xai-org/grok-build · error

osascript failed

Error message

osascript failed: {stderr}

What it means

The macOS image-copy path (`set_image_file`) runs an osascript snippet that loads a file into the pasteboard; if osascript exits non-zero, the leg fails with this message containing osascript's stderr, e.g. syntax errors, permission denials, or missing file paths.

Solutions

1. Verify the image file path exists and is readable before calling set_image_file
2. Read the stderr in the message for the osascript diagnostic and fix the script/permission issue
3. Grant the terminal app Automation permission (System Settings > Privacy & Security > Automation)
4. Test the osascript command manually to confirm the pasteboard is writable in the session

Example fix

// before
clipboard::set_image_file(&missing_path)?;

// after
anyhow::ensure!(path.exists(), "image not found: {}", path.display());
clipboard::set_image_file(&path)?;

fn ensure_image_readable(path: &std::path::Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let meta = std::fs::metadata(path)?;
    if meta.len() == 0 {
        return Err(std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, "empty image file"));
    }
    std::fs::File::open(path)?.metadata()?;
    Ok(())
}

match clipboard::set_image_file(&path) {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().starts_with("osascript failed:") => {
        eprintln!("image copy failed: {e}");
        eprintln!("hint: grant the terminal Automation permission and verify the file exists");
    }
    other => other?,
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling set_image_file with a path that doesn't exist or isn't readable, osascript denied Automation/Finder access by TCC, or the AppleScript failing at runtime (non-zero exit).

Common situations: Copying screenshots that were deleted before the call; running from a sandboxed app without pasteboard entitlements; macOS privacy prompts denied for the host terminal.

Related errors

• failed to run osascript
• failed to run
• failed to spawn pbcopy
• exited with
• pbcopy exited with status

AI-assisted analysis of xai-org/grok-build@bc7f02eddd (2026-08-31). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4f73314c4497b173. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at crates/codegen/xai-grok-shared/src/clipboard.rs:1185

        };
        let path_str = path.display().to_string().replace('"', "\\\"");
        let script = format!(
            "set the clipboard to (read (POSIX file \"{path_str}\") as \u{00AB}class {class}\u{00BB})"
        );
        let mut cmd = Command::new("osascript");
        cmd.arg("-e")
            .arg(&script)
            .stdin(Stdio::null())
            .stdout(Stdio::null())
            .stderr(Stdio::piped());
        xai_grok_tools::util::detach_std_command(&mut cmd);
        let output = cmd
            .output()
            .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("failed to run osascript: {e}"))?;

        if !output.status.success() {
            let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
            anyhow::bail!("osascript failed: {stderr}");
        }
        Ok(())
    }
}

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Linux / Windows: arboard with CLI-tool fallback on Linux
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
#[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
mod platform {
    use super::ImageData;
    use std::process::{Command, Stdio};

    /// No subprocess-free pasteboard probe exists off-macOS.
    pub(super) fn clipboard_image_snapshot() -> (Option<u64>, bool) {
        (None, false)
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to bc7f02eddd)