I am trying to build an app with Xcode 12.5 Beta 3 on macOS Big Sur 11.2.2 with a file provider extension. I use the beta version of Xcode because previous versions do not provide a template for file provider extensions.
The app and its extension have a common app group set up in their entitlements and are signed automatically with my personal team and a development certificate.
I build and run my app and extension. As far as I know, I have now control over when it is (un)loaded because that is up to the system.
Observations
Problem
I did not find anything about the meaning of the exclamation mark or how to find out what the actual problem is.
Remark
For whatever reason the developer forum appears to censor the acronym of the launch services daemon with three asterisks. 🙄
The app and its extension have a common app group set up in their entitlements and are signed automatically with my personal team and a development certificate.
I build and run my app and extension. As far as I know, I have now control over when it is (un)loaded because that is up to the system.
Observations
The extension never shows up in the system preferences.
The Console app does not provide any meaningful information. The only message with the distinct project name reports "*** (LaunchServices)" to check whether the application is managed.
The extension does not show up in the Activity Monitor.
Pluginkit reports the extension to be found but prepends an exclamation mark (when running pluginkit -vvvvmi Redacted.Hyperdrive.File-Provider).
Code Block lang-sh $ pluginkit -vvvvmi Redacted.Hyperdrive.File-Provider ! Redacted.Hyperdrive.File-Provider(1.0) Path = /Users/peter/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/Hyperdrive-gyfstlzpcwfgdyapkdbdsqcvxmae/Build/Products/Debug/Hyperdrive.app/Contents/PlugIns/File Provider.appex UUID = FD87EE6B-8C82-4DFB-AF85-E9A1808517C6 Timestamp = 2021-03-09 10:47:35 +0000 SDK = com.apple.fileprovider-nonui Parent Bundle = /Users/peter/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/Hyperdrive-gyfstlzpcwfgdyapkdbdsqcvxmae/Build/Products/Debug/Hyperdrive.app Display Name = File Provider Short Name = File Provider Parent Name = Hyperdrive (1 plug-in)
Problem
I did not find anything about the meaning of the exclamation mark or how to find out what the actual problem is.
Remark
For whatever reason the developer forum appears to censor the acronym of the launch services daemon with three asterisks. 🙄
Quoting a bit from man pluginkit
:
+ indicates that the user has elected to use the plug-in
- indicates that the user has elected to ignore the plug-in
! indicates that the user has elected to use the plug-in for debugger use
= indicates that the plug-in is superseded by another plug-in
? unknown user election state