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User profile for user: MarcoTrv
MarcoTrv Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Script editor and AppleScript stopped working

Hello, I'm using a MacPro 4,1 with OS X El Capitan 10.11.6. Suddenly the Script Editor has stopped working: it can't open .scpt files, it can't save any file and when trying to run a script nothing happens.


I think there is something wrong with the AppleScript system as a whole, because it seems I can't run any script from any application. If I enter a simple script in Automator or Spark and try to run them, I always get a Syntax Error.


User uploaded file



When I hit the "Play" button in the Script Editor the console log registers the following messages:



31/10/17 12:40:09,982 Script Editor[1228]: error=-2147450879: cannot set default target of scripting component 0 to (null)




31/10/17 12:40:09,983 Script Editor[1228]: (

0
CoreFoundation 0x00007fff90f4e452 __exceptionPreprocess + 178

1
libobjc.A.dylib 0x00007fff9697c73c objc_exception_throw + 48

2
OSAKit 0x00007fff9288bcc7 -[OSALanguageInstance componentInstance] + 0

3
OSAKit 0x00007fff9288bd61 -[OSALanguageInstance componentInstance] + 154

4
OSAKit 0x00007fff92879597 -[OSAScript(OSAPrivate) _componentInstance] + 39

5
OSAKit 0x00007fff92876789 -[OSAScript compileAndReturnError:] + 63

6
Script Editor 0x0000000101aa21eb Script Editor + 29163

7
Script Editor 0x0000000101aa345d Script Editor + 33885

8
libsystem_trace.dylib 0x00007fff846ec07a _os_activity_initiate + 75

9
AppKit 0x00007fff8d5e8dbd -[NSApplication sendAction:to:from:] + 460

10
AppKit 0x00007fff8d5faf12 -[NSControl sendAction:to:] + 86

11
AppKit 0x00007fff8d5fae3c __26-[NSCell _sendActionFrom:]_block_invoke + 131

12
libsystem_trace.dylib 0x00007fff846ec07a _os_activity_initiate + 75

13
AppKit 0x00007fff8d5fad99 -[NSCell _sendActionFrom:] + 144

14
libsystem_trace.dylib 0x00007fff846ec07a _os_activity_initiate + 75

15
AppKit 0x00007fff8d5f93be -[NSCell trackMouse:inRect:ofView:untilMouseUp:] + 2693

16
AppKit 0x00007fff8d641f04 -[NSButtonCell trackMouse:inRect:ofView:untilMouseUp:] + 744

17
AppKit 0x00007fff8d5f7ae8 -[NSControl mouseDown:] + 669

18
AppKit 0x00007fff8db4c3c9 -[NSWindow _handleMouseDownEvent:isDelayedEvent:] + 6322

19
AppKit 0x00007fff8db4d3ad -[NSWindow _reallySendEvent:isDelayedEvent:] + 212

20
AppKit 0x00007fff8d58c539 -[NSWindow sendEvent:] + 517

21
AppKit 0x00007fff8d50ca38 -[NSApplication sendEvent:] + 2540

22
AppKit 0x00007fff8d373df2 -[NSApplication run] + 796

23
AppKit 0x00007fff8d33d368 NSApplicationMain + 1176

24
libdyld.dylib 0x00007fff900a65ad start + 1

25
??? 0x0000000000000001 0x0 + 1

)


I found only two mentions of this: here and here. In the first case the user had his issue solved by upgrading to 10.11.4, in the second one the problem was not solved.


I tried to repair permissions, delete the Library/Preferences files related to Script Editor and AppleScript and many other small things without success.


I'd really like to solve the problem without having to re-install the OS.


Any help would be really appreciated.


Thank you!

Mac Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Oct 31, 2017 4:45 AM

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Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: Eric Root
Eric Root
User level: Level 10
684,087 points

Posted on Nov 1, 2017 4:13 PM

Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.


Isolating an issue by using another user account


If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer or by using the developer’s uninstall instructions. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.





Safe Mode - About El Capitan
 also Sierra


Safe Mode Startup – El Capitan. also Sierra


If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. On the screen with Options, please open Options and check the bottom 2 boxes before running. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown.

Etrecheck – System Information

View in context
3 replies
Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: Eric Root
Eric Root
User level: Level 10
684,087 points

Nov 1, 2017 4:13 PM in response to MarcoTrv

Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.


Isolating an issue by using another user account


If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer or by using the developer’s uninstall instructions. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.





Safe Mode - About El Capitan
 also Sierra


Safe Mode Startup – El Capitan. also Sierra


If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. On the screen with Options, please open Options and check the bottom 2 boxes before running. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown.

Etrecheck – System Information

Reply
User profile for user: MarcoTrv
MarcoTrv Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Nov 1, 2017 4:26 PM in response to Eric Root

Thank you very much Eric.


I was fearing I'd need to uninstall apps and booting/making tests countless times but in the end it went a lot smoother. The new user didn't work out, but when booting in safe mode the problem disappeared.


Luckily, when rebooting in normal mode the problem was gone! (I had read in an official support page that it could be possible due to some "cleaning up" performed by the safe mode booting)


Thank you again!


All the best,


Marco

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Script editor and AppleScript stopped working

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