Failed to install Visual Studio for Mac Preview on macOS Sierra

Question

On macOS Sierra 10.12.2 the Visual Studio for Mac Preview fails to install. The install version is 3.0.0. (1).

The software requirements are all installed, but the installer fails to detect the Android SDK at some point:

[2017-01-12 10:08:52.260] [Debug] Detecting software item 'Mono Framework'
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.260] [Info] Checking whether Mono needs update/installation
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.260] [Debug] In IsCurrentMonoNewEnough
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.260] [Debug] current == /Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/Versions/Current
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.260] [Debug] current symlink: /Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/Versions/4.6.2
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.260] [Debug] file name: 4.6.2
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.261] [Debug] parsed version: 4.6.2
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.261] [Info] Mono 4.8.0 needs to be installed.
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.362] [Info] Status: successful
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.362] [Info] Software item 'Mono Framework': not up to date
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.368] [Info] Component 'Mono Framework' v. 4.8.0 absent
[2017-01-12 10:08:52.369] [Debug] Component Mono Framework enqueuing URL https://dl.xamarin.com/MonoFrameworkMDK/Macx86/MonoFramework-MDK-4.8.0.344.macos10.xamarin.universal.pkg
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.506] [Debug] Detecting software item 'Java SDK'
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.507] [Info] Checking whether Oracle JDK needs update/installation
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.509] [Info] Status: successful
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.509] [Info] Component 'Java SDK' v. 1.8.0 1.8.0 present
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.509] [Info] Software item 'Java SDK': up to date
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.509] [Debug] Detecting software item 'Android SDK'
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.509] [Info] Checking if Android SDK needs to be updated/installed
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.510] [Info] Using default samples:
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.510] [Info] Downloading from 'http://download.xamarin.com/Installer/xamarin-android-sdk.xml'.
[2017-01-12 10:08:53.510] [Debug] Setting download timeout for 'http://download.xamarin.com/Installer/xamarin-android-sdk.xml' to 60s
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.229] [Warning] Cannot map element 'lldb' to descriptor type.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.229] [Warning] Cannot map element 'lldb' to descriptor type.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.231] [Warning] Cannot map element 'lldb' to descriptor type.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.231] [Warning] Cannot map element 'lldb' to descriptor type.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.232] [Warning] Cannot map element 'licenses' to descriptor type.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.433] [Debug] Detecting Android SDK in '/Users/loretoparisi/Library/Developer/Xamarin/android-sdk-macosx'
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Debug] Download size for 'http://dl-ssl.google.com/android/repository/android-ndk-r13b-darwin-x86_64.zip': 665967997
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Debug] NDK found in '/Users/loretoparisi/Library/Developer/Xamarin/android-ndk/android-ndk-r13b', no update necessary
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Error] Failed to find archive for component 'system-image---default'. Tried any:any:64, any:any:0
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Error] Android component 'system-image-23-armeabi-v7a-default': archive for OS any and architecture any not found in the manifest
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] Attempt to initialize component 'system-image-23-armeabi-v7a-default' failed
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] System.InvalidOperationException: No suitable component archive found.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentBase.Init (Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentDescriptorBase descriptor, System.Uri repositoryUrl) [0x0011f] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/AndroidComponentBase.cs:299
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentSystemImage.Init (Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentDescriptorBase descriptor, System.Uri repositoryUrl) [0x00000] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/AndroidComponentSystemImage.cs:36
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentDescriptorBase.CreateComponent (System.String baseDownloadUrl, Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidSDKInstaller installer) [0x00075] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/AndroidComponentDescriptorBase.cs:196
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Info] Status: failed.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] Failed to detect component 'Android SDK'
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] System.InvalidOperationException: No suitable component archive found.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentBase.Init (Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentDescriptorBase descriptor, System.Uri repositoryUrl) [0x0011f] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/AndroidComponentBase.cs:299

Looking at logs it seems that that the Android SDK and NKD are firstly detected in the default folder, but then something fails.

I have both Xamarin Studio Community Edition installed and Android Studio installed, so all required components should be satisfied.

The error log continues

[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] Failed to detect component 'Android SDK'
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] System.InvalidOperationException: No suitable component archive found.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentBase.Init (Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentDescriptorBase descriptor, System.Uri repositoryUrl) [0x0011f] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/AndroidComponentBase.cs:299
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentSystemImage.Init (Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentDescriptorBase descriptor, System.Uri repositoryUrl) [0x00000] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/AndroidComponentSystemImage.cs:36
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidComponentDescriptorBase.CreateComponent (System.String baseDownloadUrl, Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK.AndroidSDKInstaller installer) [0x00075] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/Xamarin.Installer.AndroidSDK/AndroidComponentDescriptorBase.cs:196
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] Detection failed for task Android SDK.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] System.InvalidOperationException: No suitable component archive found.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.538] [Exception] at Xamarin.Web.Installer.TasksManager.DetectComponents () [0x00097] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Web.Installer/TasksManager.cs:297
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Info] Status: failed.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] Initial task interrupted by exception
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] System.AggregateException: One or more errors occurred. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: No suitable component archive found.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] at Xamarin.Web.Installer.TasksManager.DetectComponents () [0x00097] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Web.Installer/TasksManager.cs:297
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.ThrowIfExceptional (System.Boolean includeTaskCanceledExceptions) [0x00014] in /Library/Frameworks/Xamarin.Mac.framework/Versions/2.10.0.113/src/mono/mcs/class/referencesource/mscorlib/system/threading/Tasks/Task.cs:2157
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Wait (System.Int32 millisecondsTimeout, System.Threading.CancellationToken cancellationToken) [0x00052] in /Library/Frameworks/Xamarin.Mac.framework/Versions/2.10.0.113/src/mono/mcs/class/referencesource/mscorlib/system/threading/Tasks/Task.cs:3189
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Wait (System.Threading.CancellationToken cancellationToken) [0x00000] in /Library/Frameworks/Xamarin.Mac.framework/Versions/2.10.0.113/src/mono/mcs/class/referencesource/mscorlib/system/threading/Tasks/Task.cs:3107
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] at Xamarin.Web.Installer.TasksManager.WaitForTask (System.Threading.Tasks.Task task, System.String taskName) [0x00084] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Web.Installer/TasksManager.cs:165
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] ---> (Inner Exception #0) System.InvalidOperationException: No suitable component archive found.
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.539] [Exception] at Xamarin.Web.Installer.TasksManager.DetectComponents () [0x00097] in /Users/builder/data/lanes/4029/b49471af/source/installer/Xamarin.Web.Installer/TasksManager.cs:297 <---
[2017-01-12 10:08:54.648] [Debug] Detection complete on the introduction page, determining the next step.

Answer 1

I had the same problem earlier and fixed it. I'm assuming those that have the issue went to the Visual Studio for Mac web page and clicked the download button which downloads the installer. When this fails you're presented with a list of Android SDK requirements which are the following:

• Android SDK Tools
• Android SDK Platform-tools
• Android SDK Build-tools
• Android API 15
• Android API 19
• Android API 21

Open the SDK Manager and install them. The binary for launching my installation of the SDK Manager is the following:

• /Users/Matt/Library/Developer/Xamarin/android-sdk-macosx/tools/android

Obviously substitute 'Matt' in the path above for whatever your username is. Once these are installed you need to download the following:

• https://dl.xamarin.com/VsMac/VisualStudioForMac-Preview1-7.0.0.347.dmg

This is the full download and not the 20MB installer you get on the main site. Click the file and install and you should be good to go. Anyhow, that worked for me :-)

Answer 2

I was able to replicate this behavior locally, and have filed Bug 51529 in the Xamarin bug tracking system.