Watch app starts with error clientIdentifier for interfaceControllerID not found - ios

Question

I'm having a smartwatch app on watchos2. The app always worked but now when it starts I immediately get this error:
Lop_WatchKit_Extension[17535:7854201] *********** ERROR -[SPRemoteInterface _interfaceControllerClientIDForControllerID:] clientIdentifier for interfaceControllerID:447E0002 not found
I found some topics here on stackoverflow but nothing solved the problem.

Answer 1

In my case, this was due to a retain cycle in one InterfaceController of mine.
If you get the logs similar to:
[default] -[SPRemoteInterface
_interfaceControllerClientIDForControllerID:]:0000: ComF: clientIdentifier for interfaceControllerID:XXXXXXXX not found
&/or...
[default] _SendRecordedValues:000: ComF:<-Plugin controller ID
XXXXXXXX has no client identifier
First, figure out which InterfaceController has the controller ID XXXXXXXX.
Have this in awake(withContext:)
override func awake(withContext context: Any?) {
//...
if let id = self.value(forKey: "_viewControllerID") as? NSString {
let strClassDescription = String(describing: self)
print("\(strClassDescription) has the Interface Controller ID \(id)")
}
//...
}
This logs:
[Target.Classname: 0xYYYYYYYY] has the Interface Controller ID
XXXXXXXX
Once you identify the InterfaceController causing these logs, you can continue to debug.
It could be different in your case but in mine I had created a retain cycle with self in one of my closures within which took awhile to locate but I eventually broke the retain cycle with a [weak self] capture.
Basically, the error logs appear when an InterfaceController is trying to execute some code but it has already been released.
What I already had:
DispatchQueue.main.async {
self.doSomethingThatDoesSomethingAsync()
}
What I fixed:
DispatchQueue.main.async { [weak self] in
self?.doSomethingThatDoesSomethingAsync()
}

Answer 2

If you use didSet on any IBOutlets it will also throw this error in the logs.
class MyInterfaceController: WKInterfaceController {
#IBOutlet var myLabel: WKInterfaceLabel! {
didSet {
myLabel.setTitle("Test")
}
}

Answer 3

How #nickromano sad, it's happens when you use didSet with IBOutlets. Cause it's calls before awake(withContext context: Any?)
We can suppress this error if wrap it in DispatchQueue.main.async
#IBOutlet var statusLabel: WKInterfaceLabel! {
didSet {
DispatchQueue.main.async {
self.statusLabel.setHidden(true)
}
}

Answer 4

This has happened to me a few times and more times than not, it is because of a timer that is still firing in a just-previously dismissed WKInterfaceController that I did not catch.
Best thing to do aside from comparing ID's like in #staticVoidMan's answer is to read the call stack. In my case I was able to identify that the old timer was still firing based off these hints:
8 Foundation 0x00007fff214be867 __NSFireTimer + 67
9 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff207a8e3f __CFRUNLOOP_IS_CALLING_OUT_TO_A_TIMER_CALLBACK_FUNCTION__ + 20
10 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff207a8912 __CFRunLoopDoTimer + 926
Here is the original call stack (for reference):
<MyApp.InterfaceController: 0x7fb3e4d2d020> has the Interface Controller ID 1EB00002
2021-05-26 14:44:06.632758-0600 MyApp WatchKit Extension[73392:3546879] [default] -[SPRemoteInterface _interfaceControllerClientIDForControllerID:]:2464: ComF: clientIdentifier for interfaceControllerID:1EB00007 not found. callStack:(
0 WatchKit 0x00007fff38d1a268 -[SPRemoteInterface _interfaceControllerClientIDForControllerID:] + 220
1 WatchKit 0x00007fff38d1bfff __54+[SPRemoteInterface setController:key:property:value:]_block_invoke + 340
2 WatchKit 0x00007fff38d12323 spUtils_dispatchAsyncToMainThread + 30
3 WatchKit 0x00007fff38d1be60 +[SPRemoteInterface setController:key:property:value:] + 179
4 WatchKit 0x00007fff38d057af -[WKInterfaceObject _sendValueChanged:forProperty:] + 706
5 WatchKit 0x00007fff38d2a5f8 -[WKInterfaceObject _setImage:forProperty:] + 50
6 MyApp WatchKit Extension 0x000000010955531d $s26MyApp_WatchKit_Extension25ActivityIndicatorDelegateC06handleE5TimeryyF + 813
7 MyApp WatchKit Extension 0x000000010955537a $s26MyApp_WatchKit_Extension25ActivityIndicatorDelegateC06handleE5TimeryyFTo + 42
8 Foundation 0x00007fff214be867 __NSFireTimer + 67
9 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff207a8e3f __CFRUNLOOP_IS_CALLING_OUT_TO_A_TIMER_CALLBACK_FUNCTION__ + 20
10 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff207a8912 __CFRunLoopDoTimer + 926
11 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff207a7ec5 __CFRunLoopDoTimers + 265
12 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff207a2546 __CFRunLoopRun + 1949
13 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff207a18be CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 567
14 GraphicsServices 0x00007fff25b49fd3 GSEventRunModal + 139
15 UIKitCore 0x00007fff43290f24 -[UIApplication _run] + 917
16 UIKitCore 0x00007fff43295c0b UIApplicationMain + 101
17 WatchKit 0x00007fff38d0de65 WKExtensionMain + 800
18 libdyld.dylib 0x00007fff20202db5 start + 1
19 ??? 0x0000000000000001 0x0 + 1
)

Answer 5

Have you changed the name of your module? If this is the case then you have to go through your storyboard and update it manually for all the Interfaces you have.
Edit with steps to fix:
Go to the storyboard and for each interface open the Identity inspector, then delete what's in Module and press enter, the new module should get auto-filled.