Messages in 10.11 not working: Internal Error and blank Chat window

Hi Johannes,

Based on the build number you give in your question, you're now on Public Beta 4. The latest beta is PB 6 (build 15A278b). Update to that and there's a good chance the issue will be resolved. Let us know how you get on 🙂

Max.

Thanks Max for the tip! Should have come to this possible solution it by myself...

Anyways. Now on build 15A278b and Messages 9.0.

Unfortunately the same problems exist, just the popup doesn't appear. I was checking the Console log; it seems to be the same error message as given in my original post. Preferences still not accessable.

Now that I'm on 9.0 google cannot help me at all it seems...

Error Log on startup:

04/09/15 5:04:37.097 PM

Messages[788]

schema version 9005

04/09/15 5:04:37.847 PM

Messages[788]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Applications/Messages.app/Contents/Resources/ChatWindowAccountStatusView.nib.

04/09/15 5:04:37.851 PM

Messages[788]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Applications/Messages.app/Contents/Resources/ChatWindowAccountStatusView.nib.

04/09/15 5:04:37.856 PM

Messages[788]

Failed to connect (_statusDelegate) outlet from (MyStatusControl) to (StatusController): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:04:37.857 PM

Messages[788]

*** Assertion failure in -[NSMenuItem initWithTitle:action:keyEquivalent:], /Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/AppKit/AppKit-1404/Menus.subproj/NSMenuItem.m:402

04/09/15 5:04:37.858 PM

Messages[788]

Invalid parameter not satisfying: aString != nil

04/09/15 5:04:37.864 PM

Messages[788]

(

0 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97c57bd2 __exceptionPreprocess + 178

1 libobjc.A.dylib 0x00007fff96948dd4 objc_exception_throw + 48

2 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97c5c8aa +[NSException raise:format:arguments:] + 106

3 Foundation 0x00007fff95ce4f46 -[NSAssertionHandler handleFailureInMethod:object:file:lineNumber:description:] + 198

4 AppKit 0x00007fff8a64e569 -[NSMenuItem initWithTitle:action:keyEquivalent:] + 155

5 Messages 0x0000000109a346c1 iChatDefaultDefaults + 51357

6 Messages 0x0000000109a29431 iChatDefaultDefaults + 5645

7 Messages 0x0000000109a28dba iChatDefaultDefaults + 3990

8 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97bceb4f -[NSSet makeObjectsPerformSelector:] + 223

9 AppKit 0x00007fff8a645f5f -[NSIBObjectData nibInstantiateWithOwner:options:topLevelObjects:] + 1192

10 AppKit 0x00007fff8a756707 -[NSNib _instantiateNibWithExternalNameTable:options:] + 677

11 AppKit 0x00007fff8a756357 -[NSNib _instantiateWithOwner:options:topLevelObjects:] + 143

12 AppKit 0x00007fff8a7555ec -[NSViewController loadView] + 270

13 Messages 0x0000000109a486b7 TigerPrefNameForAccount + 59669

14 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2b02 -[NSViewController _loadViewIfRequired] + 75

15 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2a6d -[NSViewController view] + 30

16 Messages 0x0000000109a484cb TigerPrefNameForAccount + 59177

17 Messages 0x0000000109a4804d TigerPrefNameForAccount + 58027

18 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6cbf31 -[NSViewController _sendViewDidLoad] + 97

19 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2c17 -[NSViewController _loadViewIfRequired] + 352

20 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2a6d -[NSViewController view] + 30

21 Messages 0x0000000109a46a05 TigerPrefNameForAccount + 52323

22 Messages 0x0000000109a4691a TigerPrefNameForAccount + 52088

23 Messages 0x0000000109a4688f TigerPrefNameForAccount + 51949

24 Messages 0x0000000109a46108 TigerPrefNameForAccount + 50022

25 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6edaa7 -[NSWindowController _windowDidLoad] + 592

26 AppKit 0x00007fff8a68a92e -[NSWindowController window] + 110

27 Messages 0x0000000109baa363 FezVerifyCallHasErrors + 57921

28 Messages 0x0000000109a45509 TigerPrefNameForAccount + 46951

29 Messages 0x0000000109b1e7a5 FezCreateTrust + 37560

30 Foundation 0x00007fff95c6a54e __NSThreadPerformPerform + 279

31 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97bed621 __CFRUNLOOP_IS_CALLING_OUT_TO_A_SOURCE0_PERFORM_FUNCTION__ + 17

32 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97bcce1c __CFRunLoopDoSources0 + 556

33 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97bcc33f __CFRunLoopRun + 927

34 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97bcbd38 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 296

35 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9ccedd55 RunCurrentEventLoopInMode + 235

36 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9ccedb8f ReceiveNextEventCommon + 432

37 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9cced9cf _BlockUntilNextEventMatchingListInModeWithFilter + 71

38 AppKit 0x00007fff8a67a236 _DPSNextEvent + 1067

39 AppKit 0x00007fff8a679665 -[NSApplication _nextEventMatchingEventMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 454

40 AppKit 0x00007fff8a66e1c8 -[NSApplication run] + 682

41 AppKit 0x00007fff8a63745e NSApplicationMain + 1176

42 Messages 0x0000000109a27d3d main + 1717

43 libdyld.dylib 0x00007fff92b185ad start + 1

)

04/09/15 5:04:38.106 PM

Messages[788]

17:04:38.105 WARNING: 140: This application, or a library it uses, is using the deprecated Carbon Component Manager for hosting Audio Units. Support for this will be removed in a future release. Also, this makes the host incompatible with version 3 audio units. Please transition to the API's in AudioComponent.h.

Error log when opening App Preferences:

04/09/15 5:01:57.616 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (mainView) outlet from (iMessagePreferences) to (NSView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.617 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (settingsTabView) outlet from (iMessagePreferences) to (NSTabView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.684 PM

Messages[781]

Error loading /Library/Messages/PlugIns/IMServicePlugIn.impreferencepane/Contents/MacOS/IMServicePlugIn: dlopen(/Library/Messages/PlugIns/IMServicePlugIn.impreferencepane/Contents/MacOS/IMServicePlugIn, 265): Symbol not found: _OBJC_CLASS_$_IMAccountController

Referenced from: /Library/Messages/PlugIns/IMServicePlugIn.impreferencepane/Contents/MacOS/IMServicePlugIn

Expected in: /System/Library/Frameworks/InstantMessage.framework/Versions/A/InstantMessage

in /Library/Messages/PlugIns/IMServicePlugIn.impreferencepane/Contents/MacOS/IMServicePlugIn

04/09/15 5:01:57.730 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.734 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.734 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.735 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.736 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.737 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.737 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.737 PM

Messages[781]

Unknown class SOExtendedTextField in Interface Builder file at path /Library/Messages/PlugIns/Jabber.impreferencepane/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/JabberPreferencesView.nib.

04/09/15 5:01:57.740 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberAccountNameField) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.740 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberAccountNameValidationLabel) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSImageView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.740 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberAccountPassField) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSSecureTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberDataView) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberPortNumber) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberPortValidationLabel) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSImageView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberServerName) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberUseKerberos) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSButton): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (_jabberView) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (enableJabberCheckbox) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSButton): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberAccountType) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberChatSettingsTabItem) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTabViewItem): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.741 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberDescription) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberLoginArrow) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSImageView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberNameField) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberNameLabel) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberPasswordField) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSSecureTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberPasswordLabel) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTextField): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberServerSettingsTabItem) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTabViewItem): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberTabView) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSTabView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.742 PM

Messages[781]

Failed to connect (jabberView) outlet from (JabberPreferences) to (NSView): missing setter or instance variable

04/09/15 5:01:57.743 PM

Messages[781]

Could not connect action, target class JabberPreferences does not respond to -useDefaultServerSettings:

04/09/15 5:01:57.743 PM

Messages[781]

Could not connect action, target class JabberPreferences does not respond to -changeEnableJabber:

04/09/15 5:01:57.743 PM

Messages[781]

Could not connect action, target class JabberPreferences does not respond to -jabberDescription:

04/09/15 5:01:57.743 PM

Messages[781]

Could not connect action, target class JabberPreferences does not respond to -jabberID:

04/09/15 5:01:57.743 PM

Messages[781]

Could not connect action, target class JabberPreferences does not respond to -jabberPassword:

04/09/15 5:01:57.743 PM

Messages[781]

Could not connect action, target class JabberPreferences does not respond to -useDefaultChatSettings:

04/09/15 5:01:57.745 PM

Messages[781]

An uncaught exception was raised

04/09/15 5:01:57.745 PM

Messages[781]

-[JabberPreferences loadView] loaded the "JabberPreferencesView" nib but no view was set.

04/09/15 5:01:57.753 PM

Messages[781]

(

0 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97c57bd2 __exceptionPreprocess + 178

1 libobjc.A.dylib 0x00007fff96948dd4 objc_exception_throw + 48

2 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97cbe3fd +[NSException raise:format:] + 205

3 AppKit 0x00007fff8a7557ab -[NSViewController loadView] + 717

4 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2b02 -[NSViewController _loadViewIfRequired] + 75

5 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2a6d -[NSViewController view] + 30

6 Messages 0x000000010b24b7af FezCreateTrust + 4802

7 Messages 0x000000010b24d7ed FezCreateTrust + 13056

8 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6cbf31 -[NSViewController _sendViewDidLoad] + 97

9 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2c17 -[NSViewController _loadViewIfRequired] + 352

10 AppKit 0x00007fff8a6c2a6d -[NSViewController view] + 30

11 Messages 0x000000010b2b92a2 DeleteAudioBufferList + 102521

12 AppKit 0x00007fff8a73d4e3 -[NSWindowController initWithWindowNibName:owner:] + 297

13 Messages 0x000000010b2b860e DeleteAudioBufferList + 99301

14 Messages 0x000000010b25e33e FezCreateTrust + 81489

15 libsystem_trace.dylib 0x00007fff97460082 _os_activity_initiate + 75

16 AppKit 0x00007fff8a8e3cf1 -[NSApplication sendAction:to:from:] + 460

17 AppKit 0x00007fff8a8e3a8b -[NSMenuItem _corePerformAction] + 336

18 AppKit 0x00007fff8a8e37eb -[NSCarbonMenuImpl performActionWithHighlightingForItemAtIndex:] + 114

19 libsystem_trace.dylib 0x00007fff97460082 _os_activity_initiate + 75

20 AppKit 0x00007fff8a97603c -[NSMenu performActionForItemAtIndex:] + 131

21 AppKit 0x00007fff8a975faf -[NSMenu _internalPerformActionForItemAtIndex:] + 35

22 AppKit 0x00007fff8a975e07 -[NSCarbonMenuImpl _carbonCommandProcessEvent:handlerCallRef:] + 107

23 AppKit 0x00007fff8a81a575 NSSLMMenuEventHandler + 708

24 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9ccc598e _ZL23DispatchEventToHandlersP14EventTargetRecP14OpaqueEventRefP14HandlerCallRec + 1231

25 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9ccc4e18 _ZL30SendEventToEventTargetInternalP14OpaqueEventRefP20OpaqueEventTargetRefP14HandlerCallRec + 404

26 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9ccdadf6 SendEventToEventTarget + 40

27 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9cd24d2e _ZL18SendHICommandEventjPK9HICommandjjhPKvP20OpaqueEventTargetRefS5_PP14OpaqueEventRef + 411

28 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9cd500f7 SendMenuCommandWithContextAndModifiers + 59

29 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9cd500a8 SendMenuItemSelectedEvent + 188

30 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9cd4ff84 _ZL19FinishMenuSelectionP13SelectionDataP10MenuResultS2_ + 96

31 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9cd5092e _ZL14MenuSelectCoreP8MenuData5PointdjPP13OpaqueMenuRefPt + 711

32 HIToolbox 0x00007fff9cd505c8 _HandleMenuSelection2 + 460

33 AppKit 0x00007fff8a8056c6 _NSHandleCarbonMenuEvent + 277

34 AppKit 0x00007fff8a67a57d _DPSNextEvent + 1906

35 AppKit 0x00007fff8a679665 -[NSApplication _nextEventMatchingEventMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 454

36 AppKit 0x00007fff8a66e1c8 -[NSApplication run] + 682

37 AppKit 0x00007fff8a63745e NSApplicationMain + 1176

38 Messages 0x000000010b15cd3d main + 1717

39 libdyld.dylib 0x00007fff92b185ad start + 1

)

Might be worth forcing Messages to rebuild it's container (this won't affect your messages). To confirm that this may work, see if Messages is starting up in a temporary new account. Create a temporary new admin account from System Preferences > Users & Groups > Open Padlock > + button. Log into the new account and test...

Same Errors in my temporary admin account!

Okay, then it's not a container issue. You can delete the temporary account now if you haven't already.

Did you try opening Messages without having logged into an account that syncs your contacts from a network service?

If you synchronize Contacts with a network service such as iCloud or Google, disable that synchronization in the iCloud or Internet Accounts pane of System Preferences. When prompted to confirm, choose to delete the contacts from the Mac. They'll still be on the servers and on your other devices. Leave the preference pane open.

If the problem is resolved, re-enable Contacts synchronization, and wait for the network contacts to reappear.

I tried what you said. It unfortunately didn't work.

I even logged out of iCloud on my Computer and tried again, still not working. I'm having the exact same issues.

It would be useful to know if Messages worked on the other account before you signed in to anything.

No, same problems sadly.

If that's the case then there's something got corrupted. As you may realise, successive betas are not the whole OS, just changes to certain parts of it. To reinstall OS X completely (this won't touch your user data etc., but it will put you back to Beta 5 - you can update back to Beta 6 then if you want to) you will need to boot into Recovery Mode (cmd+R at startup until you see the progress bar) and select "Reinstall OS X" from the central menu.

You may not feel that to be worth the bother, but given the diagnostics you've carried out, there is unlikely to be an easier option.

I'll try it! Thanks for the help. I'll come back here to tell the result!

Jagenka and Max:

Thanks for your comments.

Now here's something really strange: a couple of nights ago, I also got a blank chat window in Messages.app after updating to the latest non-beta release of Yosemite. It's still blank. So I can only use Messages.app in El Cap PB6 but not in Yosemite. Very curious indeed.

Thank you so much Max! It is workling like it should! Took a little longer then thought... but hey, who cares 😉

Did you "downgrade"?

Glad it's sorted for you 🙂