Composer failing on .pkg files

[mconners]

I have been fighting composer for a couple of days and what's odd, composer works with .dmg files. I can create .dmg files, but if I choose to create a .pkg file, it fails. Further, if I try and take an existing, working .pkg file into composer and attempt to convert it to source, it fails to convert. I have uninstalled and removed all preference files. I have tried this on a VM, my Mac and another Mac. We have tried three different versions of composer. They are all doing this. This makes me believe an OS update could have borked composer. Anyone else having troubles lately?

[andrew_scherf]

Having the same issue here and I've been already frustrated enough trying to deploy AnyConnect with only specific modules, and the OrgInfo.json file for Umbrella. Tried using the ACTransforms.xml file, but Cisco documentation is terrible.

[jhalvorson]

What OS and platform (Apple Silicon / Intel) are using with Composer?
Have you verified within System Preferences >> Security & Privacy >> Privacy that Composer has been granted Full Disk Access?

[andrew_scherf]

It's been on Intel only and happening across Mojave, Catalina and Big Sur. Tried latest versions of Composer and older ones. Full Disk Access has been granted when needed. I just stopped starting with .pkg's and trying to make a source of that, and using the .dmg. No issue since then.

[vaksai]

Same issue here, Composer 10.29.2 fails on "Creating Directory Structure" on both Intel and Apple Silicon Big Sur 11.4.

[user-jXpFVAbPRc]

Same problem here with composer 10.30.3 on Big Sur (Intel based machine).

[Ke_ReM]

experiencing this error in Composer now on BigSur, m1 macbook air using both 10.34.2 and 10.35 versions.

”converting to source failed”

[zerocounts]

we are also experiencing the same error "converting to source failed": macOS 12.2.1, Composer 10.33, M1 Max 

[santoroj]

Does/has anyone found a solution for this. Can't really go back to an older version as I dont have one.  I am running Monterey on Intel with Rosetta added for some other apps to function.  This issue has been going on for a long time.  Can't really resort to a DMG when the vendor is only offering PKG's.  

[MasterNovice]

Adding to the list. I am seeing this with 10.37 on Intel 12.3.1

[scottb]

Has anyone tried to move the following folder out to see if that helps?

/Library/Application Support/Jamf/Composer

I don't say delete it as it keeps your projects in there and I for one don't like losing the contents.  

I had trouble years back, and that seemed to help, but I'm not seeing this issue at the moment...

[santoroj]

I have done this and sometimes it works and sometimes not, but the bigger problem is for something that has been going on for so long, why is there still no permanent fix? 

[vaksai]

Go into Composer Preferences and change "Executable Types in PKGs" from "Automatically detect executable types" to "One or more executables require Rosetta"

[scp]

Perfect !

It's working now :)

[jsnyc]

I just came across this issue.  I am trying to convert a package to a source I I get "Converting to Source Failed" I am using Composer 10.41.0, on M1 Mac.  I tried changing  "Executable Types in PKGs" from "Automatically detect executable types" to "One or more executables require Rosetta" but that doesn't seem to work for me.  Also I made sure the application has full disk access via Security and Privacy.   Not sure what else to try.  Any help would be appreciated.

[scottb]

I'm still not seeing this issue, but when I've had issues with Composer in the past, I have moved (moved, not nuked as you lose other good things in Composer) the folder:

/Library/Application Support/JAMF/Composer

 To the desktop or other place.  Quit Composer first, move, then re-launch Composer.  See if that helps...

You'll notice that the items in the left column are gone - which is why I say don't delete it yet.

If it works now, you'll know there was something corrupted in that folder...worth a shot.

[scottb]

To add to the above, in case you're not totally used to the quirks of Jamf - if your Mac that you're using to build packages is enrolled into a Jamf instance, that folder below will go away if you unenroll from Jamf.

/Library/Application Support/JAMF/Composer

Make sure you keep it backed up somewhere if you need to keep the past work for reference.  I lost a ton of packages back in the day due to that and was REALLY bummed!

[cc_rider]

Mine started to do the same...I've tried with a new Mac, fresh install of the Composer 11.3.0, but with NO luck. As a workaround, I used "Suspicious Package" to see the file structure of the .pkg that I need to "Convert to source" and export them in Downloads...Dragged them into the Composer and started to built the new package. Yeah, not desirable solution - it's annoying to see these things happen out of the blue, with NO fix whatsoever in the near future...*sigh*

[scottb]

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@cc_rider wrote:

Mine started to do the same...I've tried with a new Mac, fresh install of the Composer 11.3.0, but with NO luck. As a workaround, I used "Suspicious Package" to see the file structure of the .pkg that I need to "Convert to source" and export them in Downloads...Dragged them into the Composer and started to built the new package. Yeah, not desirable solution - it's annoying to see these things happen out of the blue, with NO fix whatsoever in the near future...*sigh*

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Is the package you're using readily available?  ie, something I can download at try here?

[cc_rider]

We can take it offline, if you want, and send you in Slack...I've tried a few old packages that I've built in the past and most of them are throwing the same error (ie, Cisco Anyconnect, Zscaler, etc.)

[scottb]

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@cc_rider wrote:

We can take it offline, if you want, and send you in Slack...I've tried a few old packages that I've built in the past and most of them are throwing the same error (ie, Cisco Anyconnect, Zscaler, etc.)

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I'm "scott512"...hit me up.  I'd like to see if it bugs out on my Mac.

[cc_rider]

Thanks, @scottb for checking this for me. All, the root cause in my situation points out to Cyberark - it looks like something is not allowed to complete the "Convert to source" process and I will need to dig deeper in the logs to see which policy is preventing this to happen.

[scottb]

Happy to assist, @cc_rider !  Glad it's sorted...90% of all our issues usually come back to security/AV software...😩