Pyinstaller on MacOS BigSur cannot build basic PyQt5 app

Question

I'm trying to build a very basic app that uses PyQt5 on Big Sur.

Using the latest dev version of pyinstaller I build the app without errors but, when I launch it, it crashes immediately after starting. Launching the exec, I get segmentation fault right after app = QApplication(sys.argv).

Here's my configuration:

37 INFO: PyInstaller: 5.0.dev0
37 INFO: Python: 3.9.4
46 INFO: Platform: macOS-11.2.3-x86_64-i386-64bit

My code, launched with python main.py works. It's also not a problem of external files used by the app because it crashes way before using them.

import os
import sys
from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication, QMainWindow

DEBUG = True

if __name__ == "__main__":
    if DEBUG:
        if getattr(sys, 'frozen', False) and hasattr(sys, '_MEIPASS'):
            print("Running in a Pyinstaller bundle.")
        else:
            print("Running in a normal Python process.")

        for a in sys.argv:
            print("sys.argv[]: {}".format(a))
        print(sys.executable)
        print(os.getcwd())

    if DEBUG:
        print("THIS RUNS")
    app = QApplication([])
    if DEBUG:
        print("THIS DOESN'T")
    win = QMainWindow()
    win.setGeometry(200, 200, 300, 450)
    win.setFixedSize(300, 450)

    win.show()
    sys.exit(app.exec_())

The pyinstaller command I use is:

pyinstaller --noconfirm --log-level=ERROR \
    --clean \
    --onefile \
    --windowed \
    --name Blabla \
    --debug all \
    --paths ~/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/venv2/lib/python3.9/site-packages/ \
    --paths ~/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/venv2/ \
    --paths ~/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/venv2/lib/python3.9/site-packages/PyQt5/ \
    --hidden-import PyQt5 \
    --hidden-import PyQt5.sip \
    --hidden-import PyQt5.QtWidgets \
    --hidden-import PyQt5.QtGui \
    --hidden-import PyQt5.QtCore \
    main.py

Ideas?

Here's what I get in the terminal when I launch the executable:

(venv2) ste@ste FotoPDF % ./FotoPDF
import _frozen_importlib # frozen
import _imp # builtin
import '_thread' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import '_warnings' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import '_weakref' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import '_frozen_importlib_external' # <class '_frozen_importlib.FrozenImporter'>
import 'posix' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import '_io' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import 'marshal' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
# installing zipimport hook
import 'time' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import 'zipimport' # <class '_frozen_importlib.FrozenImporter'>
# installed zipimport hook
# zipimport: found 147 names in '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip'
import '_codecs' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import codecs # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/codecs.pyc
import encodings.aliases # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/encodings/aliases.pyc
import encodings # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/encodings/__init__.pyc
import encodings.utf_8 # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/encodings/utf_8.pyc
import encodings.ascii # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/encodings/ascii.pyc
import '_signal' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import encodings.latin_1 # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/encodings/latin_1.pyc
import '_abc' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import abc # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/abc.pyc
import io # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/io.pyc
# extension module '_struct' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_struct.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module '_struct' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_struct.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import '_struct' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc30892c670>
# extension module 'zlib' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/zlib.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module 'zlib' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/zlib.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import 'zlib' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc3089c7100>
# PyInstaller: FrozenImporter(/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/FotoPDF?60397)
import os # PyInstaller PYZ
import stat # PyInstaller PYZ
import '_stat' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import 'stat' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
# _collections_abc not found in PYZ
import _collections_abc # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/_collections_abc.pyc
import posixpath # PyInstaller PYZ
import genericpath # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'genericpath' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'posixpath' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'os' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import ctypes # PyInstaller PYZ
# types not found in PYZ
import types # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/types.pyc
# _ctypes not found in PYZ
# extension module '_ctypes' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_ctypes.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module '_ctypes' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_ctypes.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import '_ctypes' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308b37d60>
import ctypes._endian # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'ctypes._endian' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'ctypes' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
# ctypes.macholib not found in PYZ
# re not found in PYZ
# enum not found in PYZ
import enum # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/enum.pyc
# sre_compile not found in PYZ
import '_sre' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
# sre_parse not found in PYZ
# sre_constants not found in PYZ
import sre_constants # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/sre_constants.pyc
import sre_parse # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/sre_parse.pyc
import sre_compile # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/sre_compile.pyc
# functools not found in PYZ
# collections not found in PYZ
# heapq not found in PYZ
# _heapq not found in PYZ
# extension module '_heapq' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_heapq.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module '_heapq' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_heapq.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import '_heapq' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308bbefa0>
import heapq # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/heapq.pyc
import 'itertools' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
# keyword not found in PYZ
import keyword # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/keyword.pyc
# operator not found in PYZ
import '_operator' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import operator # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/operator.pyc
# reprlib not found in PYZ
import reprlib # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/reprlib.pyc
import '_collections' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import collections # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/collections/__init__.pyc
import '_functools' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import functools # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/functools.pyc
import '_locale' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
# copyreg not found in PYZ
import copyreg # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/copyreg.pyc
import re # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/re.pyc
import multiprocessing # PyInstaller PYZ
import multiprocessing.context # PyInstaller PYZ
import threading # PyInstaller PYZ
# _weakrefset not found in PYZ
import _weakrefset # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/_weakrefset.pyc
import 'threading' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import multiprocessing.process # PyInstaller PYZ
import signal # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'signal' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'multiprocessing.process' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import multiprocessing.reduction # PyInstaller PYZ
import pickle # PyInstaller PYZ
import _compat_pickle # PyInstaller PYZ
import '_compat_pickle' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
# _pickle not found in PYZ
# extension module '_pickle' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_pickle.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module '_pickle' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_pickle.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import '_pickle' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308c985b0>
# org not found in PYZ
import 'pickle' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import socket # PyInstaller PYZ
# _socket not found in PYZ
# extension module '_socket' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_socket.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module '_socket' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_socket.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import '_socket' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308cbb2e0>
import selectors # PyInstaller PYZ
# collections.abc not found in PYZ
import collections.abc # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/collections/abc.pyc
# math not found in PYZ
# extension module 'math' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/math.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module 'math' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/math.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import 'math' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308cc6940>
# select not found in PYZ
# extension module 'select' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/select.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module 'select' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/select.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import 'select' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308cc69d0>
import 'selectors' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'errno' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
# array not found in PYZ
# extension module 'array' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/array.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module 'array' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/array.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import 'array' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308cd3640>
import 'socket' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'multiprocessing.reduction' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'multiprocessing.context' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'multiprocessing' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import multiprocessing.spawn # PyInstaller PYZ
import runpy # PyInstaller PYZ
import importlib # PyInstaller PYZ
# warnings not found in PYZ
import warnings # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/warnings.pyc
import 'importlib' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import importlib.machinery # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'importlib.machinery' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import importlib.util # PyInstaller PYZ
import importlib.abc # PyInstaller PYZ
import typing # PyInstaller PYZ
import contextlib # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'contextlib' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'typing' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'importlib.abc' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'importlib.util' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import pkgutil # PyInstaller PYZ
# weakref not found in PYZ
import weakref # loaded from Zip /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/base_library.zip/weakref.pyc
import 'pkgutil' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'runpy' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import multiprocessing.util # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'atexit' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
import subprocess # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'pwd' # <class '_frozen_importlib.BuiltinImporter'>
# grp not found in PYZ
# extension module 'grp' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/grp.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module 'grp' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/grp.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import 'grp' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308ea4940>
# msvcrt not found in PYZ
# _posixsubprocess not found in PYZ
# extension module '_posixsubprocess' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_posixsubprocess.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module '_posixsubprocess' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/lib-dynload/_posixsubprocess.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import '_posixsubprocess' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308ea4a30>
import 'subprocess' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'multiprocessing.util' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import 'multiprocessing.spawn' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import multiprocessing.popen_fork # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'multiprocessing.popen_fork' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import multiprocessing.popen_spawn_posix # PyInstaller PYZ
import 'multiprocessing.popen_spawn_posix' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
import PyQt5 # PyInstaller PYZ
# possible namespace for /Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5
import 'PyQt5' # <pyimod03_importers.FrozenImporter object at 0x7fc3089c7a30>
# PyQt5.QtWidgets not found in PYZ
# PyQt5.sip not found in PYZ
# extension module 'PyQt5.sip' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/sip.cpython-39-darwin.so'
# extension module 'PyQt5.sip' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/sip.cpython-39-darwin.so'
import 'PyQt5.sip' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308ea4eb0>
# PyQt5.QtCore not found in PYZ
# extension module 'PyQt5.QtCore' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/QtCore.abi3.so'
# extension module 'PyQt5.QtCore' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/QtCore.abi3.so'
import 'PyQt5.QtCore' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308ebb100>
# PyQt5.QtGui not found in PYZ
# extension module 'PyQt5.QtGui' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/QtGui.abi3.so'
# extension module 'PyQt5.QtGui' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/QtGui.abi3.so'
import 'PyQt5.QtGui' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc30a8236a0>
# extension module 'PyQt5.QtWidgets' loaded from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/QtWidgets.abi3.so'
# extension module 'PyQt5.QtWidgets' executed from '/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/PyQt5/QtWidgets.abi3.so'
import 'PyQt5.QtWidgets' # <_frozen_importlib_external.ExtensionFileLoader object at 0x7fc308ea4c40>
Running in a Pyinstaller bundle.
sys.argv[]: ./FotoPDF
/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF/FotoPDF
/Users/ste/PycharmProjects/FotoPDF/dist/FotoPDF
THIS RUNS
zsh: segmentation fault  ./FotoPDF

Answer 1

For a second assuming it's not Pyinstaller's fault.

In this post matplotlib refused to work after the BigSur update until reinstalled.

And PyQt5 didn't show any GUI in this post after the BigSur update.

The if it's a problem with PyQt then the fix should be uninstalling and reinstalling PyQt5==5.15.2 with

pip uninstall PyQt5
pip install PyQt5== 5.15.2

and then setting

os.environ['QT_MAC_WANTS_LAYER'] = '1'

a user also said rolling back to PyQt5==5.12.0 solved his issue so maybe try that. If the issue is with PyQt5 you can also switch to PySide2 which is another binding for Qt5

Incase the issue lies with PyInstaller you can look at the alternatives.

Python 3.5+ comes with zip support via zipapp, more about that here and here, which lets you archive your python program into a single .pyz using the command

python -m zipapp myapp -m "myapp:main"

This command runs the main function from the module myapp when the archive is launched. Which can be simply run by-

python myapp.pyz

There's also py2app which is like pyinstaller but specific to macOS.