), it might be worth leaving the issue open?

[slallum]

@edwardgalligan I agree, I'll reopen.

[ovichiro]

Why does Clementine need accessibility control?

[DarthVaderx99]

it is not just clementine all (third party?) apps need it now in mojave. and new now apple requires you to say yes to letting app have privilages the first time it is opened in mojave, apples new way of checking malware?!?!

[hatstand]

IIRC, it's because Apple doesn't let you use the media keys any other way.

[ovichiro]

it is not just clementine all (third party?) apps need it now in mojave. and new now apple requires you to say yes to letting app have privilages the first time it is opened in mojave, apples new way of checking malware?!?!

That dialog is indeed intended to prevent apps adding themselves automatically to accessibility control, but no, not all third party apps require accessibility. Cantata works fine without it and since Clementine also defines it's own keyboard shortcuts it shouldn't crash if I don't grant it permission for such control.
@hatstand is probably right. Thanks.

[edwardgalligan]

it is not just clementine all (third party?) apps need it now in mojave

This definitely isn't true or there'd be a similar issue to this on every macOS app bugtracker out there.

As @hatstand pointed out, Clementine (and I guess most music players) do use explicit accessibility features. However, it probably shouldn't crash the entire app when that one feature isn't available.

[hatstand]

Yeah, clementine is supposed to check if it's enabled and if not, open the accessibility dialog for you. But I'm guessing Apple's API changed in Mojave. I don't really have time to look into it but the code if you're interested is here:

https://github.com/clementine-player/Clementine/blob/master/src/core/mac_startup.mm
https://github.com/clementine-player/Clementine/blob/master/src/core/macglobalshortcutbackend.mm#L130

and we use https://github.com/nevyn/SPMediaKeyTap which hasn't been updated since 2015...

[jrkong]

I'll do a bit of digging to see if I can get this working.

[jrkong]

@hatstand seems like the crash occurs because AXAPIEnabled() has been depreciated since Mavericks (macOS 10.9). I updated the code to fallback to the call used by Mavericks and later if the AXAPIEnabled() call fails in my PR so the crash doesn't occur anymore.

[benlk]

For newer versions of OSX, https://developer.apple.com/documentation/mediaplayer/mpremotecommandcenter provides access to the media player actions.

[hatstand]

Shouldn't be too hard to update Clementine to use that here instead then: https://github.com/clementine-player/Clementine/blob/master/src/core/macglobalshortcutbackend.mm

I'd do it but I don't have a mac anymore.

[Volodymyr-13]

Same here. Mojave 10.14.3.

I just downloaded official version 1.3.1 and got that crash.
However when I downloaded version from latest builds, it was Jan 28 and it's runs ok, but problem was - I can't import any files, nothing happens.

[ssbarnea]

I am wondering why this bug is closed as clearly this is a deal breaker. That is the first MacOS that is effectively instanly crashign when Accesibility access is not enabled, clearly a very bad first time user experience.

[benlk]

As an outsider, this bug appears to be closed because:

• a fix was merged to master in Updated accessibility check logic to fix Mojave crash #6210
• the primary dev no longer has a Mac

People are wondering why this issue is closed when the bug still occurs because:

• the last release of Clementine was in 2016, before Updated accessibility check logic to fix Mojave crash #6210 was merged
• there has been no published release since 2016: https://github.com/clementine-player/Clementine/releases
• the nightly OSX build server advertised at https://www.clementine-player.org/participate is not responding: https://builds.clementine-player.org/mac/

[grnadav]

As an outsider, this bug appears to be closed because:

• a fix was merged to master in Updated accessibility check logic to fix Mojave crash #6210
• the primary dev no longer has a Mac

People are wondering why this issue is closed when the bug still occurs because:

• the last release of Clementine was in 2016, before Updated accessibility check logic to fix Mojave crash #6210 was merged
• there has been no published release since 2016: https://github.com/clementine-player/Clementine/releases
• the nightly OSX build server advertised at https://www.clementine-player.org/participate is not responding: https://builds.clementine-player.org/mac/

https://builds.clementine-player.org/mac/ - work for me now. used latest 1.3.1 build and the issue is indeed resolved.

Would have been nice to have an "official" release w/ the fixes since 2016 on the main website though. If anyone w/ sufficient access has time to put the required effort is a different question though 😏

[hipunk]

Sorry for going semi-off-topic, but it's kind of true what @DarthVaderx99 says, considering you're using some services based on AppleScript from the services menu. You need to add every single application to the accessibility list then.

[MrSmiths]

after upgrade High Sierra to Mojave clementine crashes.. removed.. downloaded 1.3.1.. install.. crash..
permiting accessibility control solved the issue.. Thanks @slallum