Questions tagged [launchd]
A system for starting, stopping, and managing automated processes.
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30 views
Distribute bash script 'silently' to multiple macos machines
We want to deploy a script 'silently' across all mac machines in organization. We have created a bash script that will run using launchd agent. We need to deploy the launchd agent and script on all ...
4
votes
1answer
42 views
How to find out which application(s) created core dumps?
I have a friend who has a Mac (Mojave) that recently ran out of space. I found that the space was being used by files in the /cores folder. I deleted them and used to the command sudo launchctl limit ...
2
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0answers
34 views
Homebrew dnsmasq “Service exited with abnormal code: 2” (Mac OS X Sierra 10.12.6)
Workaround (update)
A quick workaround is to stop the job through brew services stop dnsmasq. Then you should first unload the launchd configuration file and then reload it.
$ sudo launchctl unload -...
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0answers
9 views
MacPorts daemons not loading on restart
I have installed MacPorts 2.5.4. From here, I have installed apache2. When I restart the machine, I need to run sudo apachectl start each time, it won't load automatically.
I ran a sudo launchctl ...
2
votes
2answers
31 views
What is the best approach to ejecting disk while in sleep mode, scheduled?
So, I have an external HDD which is being used for Time Machine.
After getting to home, I usually connect my MacBook to a HDD via Hub and put it into sleep mode. Because I sometimes get back home ...
0
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0answers
26 views
Running System calls from Launchd Daemon
In Mojave, I'm running a script as a daemon to call a program I've written - located in /Library/Daemons - and which runs every 7 mins. The program "my app" accesses local files does system calls to ...
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0answers
19 views
StartInterval of 3 seconds in a launchd plist no working as intended
I want to run a script every 3 seconds to grab a webcam image (updated every second) with curl. I created a plist for launchd as:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
stderr error log from launchd scripts filled with non-errors
I've added versions of the following to each of the launchd plist files for all of the scripts I run on my server:
<key>StandardErrorPath</key>
<string>/script_logs/server....
3
votes
1answer
78 views
launchd error “Could not find and/or execute program specified by service”
I am trying to get a script to run from launchd at regular intervals. The service loads but does not run the script.
The script itself is a very simple test script as follows:
echo "Hello World!" &...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
macOS: why only few login elements are in System Preferences
In macOS, under System Preferences / Users / Login Elements there is a list of Login Elements that are started at the startup.
Actually only few elements are listed here. There are many other ...
2
votes
1answer
66 views
Launchd process behavior
just wanted to ask a quick question I can't seem to find a straight answer to. What is normal "launchd" process behavior I should be seeing in Activity Monitor? Right now it is writing GB's of data ...
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2answers
101 views
How to set the python environment for LaunchDaemons
I have installed Python 3 via Homebrew, on my Mojave system, and have it symlinked to /usr/local/bin/python.
I have a LaunchDaemon plist as follows:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!...
1
vote
3answers
94 views
osascript display dialog hangs when screen is off; detect unavailable GUI/display from bash or applescript?
background
I've been working on a backup script that runs occasionally via launchd. When it runs, it prompts me with something like:
osascript -e "display dialog \"Is now a good time to back up?\""
...
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0answers
25 views
How to kill the routined service (temporarily or permanently)?
As per this question, routined is an Apple daemon that introduces some problems in High Sierra onwards: routined wants to use the "Local Items" keychain alert
Experiments with killall over ...
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0answers
23 views
Where installer pulls environment variables from?
While looking over /var/logs/install.log, I've noticed that whenever I install a pkg, the installer first outputs a bunch of detected environment variables. However the env vars it outputs doesn't ...
2
votes
2answers
68 views
What are the various auto launch paths mean in OSX?
I'm trying to track down sneaky apps that launch upon reboot. They are not in System Preferences > Users and Groups > Login items and the in-app preferences for auto starting is disabled too for ...
1
vote
1answer
108 views
launchctl config file location?
I'm trying to configure a NetBoot image so that a script will automatically launch on the target machine after it boots from the image
I've been using this article as a reference:
https://medium.com/...
3
votes
2answers
114 views
What are the ways in which installed software can negatively impact OSX speed over time?
Applications installed on macOS are not always completely self-contained. Sometimes they write files in multiple locations outside their .app bundle, taking up space that they sometimes occupy even ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Monitor Folder Contents with launchd - Including Subfolders?
I want to make a shell script that runs any time the contents of a particular folder on my server are changed. Seems easy enough at first, because launchd has a directive called WatchPaths which ...
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0answers
119 views
One job plist on Launchctl stop working with error: Service could not initialize: 17G5019: xpcproxy + 11472 [1524]
I've a user plist job working on my iMac for latest month, and work fine. But today stop of work.
~/Library/LaunchAgents/multimedia_search.plist
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!...
0
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0answers
37 views
Invalid error on custom plist
My question is about a custom plist. I'm trying to load the following plist, but I keep getting the "invalid plist error" on macOS Mojave:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE ...
3
votes
2answers
617 views
macOS Mojave - locate not working
I got a MacBook from my work and wanted to use the locate command, but I get the message:
WARNING: The locate database (/var/db/locate.database) does not exist.
To create the database, run the ...
1
vote
0answers
55 views
How can I take a command line tool and program launchd to run it?
I am trying to get Offlineimap to run every 5 minutes with launchd. I do not know why it doesn't work and the log file is not written on the specified location. I am running MacOS Mojave on a 2018 ...
0
votes
1answer
220 views
Launch daemon not running on boot
I've been following the migration guide for macOS Server and have gotten stuck with the launch .plist for the BIND (named) DNS server. If I name the file the recommended org.isc.named.plist the ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Launch homebrew.mxcl.dnsmasq when NIC becomes available?
I am running homebrew dnsmasq on my Mac.
Dsmasq is configured to only respond to traffic on one NIC (en7).
en7 is a usb-c ethernet adapter.
When this adapter is not active (not plugged in, switch ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
Triggering Launch Agents for path in sandboxed app using WatchPaths does not work
I am trying to create a user LaunchAgents that will trigger a script when a path managed by a sandbox app will change (in my case, when /Library/Containers/com.omnigroup.OmniFocus3/Data/Library/...
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0answers
49 views
Verify and load mDNSResponder plist file
As mentioned here, in my macbook only chrome is able to resolve any given host but any other application is not able to do it.
As mentioned in the answer, I tried to edit the file and unload/load the ...
1
vote
1answer
83 views
Where does the stderr from launchd go?
launchd items in /Library/LaunchDaemon may redirect stdin/stdout/stderr. E.g. I've got an item that says:
<key>StandardOutPath</key>
<string>/Library/Logs/rnamanagedocker_out....
0
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0answers
53 views
Launch daemon does not run at boot, but will run when loaded by hand
I have a launchd daemon definition
/Library/LaunchDaemons/homebrew.mxcl.docker-machine.plist
which contains:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD ...
0
votes
0answers
63 views
“Error: 0xFFFEFA0A -67062 code object is not signed at all” when trying to launch docker-machine by LaunchDaemon
I am trying to get Docker installed on macOS High Sierra. I've installed Docker via brew, I can start the docker-machine when logged in as root (sudo -i -u root). But when I use LaunchDaemon the ...
0
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1answer
34 views
Running launchd agent not preventing macbook from sleeping
I have an agent/daemon that runs a backup script (I use restic) at 4:05am on a StartCalendarInterval. My understanding is that if a launchd agent is running, that should prevent osx from sleeping. Is ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
launchd is not passing arguments to my PHP script
I'm having a weird problem. I use launchd to run a bunch of shell scripts that update content on my site. It was working fine when it was just calling scripts normally. But now I made the script a ...
0
votes
1answer
78 views
What is the difference between Interval and ThrottleInterval in launchd.plist
I found Interval key in /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.periodic-daily.plist from my MacOS 10.13.6. But I fail to find what Interval is by googling. Even man launchd.plist does not have this ...
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vote
2answers
300 views
Launchd running an Applescript every two hours
I have written a small applescript that I would like to run automatically every 2 hours. I have thus written the following launchd daemon (probably it is an agent):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="...
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0answers
20 views
How can I use launchd to auto update brew? [duplicate]
I followed the instructions on the page Creating Launch Daemons and Agents and created (as root) my own plist file named com.personal.brew.plist and located in /Library/LaunchDeamons/:
<?xml ...
1
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0answers
125 views
macOS Mojave launchd regular interval script - error is always “Found non-key inside <dict> at line 11”
The .plist in question is at the bottom but I can't find a way to run it every 7200 seconds. Checking it produces the same error.
I have tried various versions taken from the StackExchange such as:
...
3
votes
1answer
217 views
How to I stop a launchd script from running on wake
I have a simple launchd script that plays a sound every 30 minutes and it runs out of the user library ~/Library . It doesn't run if my machine is asleep, but does run the last event missed when the ...
3
votes
1answer
629 views
How to or Is that possible to stop mDNSResponder without disable System Integrity Protection?
I have tried the following:
$ sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
$ sudo killall -9 mDNSResponderHelper mDNSResponder
$ sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.mDNSResponder....
1
vote
1answer
371 views
Mojave plist error: Path had bad ownership/permissions
I'm trying to mount a fileshare at boot. I copied the plist from a 2012 mini (where it ran fine) to a 2018 mini, both running Mojave. On the new mini I'm getting the error:
Path had bad ownership/...
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0answers
185 views
Auto logout inactive users
My iMac is set up using Parental Controls to limit how long my kids can use it.
When their time is up, they are no longer able to use the iMac. However, their accounts are not logged out, and ...
-3
votes
1answer
387 views
How do I resolve a “Executable not found!” error?
I have upgraded from macOS 10.13.4 to macOS 10.14.1 (18B75) on a Mac mini (Late 2012), and now have one orphan file, and the corresponding Executable not found.
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com....
-1
votes
2answers
371 views
Unable to Locate or update LocateDB Mac OS El Capitain, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave!
Over the past few operating systems I've been noticing a trend, especially after Apple screwed around with the real and fake "root" user in El Capitan. Most especially, using the locate command. ...
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votes
5answers
2k views
How to run a LaunchAgent that runs a script which causes failures because of System Integrity Protection
After upgrading to Mojave, my rsync based backup script run via a launch agent in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, could no longer read some directories in ~/Library.
4
votes
1answer
1k views
How to prevent the Photos app from launching cloudphotosd, photoanalysisd, etc?
A number of the background services used by the Photos app perform functions I'm not interested in benefitting from (and in some cases, actively do not want). Primarily these are photoanalysisd and ...
1
vote
1answer
76 views
Want to launch dnsmasq ony when Thunderbolt Ethernet is active
dnsmasq is installed using homebrew. Currently dnsmasq is spamming my system.log with messages like this:
Sep 26 18:22:46 Laptop com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (homebrew.mxcl.dnsmasq[14526]): Service ...
1
vote
1answer
104 views
What is the best practice for a daemon application running as root that needs access to the GUI? [closed]
I'm porting over a C++/Qt application from Windows. On Windows, the program runs as a service. It's discouraged from programs running as a service to also interact with the user and display GUI ...
3
votes
1answer
133 views
Can I change launchd program arguments based on calendar interval?
I'm trying to run a script (zfssnap.sh) to automate snapshots, but one of the arguments needs to change based on which time entry triggers the script to start. With cron, I would just add a new line ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Cannot kill Bitdefender process after uninstalling it, no launch daemons found
Recently, I installed Bitdefender Antivirus. I wanted to remove it after the trial period. After uninstalling it via CCleaner, moving all stuff from Librar, I found there is still an agent up and ...
7
votes
2answers
266 views
Why can an app create daemons on the fly without sudo permission and how to stop it?
First, I come from Linux so there are many things which confuse me such as daemons.
I installed VOX.app and it has some kind of agents and cloud-related processes which can be started automatically. ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
What does launchctl unload actually do?
When running launchctl unload some.plist, what is this command translated to specifically, in terms of UNIX commands, etc.
There is nothing in .plist files that specifies any "command line to run ...
