gitbutlerapp/gitbutler · error

failed to open {paths:?} with app bundle identifier '{}'

Error message

failed to open {paths:?} with app bundle identifier '{}'

What it means

Raised by open_macos_application_via_open (crates/but-api/src/open/program.rs:645), the fallback used when a macOS app has no CLI wrapper: it runs /usr/bin/open -b <bundle_identifier> <paths>. This error means the process ran but exited non-zero, which happens when no installed app registers that bundle identifier or the app cannot accept the given documents. stdout/stderr are redirected to null, so this message is the only diagnostic the caller receives.

Source

Thrown at crates/but-api/src/open/program.rs:659

    }
}

#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
fn open_macos_application_via_open(
    app: &MacosApplication,
    paths: &NonEmpty<PathBuf>,
) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
    let mut cmd = Command::new("/usr/bin/open");
    cmd.arg("-b").arg(&app.bundle_identifier);

    for path in paths {
        cmd.arg(path);
    }

    let status = cmd.stdout(Stdio::null()).stderr(Stdio::null()).status()?;

    if !status.success() {
        anyhow::bail!(
            "failed to open {paths:?} with app bundle identifier '{}'",
            app.bundle_identifier
        );
    }

    Ok(())
}

/// A serializable form of [`ProgramSpec`] for user defined programs.
#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
pub struct UserDefinedProgramSpec {
    /// Identifier used to refer to the program.
    ///
    /// If left empty, the ID is derived from [`Self::name`] instead.
    pub id: Option<String>,
    /// The display name of the program.
    pub name: Option<String>,

View on GitHub (pinned to 2497b8007a)

Solutions

1. Verify the identifier is registered: mdfind "kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier == '<bundle_id>'" or osascript -e 'id of app "Safari"'.
2. Run /usr/bin/open -b '<bundle_id>' <one-file> manually with stderr visible to get the real exit reason.
3. Fix the ProgramSpec's bundle identifier or reinstall the target app.
4. If only certain documents fail, open them with the default handler instead.

Example fix

// before: only the generic error survives
open_macos_application_via_open(&app, &paths)?;

// after: preflight bundle-id registration
let out = std::process::Command::new("mdfind")
    .arg(format!("kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier == '{}'", app.bundle_identifier))
    .output()?;
if String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).trim().is_empty() {
    anyhow::bail!("no installed app registers bundle id '{}'", app.bundle_identifier);
}
open_macos_application_via_open(&app, &paths)?;

const registered = execSync(
  `mdfind "kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier == '${bundleId}'"`
).toString().trim();
if (!registered) {
  throw new Error(`no installed app registers bundle id '${bundleId}'`);
}

try {
  await openWithProgram(app, paths);
} catch (e) {
  if (String(e.message).includes('app bundle identifier')) {
    await openWithDefaultHandler(paths); // fallback: OS default app
    return;
  }
  throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Opening a file with a MacosApplication whose bundle_identifier is misspelled or whose app is not installed; passing documents the target app refuses; this path is taken when resolve_cli_wrapper_abspath() fails (no CLI wrapper like 'code' exists for the app).

Common situations: User-defined programs with stale bundle ids after uninstall/update; Homebrew cask installs registering a different bundle id; app still quarantined on a fresh install so LaunchServices has not registered it.

Related errors

• CliInstallCancelled
• osascript exited with status {}
• DefaultTerminalNotFound
• programs was just checked to be non-empty

AI-assisted analysis of gitbutlerapp/gitbutler@2497b8007a (2026-08-17). Data as JSON: /api/errors/35bf78dc96506749. Report an issue: GitHub.