iOS Question Can't compile B4i-Bridge due to "MAC verification failed during PKCS12 import"

[Sandman]

I'm struggling to compile B4i-Bridge, even after trying several times and following every single detail in the guides.

I get this error message when sending to builder:

B4i Version: 8.51
Parsing code.    (0.01s)
Building folders structure.    (0.00s)
Running custom action.    (0.02s)
Compiling code.    (0.03s)
Building designer app.    (0.01s)
Building Xcode project.    (0.07s)
Preparing project for builder.    (0.04s)
    Project size: 0.23 MB
Sending data to remote compiler.    Error
Error: security: SecKeychainItemImport: MAC verification failed during PKCS12 import (wrong password?)

That error message isn't uncommon in the forum and I think I've read every single post about it, and I still haven't been able to solve it. All in all I've tried two full workdays to get this working, without progress. I just don't know what else to try now.

Here are all details that I can think of:

Build server

• MacOS Sonoma 14.2.1
• XCode 15.2
• Version 8.50
• Tried with jdk-14.0.1
• Tried with jdk-14.0.2
• Instructions say to use jdk-11, and links to another page, where jdk-11 isn't available so I haven't tried that

B4i

• Version 8.51
• No java is specified in the B4i requirements, but...
  • Tried with jdk-14.0.1
  • Tried with jdk-19.0.2
• Created completely new keys directory (and set it in paths)
• Created completely new Private Sign Key, and I am 100% certain of the password
• Followed the video guide for B4i - Certificate and provision profile, where I used the new Sign Key
• Followed the video guide for B4i - Installing B4i-Bridge and debugging the first app

The certificate guide shows Apple website, and they have updated some things in it since the video guide was made, but I am as certain as I can be that I have chosen the things intended in the video guide.

Whatever I do, I get the same error message. Can somebody see what I have done wrong?

(If needed I'm willing to screenshot my way through the process on the Apple website to show what options I picked.)

 

[Erel]

It is not 100% clear what causes this issue. I think that it is related to the PC Java version.

I'm sending you a temporary id for the hosted builder.
Try it with Java 14 or 19.

 

[Sandman]

Thank you, I entered the id and tried using both Java 14 and 19 and neither work - I get the exact same error message.

I can think of three more things to try, to solve this:

1. You could compress your PC Java folder and upload to something like Sprend (https://sprend.com) and then I could try with it - just to exclude the PC java version.
   
   
2. We could do the same for the java you use on your mac - just to exclude that too.
   
   
3. I do it all over once again and screenshot my way through the Apple process, update this thread and hopefully you can see where I made a mistake.

1 and 2 should be fairly quick and simple to test, to once and for all kill the possiblity of bad java versions being the problem. I mean, if it's acceptable to you and you have the outgoing bandwidth to handle that upload (I don't know how broadband works where you live). If I try with your java folders and it works, I'm willing to do the work to diff our installations and see if I can figure out what is different.

But I'm open to whatever you suggest. Desperation is setting in.

 

[Sandman]

Update. I searched online for the error message and found this post on Stack Overflow:

Add/import certificate with password via command line Mac OS X

I'm trying to import a .pfx certificate via command line. This certificate is secured by a password. Is there a way to do this in terminal? I'm running OS X 10.8. When I use this command I get the

stackoverflow.com

It discusses this exact error message, and the solution they found. I checked my mac and I do have a security command in the terminal, just as the post mentions.

If this command is used by the builder, I could perhaps try to mimic the builder and run some command in the terminal on the mac and see if that works? If we're lucky (so to speak), I would get the error message in the terminal, and then we might have more information on where the issue is. (I would need information on what command to run.)

ADDITION. I should also mention that my password for the private sign key does not contain any characters that would need escaping.

 

[Erel]

You could compress your PC Java folder and upload to something like Sprend (https://sprend.com) and then I could try with it - just to exclude the PC java version.

I use the same Java packages as you are using.

Check the two screenshots here: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...icate-and-provisioning-profile.45880/#content
Are you sure that you creates the correct type of certificate + provision profile?

 

[Sandman]

Another update. I have gone through the whole process in the Apple website again by following this guide:



I documented everything with screenshots. Hopefully somebody can tell me if I've made an error somewhere.

1. I created a brand new private sign key in an empty folder (that I specified in Configure Paths in B4i)

2. This is my keys folder so far

3. I have no new devices to add so that step is skipped

4. Logged in to Apple website

5. I created a new App ID

There's a long list of options here, but I chose App IDs, because that best matched the instructions.

I chose App.

I gave it a description and a wildcard bundle id. The instructions say to just enter * here, but that isn't accepted by Apple, so I prefix it with b4i. I selected no capabilities/app services.

I confirmed the App ID.



6. I created a certificate

The instructions say to create a production certificate, but that phrase isn't used by Apple anymore. (It is used when talking about certificates for push notifications and watchkit services - clearly not what I'm looking for.) But the guide says to pick a certificate of type "App Store and Ad Hoc". I picked "iOS Distribution (App Store Connect and Ad Hoc)" because it matched the guide best.

I uploaded the certSigningRequest.csr that I created just a few minutes before.

I downloaded the generated certificate as default.cer into the keys directory.

This is what the keys folder looks like now.


7. I created a privisioning profile

The guide said to choose "Distribution -> Ad Hoc", and this exact option is available so I picked that.

I picked the App Id created above.

I picked the certificate created above.

I selected all devices.

I named and generated the provisioning file.

I downloaded the provisioning file into the keys folder.

This is what the keys folder looks like now.



After this I followed this guide to build B4i-Bridge.



8. Create a new B4i project for B4i-Bridge

I set the package name identical to the guide, which also matches the b4i.* app id I used above.

Not part of the guide, but I verified that I'm using the hosted builder, using the temporary username I have.


I chose to Build B4i-Bridge App, and failed with the same error message:

B4i Version: 8.51
Parsing code.    (0.01s)
Building folders structure.    (0.01s)
Running custom action.    (0.03s)
Compiling code.    (0.02s)
Building designer app.    (0.02s)
Building Xcode project.    (0.09s)
Preparing project for builder.    (0.36s)
    Project size: 0.23 MB
Sending data to remote compiler.    Error
Error: security: SecKeychainItemImport: MAC verification failed during PKCS12 import (wrong password?)

I also tested with my local builder, and got the same error message.

 

[Sandman]

Check the two screenshots here: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...icate-and-provisioning-profile.45880/#content
Are you sure that you creates the correct type of certificate + provision profile?

As far as I can tell, that's exactly what I used above.

 

[Erel]

I've just made some tests.

I got this error with OpenJdk 19. There is an issue here that needs further investigation.

However it did work with OpenJDK 14.0.1: https://www.b4x.com/b4j/files/java/jdk-14.0.1.zip
Make sure to update Tools - Configure Paths.

Please confirm that it worked and I'll update the instructions.

 

[Sandman]

Please confirm that it worked and I'll update the instructions.

It did not work.

I have now tested with all of these:

The selected one, the one ending in _fresh, is downloaded just now from the link you posted.

However, I did find something strange that perhaps might be relevant. I started wondering if perhaps the Paths setting had a bug where it didn't use the path if it was pasted instead of Browsed. (I tend to paste the path from Explorer, it's quicker.) To test this I entered a completely fake path:

Then I tried building B4i-Bridge again, and to my surprise the IDE didn't complain. Instead I got the same error again.

After that I created a new folder, named empty_folder:

In it I created a new file, named javac.exe, zero bytes large. Just something so the IDE would let be Browse to it.

In Paths I Browsed to it:

Then I tried to build B4i-Bridge again. No complaints about the java, but the same error message again.

So I'm wondering what java the IDE picks up, and if/how it even uses it..?

 

[Erel]

Sorry, I wasn't clear before.

The problematic step is the creation of the new signing key. You need to delete all files in the keys folder. Set the javac to Java 14 and start from scratch. It should work.
I recommend revoking existing certificates so you wont choose the wrong one by mistake.

 

[Sandman]

Understood. I'll check and report back in five minutes.

 

[Sandman]

I can confirm that it worked as described in #10.

Thank you for helping me.

I have a lot of built-up frustration from struggling with this for three days. Once I calm down and get some code out the door, I believe I will post a couple of Wishes related to this in the near future.