The data couldn’t be read because it isn’t in the correct format XCode 9

Question

After upgrading to XCode 9 i can archive the the project and i have run plutil Info.plist to verify the plist was properly but when i try to export to an ipa i receive

The data couldn’t be read because it isn’t in the correct format

I tried to look through the log but i am without words.

2017-10-05 04:35:53 +0000 [MT] Beginning distribution assistant for archive: ****, task: Export
2017-10-05 04:35:57 +0000 [MT] Proceeding to distribution step IDEDistributionAnalyzeArchiveStepViewController, context: <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc898043d0; archive(resolved)='<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionTask(resolved)='2', distributionMethod(resolved)='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team(resolved)='(null)'>
    Chain (3, self inclusive):
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc898043d0; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team='(null)'>
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc89387550; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team='(null)'>
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc91d70c00; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='(null)', team='(null)'>
</IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc898043d0>
2017-10-05 04:35:57 +0000  Found team <IDEProvisioningBasicTeam 0x7ffc89d14b90: teamID: 6Q6M3S2X3M, teamName: ****, LLC> in archive signature
2017-10-05 04:35:57 +0000  Found signing style 0 in archive signature
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000 [MT] Proceeding to distribution step IDEDistributionOptionsStepViewController, context: <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc85451a40; archive(resolved)='<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionTask(resolved)='2', distributionMethod(resolved)='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team(resolved)='<IDEProvisioningBasicTeam 0x7ffc89d14b90: teamID: 6Q6M3S2X3M, teamName: ****, LLC>'>
    Chain (5, self inclusive):
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc85451a40; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team='<IDEProvisioningBasicTeam 0x7ffc89d14b90: teamID: 6Q6M3S2X3M, teamName: ****, LLC>'>
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc8960dd80; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team='<IDEProvisioningBasicTeam 0x7ffc89d14b90: teamID: 6Q6M3S2X3M, teamName: ****, LLC>'>
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc898043d0; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team='<IDEProvisioningBasicTeam 0x7ffc89d14b90: teamID: 6Q6M3S2X3M, teamName: ****, LLC>'>
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc89387550; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='<IDEDistributionMethodAdHoc: 0x7ffc9dd3f810>', team='(null)'>
    <IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc91d70c00; archive = '<IDEArchive: 0x7ffc9108e330>', distributionMethod='(null)', team='(null)'>
</IDEDistributionContext: 0x7ffc85451a40>
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  Running /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool '/var/folders/tw/11w25b556r1gzzqq9xtqlgpc0000gn/T/IDEDistributionOptionThinning.kV2' '--json' '/var/folders/tw/11w25b556r1gzzqq9xtqlgpc0000gn/T/ipatool-json-filepath-ufI0Go' '--info' '--toolchain' '/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr' '--platforms' '/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms'
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  ruby 2.0.0p648 (2015-12-16 revision 53162) [universal.x86_64-darwin16]
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:1586: warning: assigned but unused variable - minVersion
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:1586: warning: assigned but unused variable - sdkVersion
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:1595: warning: assigned but unused variable - sourceVersion
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:1697: warning: shadowing outer local variable - node
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:2461: warning: shadowing outer local variable - machoFile
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:2461: warning: shadowing outer local variable - machoImage
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:2653: warning: assigned but unused variable - flag
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:2653: warning: assigned but unused variable - transformer
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:2903: warning: assigned but unused variable - exc
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:731: warning: assigned but unused variable - output
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/actionmailer-4.1.7.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/actionpack-4.1.7.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/actionview-4.1.7.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/activemodel-4.1.7.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/activesupport-3.2.16.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/activesupport-4.1.7.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/arel-5.0.1.20140414130214.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/builder-3.2.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/bundler-1.7.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/bundler-1.9.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/chunky_png-1.2.9.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/chunky_png-1.3.3.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/claide-0.4.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/claide-0.7.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-0.29.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-core-0.29.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-core-0.34.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-downloader-0.3.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-downloader-0.7.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-plugins-0.3.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-trunk-0.3.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-try-0.4.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/cocoapods-try-release-fix-0.1.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/compass-0.12.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/compass-1.0.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/compass-core-1.0.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/compass-core-1.0.3.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/erubis-2.7.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/ffi-1.9.6.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/foundation-1.0.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/fssm-0.2.10.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/fuzzy_match-2.0.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/fuzzy_match-2.1.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/haml-4.0.5.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/hike-1.2.3.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/i18n-0.6.11.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/json_pure-1.8.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/mail-2.6.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/mime-types-2.4.3.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/mini_portile-0.6.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/minitest-5.4.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/multi_json-1.10.1.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/multi_json-1.8.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/nap-0.6.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/nap-0.8.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/open4-1.3.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/power_assert-0.1.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/rack-1.5.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/railties-4.1.7.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/rake-10.3.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/rb-fsevent-0.9.4.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/rdoc-4.1.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/rubygems-update-2.2.0.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/rubygems-update-2.4.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/sass-3.4.19.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/sass-3.4.2.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/sass-3.4.5.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  [/Library/Ruby/Gems/2.0.0/specifications/sass-3.4.9.gemspec] isn't a Gem::Specification (NilClass instead).
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/CFPropertyList-2.2.8/lib/cfpropertylist/rbCFPropertyList.rb:98: warning: assigned but unused variable - temp
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/CFPropertyList-2.2.8/lib/cfpropertylist/rbCFPropertyList.rb:109: warning: assigned but unused variable - e
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/basic_specification.rb:204:in `require_paths'
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  : undefined method `extension_api_version' for Gem:Module (NoMethodError)
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/stub_specification.rb:118:in `full_require_paths'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/basic_specification.rb:60:in `contains_requirable_file?'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/specification.rb:925:in `block in find_inactive_by_path'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/specification.rb:924:in `each'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/specification.rb:924:in `find'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/specification.rb:924:in `find_inactive_by_path'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/2.0.0/rubygems.rb:175:in `try_activate'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:132:in `rescue in require'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:144:in `require'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/CFPropertyList-2.2.8/lib/cfpropertylist/rbNokogiriParser.rb:3:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/CFPropertyList-2.2.8/lib/cfpropertylist/rbCFPropertyList.rb:107:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:55:in `require'
    from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/CFPropertyList-2.2.8/lib/cfpropertylist.rb:3:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:135:in `require'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:135:in `rescue in require'
    from /Library/Ruby/Site/2.0.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:144:in `require'
    from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool:15:in `<main>'
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/ipatool exited with 1
2017-10-05 04:35:59 +0000  ipatool JSON: (null)

I built it with no problems with XCode 8.32 but cannot build since upgrading.

Answer 1

This has been fixed in XCode 9.2. For older versions, I used the following work-around. I used fastlane because Xcode's export feature was broken due to a compile bitcode checkbox which is an option that displays after the error.

The relevant fastlane config is:

codeplatform :ios 
  do lane :beta do
    gym( 
      scheme: "mojavie-native", 
      export_xcargs: "-allowProvisioningUpdates", 
      export_options: { 
         compileBitcode: false, # let's disable it. Xcode 9.0 is buggy. 
         uploadSymbols: false # symbol extraction in Xcode 9.0 does not work. }, 
      workspace: './mojavie-native.xcworkspace', 
      export_method: "ad-hoc", 
      include_bitcode: false, 
      clean: true 
   )

It can be executed with the command bundler exec fastlane beta.

I used this to automate my build but XCode 9.2 finally allows me to build my file properly with or without the checkbox selected. My XML was always correctly formatted, but a bug renderred the build impossible.