Packaged wxPython Hello-World crashes on macOS

[marcelstoer]

Running a simple (windowed) wxPython Hello-World on macOS fails. It succeeds on Linux and on Windows (tested on Win7).

Environment

PyInstaller: tested with both 3.2 and 3.3.dev0+8892e11 (pip install/uninstall)
Python: 2.7.12
wxPython: 3.0.2.0 osx-cocoa
OS: macOS Sierra 10.12.2

Runtime error

./src/common/stdpbase.cpp(62): assert "traits" failed in Get(): create wxApp before calling this

stdpbase.cpp:62 is this

wxStandardPaths& wxStandardPathsBase::Get()
{
    wxAppTraits * const traits = wxTheApp ? wxTheApp->GetTraits() : NULL;
    wxCHECK_MSG( traits, gs_stdPaths, wxT("create wxApp before calling this") ); // <-- line 62

    return traits->GetStandardPaths();
}

"Something" (not my app code) is trying to use wx.StandardPaths before the App object has been created, which is no longer allowed since version 2.8.

Example program

#!/usr/bin/env python
import wx

app = wx.App(False)  # Create a new app, don't redirect stdout/stderr to a window.
frame = wx.Frame(None, wx.ID_ANY, "Hello World") # A Frame is a top-level window.
frame.Show(True)     # Show the frame.
app.MainLoop()

Source: https://wiki.wxpython.org/Getting%20Started#A_First_Application:_.22Hello.2C_World.22

Build command

pyinstaller -F --windowed hello-world.py

Note

I first discussed this in the wxPython community until we confirmed that it doesn't look like an issue with wxPython but with PyInstaller.

[LtMerlin]

Same problem here on the same system specs. Getting the same error:

...
./src/common/stdpbase.cpp(62): assert "traits" failed in Get(): create wxApp before calling this
Segmentation fault: 11

also occurs using Python 3.5.2

[marcelstoer]

@htgoebel et.al. is there any more info you need before this can be flagged as a confirmed bug? Is there a way for me to trace back where the call to stdpbase.cpp:62 comes from?

[sctigercat1]

Can confirm that I'm also getting the same error on the same specs-

(..)
./src/common/stdpbase.cpp(62): assert "traits" failed in Get(): create wxApp before calling this
Segmentation fault: 11

[marcelstoer]

Not that I expected any difference but for the record: 3.2.1 shows this as well. If specific wxPython know-how is required to fix this maybe the experts @RobinD42 or @driscollis could provide that.

[ghost]

@marcelstoer You would need a c debugger. See this question for more details on that.

[marcelstoer]

Can I suggest to add the v3.2, v3.2.1, and OS X tags here.

@xoviat I'm not sure how relevant that SO question is for folks on macOS. I reckon Apple's article on working with the LLDB is a more helpful resource? However, so far I haven't been able to set the correct break point obviously as the execution doesn't stop before it fails. For starters one would essentially just need a break point that catches all errors and then dump the call stack.
I tried break set -E C++, breakpoint set --selector __cxa_throw:, breakpoint set --selector wxStandardPathsBase:, breakpoint set --file ./src/common/stdpbase.cpp --line 62 and a few variants but nope, doesn't stop.

[ghost]

@marcelstoer Does the following work?

b main

[marcelstoer]

Setting works but execution doesn't stop.
b Get (aimed at wxStandardPathsBase::Get()) is fine and execution does stop - very early though in LaunchServices CSStore2::Store::Get()

[ghost]

Once you have stopped it, you should be able to use thread until to get to where you want. If I'm lucky.

[marcelstoer]

@htgoebel @xoviat I'm afraid I can't help any further with analysis - no surprise given how little I know about PyInstaller. I was helped on Stack Overflow specifically with this "debugging with LLDB" issue (http://stackoverflow.com/q/42065547/131929). However, the conclusion was that the binary was stripped although my .spec file says strip=False.

[solancer]

I'm affected by this too, is there any progress on this?

[dbpodrasky]

Second that. Hey PyInstaller folks, this makes PyInstaller useless on Mac OS and I'll I'm hearing is crickets.

[ghost]

Second that. Hey PyInstaller folks, this makes PyInstaller useless on Mac OS and I'll I'm hearing is crickets.

The fact is that there is no one who has time, is a Mac expert, and who works on pyinstaller. I run Windows and Linux. I have fixed a few issues by piecing together how things work using Travis ci osx. However, this problem needs a Mac expert.

[marcelstoer]

I'm closing it as there's no indication the maintainers can/are willing to fix it. Using the latest PyInstaller with the recently released wxPython 4.x does NOT show this behavior.