Could not pre-launch appium: Error: Instruments crashed on startup

Selvi_Ranganathan · August 26, 2015, 4:04am

I need to inspect an iOS app in appium inspector using real iphone device.
I am using 1.4.8 as appium version, physical device as iphone 6 and platform version as 8.3.
I have enabled Enable UI Automation option under Developer option settings.
I have given the following parameters in iOS settings menu.
4.1 App path: .zip format
4.2 Platform Version: 8.3
4.3 Force Device: iPhone 6
4.4 UDID: for that specific device If I start appium server, I am getting the below log message.
I really got struck with this problem.

Error Log:-

Launching Appium with command: ‘/Applications/Appium
.app/Contents/Resources/node/bin/node’ lib/server/main.js
–command-timeout “7200” --pre-launch --debug-log-spacing
–platform-version “8.3” --platform-name “iOS” --app
“/Users/valar/work/sample_App.zip” --udid
“4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00” --show-ios-log --device-name
“iPhone 6”

info: [debug] Starting Appium in pre-launch mode

info: Pre-launching app

info: *************************************

info: **** NEW SESSION ***

info: *************************************

info: [debug] Using local .zip from command line: /Users/valar/work/sample_App.zip

info: [debug] Copying local zip to tmp dir

info: [debug] /Users/valar/work/sample_App.zip copied to
/var/folders/7g/_4s8f5kx4cs1875_psp3rps00000gn/T/115725-3663-1b0sdz4/appium-app.zip

info: [debug] Unzipping /var/folders/7g/_4s8f5kx4cs1875_psp3rps00000gn/T/115725-3663-1b0sdz4/appium-app.zip

info: [debug] Testing zip archive: /var/folders/7g/_4s8f5kx4cs1875_psp3rps00000gn/T/115725-3663-1b0sdz4/appium-app.zip

info: [debug] Zip archive tested clean

info: [debug] Unzip successful

info: [debug] Using locally extracted app: /var/folders/7g/_4s8f5kx4cs1875_psp3rps00000gn/T/115725-3663-1b0sdz4/sample_App.app

info: [debug] Creating new appium session ab360b32-08b6-4f6b-889e-78fe9a6b88f3

info: [debug] Removing any remaining instruments sockets

info: [debug] Cleaned up instruments socket /tmp/instruments_sock

info: [debug] Auto-detecting iOS udid…

info: [debug] Not auto-detecting udid, running on sim

info: [debug] Parsed app Info.plist (as binary)

info: [debug] Parsed app Localizable.strings

info: [debug] Getting bundle ID from app

info: [debug] Parsed app Info.plist (as binary)

info: [debug] Creating instruments

info: [debug] Preparing uiauto bootstrap

info: [debug] Dynamic bootstrap dir: /Users/valar/Library/Application Support/appium/bootstrap

info: [debug] Dynamic env: {“nodePath”:"/Applications/Appium
.app/Contents/Resources/node/bin/node",“commandProxyClientPath”:"/Applications/Appium

.app/Contents/Resources/node_modules/appium/node_modules/appium-uiauto/bin/command-proxy-client.js",“instrumentsSock”:"/tmp/instruments_sock",“interKeyDelay”:null,“justLoopInfinitely”:false,“autoAcceptAlerts”:false,“autoDismissAlerts”:false,“sendKeyStrategy”:“grouped”}

info: [debug] Dynamic bootstrap code: // This file is automatically generated. Do not manually modify!

…

info: [debug] Dynamic bootstrap path: /Users/valar/Library/Application Support/appium/bootstrap/bootstrap-f2765f8569503e7c.js

info: [debug] Reusing dynamic bootstrap: /Users/valar/Library/Application Support/appium/bootstrap/bootstrap-f2765f8569503e7c.js

info: [debug] Attempting iOS device log capture via libimobiledevice idevicesyslog

info: [debug] Creating iDevice object with udid 4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:49 iPhone-6 syslog_relay[177] : syslog_relay found the ASL prompt. Starting…

info: [debug] App is installed.

info: [debug] fullReset not requested. No need to install.

info: [debug] Starting command proxy.

info: [debug] Instruments socket server started at /tmp/instruments_sock

info: [debug] Starting instruments

info: [debug] Instruments is at: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/instruments

info: Launching instruments

info: [debug] Attempting to run app on real device with UDID 4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00

info: [debug] Spawning instruments with command:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/instruments -t
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Applications/Instruments.app/Contents/PlugIns/AutomationInstrument.xrplugin/Contents/Resources/Automation.tracetemplate
-D /tmp/appium-instruments/instrumentscli0.trace -w
4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00 com.company.iphone. sample_App
-e UIASCRIPT “/Users/valar/Library/Application
Support/appium/bootstrap/bootstrap-f2765f8569503e7c.js” -e
UIARESULTSPATH /tmp/appium-instruments

info: [debug] And extra without-delay env: {}

info: [debug] And launch timeouts (in ms): {“global”:90000}

info: [debug] [INSTSERVER] Instruments exited with code 253

info: [debug] Killall instruments

info: [debug] Instruments crashed on startup

info: [debug] Attempting to retry launching instruments, this is retry #1

info: [debug] Killall iOS Simulator

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:50 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.processcontrol.posixspawn

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:50 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.launchdaemon

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:50 iPhone-6
notification_proxy[175] : 0x100494000 -[MNPLockdownConnection
receiveMessage]: lockdown_receive_message error!

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:52 iPhone-6 locationd[61] : Location icon should now be in state ‘Active’

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:53 iPhone-6 CLTM[20] : CLTM: _subscription 0x0, _subscribedChannels 0x0

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:55 iPhone-6 sample_App[151] :
NewRelic(4.186,0x174675e80): NRTimer.m:94 -[NRTimer
timeElapsedInSeconds]

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] NRMATimer has a negative duration: 1440482874430.621094 => 0.000000

info: Launching instruments

info: [debug] Attempting to run app on real device with UDID 4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00

info: [debug] Spawning instruments with command:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/instruments -t
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Applications/Instruments.app/Contents/PlugIns/AutomationInstrument.xrplugin/Contents/Resources/Automation.tracetemplate
-D /tmp/appium-instruments/instrumentscli0.trace -w
4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00 com.company.iphone.sample_App
-e UIASCRIPT “/Users/valar/Library/Application
Support/appium/bootstrap/bootstrap-f2765f8569503e7c.js” -e
UIARESULTSPATH /tmp/appium-instruments

info: [debug] And extra without-delay env: {}

info: [debug] And launch timeouts (in ms): {“global”:90000}

info: [debug] [INSTSERVER] Instruments exited with code 253

info: [debug] Killall instruments

info: [debug] Instruments crashed on startup

info: [debug] Attempting to retry launching instruments, this is retry #2

info: [debug] Killall iOS Simulator

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:56 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.launchdaemon

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:56 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.processcontrol.posixspawn

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:56 iPhone-6 notification_proxy[175]
: 0x100384000 -[MNPLockdownConnection receiveMessage]:
lockdown_receive_message error!

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:58 iPhone-6 CLTM[20] : CLTM: _subscription 0x0, _subscribedChannels 0x0

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:01 iPhone-6 sample_App151] :
NewRelic(4.186,0x17487e440): NRTimer.m:94 -[NRTimer
timeElapsedInSeconds]

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] NRMATimer has a negative duration: 1440482880235.167969 => 0.000000

info: Launching instruments

info: [debug] Attempting to run app on real device with UDID 4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00

info: [debug] Spawning instruments with command:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/instruments -t
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Applications/Instruments.app/Contents/PlugIns/AutomationInstrument.xrplugin/Contents/Resources/Automation.tracetemplate
-D /tmp/appium-instruments/instrumentscli0.trace -w
4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00 com.company.iphone. sample_App
-e UIASCRIPT “/Users/valar/Library/Application
Support/appium/bootstrap/bootstrap-f2765f8569503e7c.js” -e
UIARESULTSPATH /tmp/appium-instruments

info: [debug] And extra without-delay env: {}

info: [debug] And launch timeouts (in ms): {“global”:90000}

info: [debug] [INSTSERVER] Instruments exited with code 253

info: [debug] Killall instruments

info: [debug] Instruments crashed on startup

info: [debug] Attempting to retry launching instruments, this is retry #3

info: [debug] Killall iOS Simulator

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:02 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.processcontrol.posixspawn

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:02 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.launchdaemon

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:02 iPhone-6
notification_proxy[175] : 0x10040c000 -[MNPLockdownConnection
receiveMessage]: lockdown_receive_message error!

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:02 iPhone-6 locationd[61] : Location icon should now be in state ‘Region Monitoring’

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:03 iPhone-6 CLTM[20] : CLTM: _subscription 0x0, _subscribedChannels 0x0

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:07 iPhone-6 sample_App[151] :
NewRelic(4.186,0x174675e80): NRTimer.m:94 -[NRTimer
timeElapsedInSeconds]

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] NRMATimer has a negative duration: 1440482886151.112061 => 0.000000

info: Launching instruments

info: [debug] Attempting to run app on real device with UDID 4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00

info: [debug] Spawning instruments with command:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/instruments -t
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Applications/Instruments.app/Contents/PlugIns/AutomationInstrument.xrplugin/Contents/Resources/Automation.tracetemplate
-D /tmp/appium-instruments/instrumentscli0.trace -w
4a9b4ad142c7f308bfd3217d2fae43f9a4bc8e00 com.company.iphone. sample_App
-e UIASCRIPT “/Users/valar/Library/Application
Support/appium/bootstrap/bootstrap-f2765f8569503e7c.js” -e
UIARESULTSPATH /tmp/appium-instruments

info: [debug] And extra without-delay env: {}

info: [debug] And launch timeouts (in ms): {“global”:90000}

info: [debug] [INSTSERVER] Instruments exited with code 253

info: [debug] Killall instruments

info: [debug] Instruments crashed on startup

info: [debug] We exceeded the number of retries allowed for instruments to successfully start; failing launch

info: [debug] Stopping iOS log capture

info: [debug] Running ios sim reset flow

info: [debug] Killing the simulator process

info: [debug] Killing any other simulator daemons

info: [debug] Killall iOS Simulator

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:07 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.launchdaemon

info: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:38:07 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.processcontrol.posixspawn

info: [debug] On a real device; cannot clean device state

info: [debug] Cleaning up appium session

error: Could not pre-launch appium: Error: Instruments crashed on startup

Selvi_Ranganathan · August 31, 2015, 10:51am

@Appium_Master, I got struck with above problem for a long time. Still, I can’t find the solution to inspect the iOS app using real iOS device. Can you provide the solution for this above issue?

Appium_Master · August 31, 2015, 10:54am

are you able to do the same thing with simulators ?

Selvi_Ranganathan · August 31, 2015, 11:46am

@Appium_Master, Ya I can able to inspect the iOS app in iOS simulator. But, the same iOS app, When I tried to inspect using real iOS physical device, I am getting above issue. Please provide the solution for above issue.

Selvi_Ranganathan · September 1, 2015, 7:19am

@Appium_Master, I am waiting for your response, still i don’t find any solution to this problem. please help me.

Selvi_Ranganathan · September 26, 2015, 11:24am

@Appium_Master, I am facing same issue till, will you please give me solution? I got struck with this for a long time.

shermaneric · September 30, 2015, 12:29pm

Hey there:

This line seems like your culprit:
nfo: [IOS_SYSLOG_ROW ] Aug 25 11:37:50 iPhone-6 DTMobileIS[191] : Could
not create service named
com.apple.instruments.server.services.launchdaemon

2 things to try:

Settings > developer > enable ui automation
Your device may not be enabled for development. In Xcode open developer tool > instruments > automation > pick your device > click use for development when prompted

Good luck!

Rock · May 6, 2016, 2:23pm

No good luck. Even I am facing the same error and performed above steps but no hope

Selvi_Ranganathan · May 9, 2016, 12:04pm

@Rock
This issue got resolved for me. I will explain the steps which I have done.
Go to Xcode ->Click Open Developer Tools-> Click Instruments->In
top of the Instruments tab you can find Choose a profiling
template(Choose your iPhone device)->Select Automation->Click
Choose button->Click the Play button.

In Appium ->iOS settings->go to Advanced settings->tick the Native instrument library.
Go to Appium and start the server.

Now your app get installed successfully in device.

Rock · May 10, 2016, 5:15pm

@Selvi_Ranganathan

Thanks… will try for the same