Gatekeeper / Terminal Error Message duplicated implementations

Question

cionzo Author

Level 1

8 points

Gatekeeper / Terminal Error Message duplicated implementations

I know that:

installing apps from unidentified developers is strongly discouraged
poking around with spctl is strongly discouraged
there are other ways to force the system for allowing apps from unidentified developers (e.g. Open a Mac app from an unidentified developer - Apple Support)

but

I like understanding the reasons behind things and mere workarounds do not satisfy my curiosity.

Hence: why am I getting such messages ("this class is implemented here and there, one will be used but can't tell which one") when invoking spctl?

$spctl --status
objc[38888]: Class SPExecutionPolicy is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class AppWrapper is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class AppWrapperPolicyResult is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class AppWrapperPolicy is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class SPLog is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class MIS is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class SPExecutionHistoryItem is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class SPExecutionPolicyItem is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class SPDeveloperPolicy is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
objc[38888]: Class GKScanResult is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.framework/Versions/A/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Dec 10, 2021 6:47 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,858 points

Dec 10, 2021 6:59 AM in response to cionzo

Like the messages in Console, they are messages to the developer to help them resolve issues. In this case, a class (implementation) of the same name is defined in both programs and the developer who wrote the program you used did not namespace the call such that the objective C complier could determine which to use. There is likely no difference between the two.

None of that probably makes any sense, either, but that is the point. That message wasn't intended for you, the user, to understand or use as a basis for making a decision.

Reply

Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,858 points

Dec 17, 2021 1:34 PM in response to cionzo

I'd like to reinstall only the specific module.

You can't. macOS doesn't work like that.

How can this be possible if I reinstall the whole OS as you suggested?

Because it installs the whole OS, which includes that module.

However, since that module is part of the sealed, read-only snapshot, there really isn't a way for it to have been damaged or altered. I don't see how replacing it would change a thing. The only way to remove the duplicate class signature would be to remove one of the two sources. That isn't possible, either.

Reply

Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,858 points

Dec 16, 2021 10:40 AM in response to cionzo

Even "reinstalling spctl" would be fine, if only I knew how to do it.

You do that by reinstalling the OS.

Reply

Answer 4

cionzo Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 10, 2021 7:08 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thank you @Barney.

Fine: those messages are not intended for me.

But I must have contributed to getting to this point: on my mac mini I don't get such messages.

That's why I really need to understand.

Reply

Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,858 points

Dec 11, 2021 6:49 AM in response to cionzo

I’m not running Big Sur, so I cannot test there.

Running spctl in Monterey doesn’t dump those warnings.

So they may have resolved the issue, or you did somehow cause the problem. Did you install anything to manage that system.

Reply

Answer 6

cionzo Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 16, 2021 9:36 AM in response to Barney-15E

I don't believe it's due to Big Sur (my mac mini runs Big Sur and does not complain when I run spctl).

Regarding the second point: "nothing that I can remember of": of course I could reinstall the OS, but it's a bit extreme as a solution, I'd prefer to find the cause and fix it.

Even "reinstalling spctl" would be fine, if only I knew how to do it.

Reply