Installing the update package gives an error: XPC_ERROR_CONNECTION_INTERRUPTED

[aanorbel]

I am new to Sparkle and have an error with the updater.

Load feed and display content ✅

Download updates ✅

Extract/Install update ❌

Fails in 2 possible ways

Stuck extracting

Update Error

Description

Re-initialization successful; calling out to event handler with XPC_ERROR_CONNECTION_INTERRUPTED

Sandboxing

Same result for both on/off

Version

2.8.0 UI Refresh and Tahoe Improvements

Logs

https://gist.github.com/aanorbel/c8d4c5b7515ba85fe17001bc1ddac70f

...
2025-10-08 17:12:21.000419+0100 0x8c5ca    Default     0x0                  67594  0    OONI Probe: (libxpc.dylib) [com.apple.xpc:connection] [0xbf8b7b840] Re-initialization successful; calling out to event handler with XPC_ERROR_CONNECTION_INTERRUPTED
...

...
2025-10-08 17:13:03.638 OONI Probe[67594:574877] SparkleHelper [ERROR] update_lifecycle: Update aborted with error (4005): An error occurred while connecting to the installer. Please try again later.
...

Code setup

We are embedding Sparkle inside a Kotlin multiplatform application using JNI bindings.

ooni/probe-multiplatform#915

Update feeds tested with different versions

• [DMG] https://github.com/aanorbel/oomplt-test/releases/latest/download/feed-mac.rss
• [ZIP] https://github.com/aanorbel/oomplt-test/releases/latest/download/feed-mac-zip.rss
• [DMG] https://github.com/aanorbel/oomplt-test/releases/latest/download/feed-mac-dmg.rss

[zorgiepoo]

From system.log in your linked PR:

2025-10-08 14:50:52.466685+0100 0x3ecca    Error       0xb2cbb              19616  0    OONI Probe: (Sparkle) [org.sparkle-project.Sparkle:Sparkle] Failed to make auth right set
2025-10-08 14:50:52.469080+0100 0x3ecca    Error       0xb2cbb              19616  0    OONI Probe: (Sparkle) [org.sparkle-project.Sparkle:Sparkle] Failed copying system domain rights: -60005
2025-10-08 14:50:52.469186+0100 0x3ecca    Error       0xb2cbb              19616  0    OONI Probe: (Sparkle) [org.sparkle-project.Sparkle:Sparkle] Failed to submit installer job
2025-10-08 14:50:52.469195+0100 0x3ecca    Error       0xb2cbb              19616  0    OONI Probe: (Sparkle) [org.sparkle-project.Sparkle:Sparkle] If your application is sandboxed please follow steps at: https://sparkle-project.org/documentation/sandboxing/
2025-10-08 14:50:52.469239+0100 0x3ecca    Error       0xb2cbb              19616  0    OONI Probe: (Sparkle) [org.sparkle-project.Sparkle:Sparkle] Error: Failed to gain authorization required to update target
2025-10-08 14:50:52.469255+0100 0x3ecca    Debug       0xb2cbb              19616  0    OONI Probe: (CoreFoundation) [com.apple.CFBundle:strings] Lazy cache miss for bundle: <private> key: An error occurred while launching the installer. Please try again later. table: Sparkle
2025-10-08 14:50:52.469279+0100 0x3ecca    Debug       0xb2cbb              19616  0    OONI Probe: (CoreFoundation) [com.apple.CFBundle:strings] Bundle: <private>, key: An error occurred while launching the installer. Please try again later., value: , table: Sparkle, localizationNames: (null), result: An error occurred while launching the installer. Please try again later.

This indicates the app may be running sandboxed in which case need to follow https://sparkle-project.org/documentation/sandboxing/ for setting SUEnableInstallerLauncherService in your app's Info.plist

Additionally in this log I see

2025-10-08 14:50:17.291736+0100 0x3ede3    Debug       0x0                  19616  0    OONI Probe: (AppSSOCore) [com.apple.AppSSO:SOUtils] currentProcessIsSandboxed(): YES

Also these shouldn't be needed if sandboxing were to be on:

<key>com.apple.security.temporary-exception.mach-lookup.global-name</key>
	<array>
		<!-- Sparkle Services -->
		<string>org.sparkle-project.InstallerLauncher</string>
		<string>org.sparkle-project.InstallerConnection</string>
		<string>org.sparkle-project.InstallerStatus</string>
		<string>org.sparkle-project.Downloader</string>

but these look right at glance

<string>org.ooni.probe-spks</string>
<string>org.ooni.probe-spki</string>

--

If I just look at your gist:

2025-10-08 17:13:03.638690+0100 0x8c59d    Error       0x0                  67594  0    OONI Probe: (Sparkle) [org.sparkle-project.Sparkle:Sparkle] Error: An error occurred while connecting to the installer. Please try again later. If your app is not sandboxed, please remove or disable SUEnableInstallerLauncherService in your app's Info.plist. Otherwise please check Console logs for Installer and Autoupdate processes if there are additional details. (URL (null))

but I don't really see anything here for Installer or Autoupdate processes (note: do not just filter for your app's process; I think gripping for "Sparkle" might suffice for Sparkle specific issues). Also setting SUEnableInstallerLauncherService goes hand in hand with enabling sandbox; either they're both on, or both off.

If you're able to attach a build of the app with Sparkle embedded that is failing it should be easier for me to take a better peek.

It is some sort of configuration issue, though. Maybe the environment running the app is in some special sandbox, maybe you're missing some executable permission bits on Sparkle's binaries, or maybe you're running into security restrictions from recent changes that enforces Sparkle helper binaries (if signed) to have same team ID as originating app. But hard to tell what it is exactly, missing information.

[zorgiepoo]

I just realized your rss feeds have links to the builds of your app that include Sparkle. In those zip/dmg files, the Sparkle.framework is corrupt since the symlinks are missing everywhere, and the executable (x) permissions on the binaries were not preserved.

[aanorbel]

Thanks for the inisight. I will clean up the rss feed/artifacts and retry again.