Fixing issues with AOT compilation

Question

Fixing issues with AOT compilation

MKinOZ 31

Hello!

I have a .NET MAUI 8 app that I target for Android, WinUI and iOS.

I'm using EF Core (context is in separate project) and SQLite DB that gets created on app launch.

The issue is with the iOS version and I'm suspecting the issues is with AOT compilation.

All is working well when running it in a simulator or running on local iPhone or iPad.

However, when I "send" the app to Apple and then install it on a test device via TestFlight, the app crashes on startup.

I have followed a range of proposed solutions (https://github.com/dotnet/maui/issues/9176 and others) and added the below to the .csproj file for the main project:

`<PropertyGroup Condition="$(TargetFramework.Contains('-maccatalyst')) Or $(TargetFramework.Contains('-ios'))">`

<UseInterpreter>true</UseInterpreter>

</PropertyGroup>

I also added <MtouchInterpreter>-all</MtouchInterpreter>, but it did not make a difference.

Anybody got suggestions on either how to solve this one or on how to narrow down the issue?

Thanks!

Yonglun Liu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 50,126 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-03-29T05:44:40.7666667+00:00
For further investigation, could you please provide the following information?

Does your program only crash on a physical device, and what is its version number?

Could you please provide specific steps to reproduce and update this into the issue?

Your prompt reply will be highly appreciated.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-03-29T09:54:14.7733333+00:00
Hi Yonglun,

Thanks for your response!

The program crashes only on a physical device when using TestFlight.

When debugging the application on an physical iPhone or iPad, it works well.

I’m running iOS/iPadOS 17.4.1 on all devices.

Steps to reproduce are simple:

Testing app on physical device using debug WORKS (so selecting remote device, select physical iPhone or iPad).

I then build (Pubish) the archive, then select “App Store” for the distribution, then selecting the corresponding profiles etc. to build the ipa file.

I’m uploading the file to Apple via Transporter app.

The app initially has been getting rejected by apple as they had crashes on their devices on start-up. I explained my set-up (VS 2022 and .NET MAUI 8 etc) after I had a few rejected releases. They then approved my app for testing (Possibly for me to see that it actually crashes).

When I install the app via TestFlight on an iPad or iPhone (v 17.4.1) and open the app, it crashes immediately upon showing the splash screen.

Cheers
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-01T22:43:01.4133333+00:00

sorry, added my response as an answer. Please see below.
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-02T07:00:57.0733333+00:00

Could you deploy the app on other devices lower than iOS 17.3?
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-03T04:14:24.19+00:00

I'm struggling to find any. People are pretty good at upgrading their devices...

I have been looking at AOT limitations, but it would be fantastic if the compiler would have warnings for this scenario so I could narrow things down.
I'm not sure if I misread, but NativeAOT and what Xcode does, is not the same?
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-03T06:50:36.3533333+00:00

No, they are not the same. Are you using Xcode15.2?
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-04T21:53:12.13+00:00

Not sure why my comment was deleted: I have Xcode 15.3 from the Apple AppStore installed.
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-08T01:40:56.6133333+00:00

Xcode 15.3 Support for .NET 8 and MAUI is in progress, please keep using Xcode15.2.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-09T01:50:27.96+00:00

Thank you, I did not see this.

I will try to use Xcode 15.2.
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-09T02:31:52.4233333+00:00

You could try to download Xcode15.2 from Apple. If it's not available, please wait for updates of MAUI, and follow the progress at GitHub.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-11T04:24:20.7366667+00:00

Sorry not getting back earlier, but I had to wait for Apple to approve the app.

yes, this combination worked.

thank you!
Grant Schaffer 25 Reputation points

2024-04-19T16:42:46.47+00:00

Hello,

I have an Maui app built with XCode 15.2 and .Net 8.

When I install it on my iPad with test flight I get:

Model binding is not supported when publishing with NativeAOT. Use a compiled model.

I have also tried using xcode 15.2 with the same results.

What am I doing wrong?
Bruce (SqlWork.com) 78,006 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2024-04-19T18:27:34.0166667+00:00

IOS require native code. Maui uses NativeAOT to generate this. But there are lots of restrictions with NativeAOT, especially around serialization.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/deploying/native-aot/?tabs=net8plus%2Cwindows

Your error is suggesting to use compiled binding:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/maui/fundamentals/data-binding/compiled-bindings?view=net-maui-8.0

1 answer

Your answer

Yonglun Liu (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 50,126 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-03-29T05:44:40.7666667+00:00

For further investigation, could you please provide the following information?

Does your program only crash on a physical device, and what is its version number?

Could you please provide specific steps to reproduce and update this into the issue?

Your prompt reply will be highly appreciated.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-03-29T09:54:14.7733333+00:00

Hi Yonglun,

Thanks for your response!

The program crashes only on a physical device when using TestFlight.

When debugging the application on an physical iPhone or iPad, it works well.

I’m running iOS/iPadOS 17.4.1 on all devices.

Steps to reproduce are simple:

Testing app on physical device using debug WORKS (so selecting remote device, select physical iPhone or iPad).

I then build (Pubish) the archive, then select “App Store” for the distribution, then selecting the corresponding profiles etc. to build the ipa file.

I’m uploading the file to Apple via Transporter app.

The app initially has been getting rejected by apple as they had crashes on their devices on start-up. I explained my set-up (VS 2022 and .NET MAUI 8 etc) after I had a few rejected releases. They then approved my app for testing (Possibly for me to see that it actually crashes).

When I install the app via TestFlight on an iPad or iPhone (v 17.4.1) and open the app, it crashes immediately upon showing the splash screen.

Cheers
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-01T22:43:01.4133333+00:00

sorry, added my response as an answer. Please see below.
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-02T07:00:57.0733333+00:00

Could you deploy the app on other devices lower than iOS 17.3?
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-03T04:14:24.19+00:00

I'm struggling to find any. People are pretty good at upgrading their devices...

I have been looking at AOT limitations, but it would be fantastic if the compiler would have warnings for this scenario so I could narrow things down.
I'm not sure if I misread, but NativeAOT and what Xcode does, is not the same?
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-03T06:50:36.3533333+00:00

No, they are not the same. Are you using Xcode15.2?
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-04T21:53:12.13+00:00

Not sure why my comment was deleted: I have Xcode 15.3 from the Apple AppStore installed.
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-08T01:40:56.6133333+00:00

Xcode 15.3 Support for .NET 8 and MAUI is in progress, please keep using Xcode15.2.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-09T01:50:27.96+00:00

Thank you, I did not see this.

I will try to use Xcode 15.2.
Wenyan Zhang (Shanghai Wicresoft Co,.Ltd.) 36,436 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-04-09T02:31:52.4233333+00:00

You could try to download Xcode15.2 from Apple. If it's not available, please wait for updates of MAUI, and follow the progress at GitHub.
MKinOZ 31 Reputation points

2024-04-11T04:24:20.7366667+00:00

Sorry not getting back earlier, but I had to wait for Apple to approve the app.

yes, this combination worked.

thank you!
Grant Schaffer 25 Reputation points

2024-04-19T16:42:46.47+00:00

Hello,

I have an Maui app built with XCode 15.2 and .Net 8.

When I install it on my iPad with test flight I get:

Model binding is not supported when publishing with NativeAOT. Use a compiled model.

I have also tried using xcode 15.2 with the same results.

What am I doing wrong?
Bruce (SqlWork.com) 78,006 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2024-04-19T18:27:34.0166667+00:00

IOS require native code. Maui uses NativeAOT to generate this. But there are lots of restrictions with NativeAOT, especially around serialization.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/deploying/native-aot/?tabs=net8plus%2Cwindows

Your error is suggesting to use compiled binding:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/maui/fundamentals/data-binding/compiled-bindings?view=net-maui-8.0

Answer 1

Grant Schaffer 25

Hey Bruce,

Thank you for your help.

I changed all of the app’s views to compiled views and it still didn't work.

The solution was to downgrade from Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite V8.0.4 to V8.0.1

After that, the iOS version of the app works again.

Have a great day and thanks again,

Grant

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Fixing issues with AOT compilation

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