M1 Mac codesigning issue: execv() arg 2 must contain only strings

[peret]

Issue

I've seen that there has been a lot of work put in already to make virtualenv run under arm64 + MacOS 12, so thanks for that :) Unfortunately, I'm still running into an issue when trying to create a Python 2 virtualenv on my M1 MacBook. The error is an "TypeError: execv() arg 2 must contain only strings" and seems to happen when trying to copy the python executable for codesigning. I hope someone here can help me resolve that. I might also be able to help out with a PR, but would appreciate any guidance you can already give 😁

Environment

• OS: 12.0.1 (M1 MacBook)
• I'm using MacOS' system Python
• pip list of the host python where virtualenv is installed:

Package                                Version
-------------------------------------- -----------
altgraph                               0.10.2
asn1crypto                             0.24.0
bdist-mpkg                             0.5.0
bonjour-py                             0.3
cffi                                   1.14.3
configparser                           4.0.2
contextlib2                            0.6.0.post1
cryptography                           2.9.2
distlib                                0.3.4
enum34                                 1.1.6
filelock                               3.2.1
future                                 0.17.1
importlib-metadata                     2.1.2
importlib-resources                    3.3.1
ipaddress                              1.0.22
macholib                               1.5.1
matplotlib                             1.3.1
modulegraph                            0.10.4
numpy                                  1.8.0rc1
pathlib2                               2.3.6
pip                                    20.3.4
platformdirs                           2.0.2
py2app                                 0.7.3
pycparser                              2.19
pyobjc-core                            2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Accounts              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-AddressBook           2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-AppleScriptKit        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-AppleScriptObjC       2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Automator             2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CFNetwork             2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Cocoa                 2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Collaboration         2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CoreData              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CoreLocation          2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CoreText              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-DictionaryServices    2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-EventKit              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ExceptionHandling     2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-FSEvents              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-InputMethodKit        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-InstallerPlugins      2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-InstantMessage        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-LatentSemanticMapping 2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-LaunchServices        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Message               2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-OpenDirectory         2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-PreferencePanes       2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-PubSub                2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-QTKit                 2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Quartz                2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ScreenSaver           2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ScriptingBridge       2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-SearchKit             2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ServiceManagement     2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Social                2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-SyncServices          2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-SystemConfiguration   2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-WebKit                2.5.1
pyOpenSSL                              19.0.0
pyparsing                              2.0.1
python-dateutil                        1.5
pytz                                   2013.7
scandir                                1.10.0
scipy                                  0.13.0b1
setuptools                             41.0.1
singledispatch                         3.7.0
six                                    1.12.0
typing                                 3.10.0.0
virtualenv                             20.13.0
wheel                                  0.33.1
xattr                                  0.6.4
zipp                                   1.2.0

Output of the virtual environment creation

53 setup logging to NOTSET [DEBUG report:39]
65 find interpreter for spec PythonSpec(path=/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python) [INFO builtin:62]
65 proposed PythonInfo({'base_exec_prefix': None, 'system_stdlib': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7', 'has_venv': False, 'prefix': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', 'stdout_encoding': u'UTF-8', 'executable': '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python', 'implementation': u'CPython', 'exec_prefix': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', 'platform': u'darwin', 'version': u'2.7.18 (default, Oct  2 2021, 04:20:38) \n[GCC Apple LLVM 13.0.0 (clang-1300.0.29.1) [+internal-os, ptrauth-isa=deploymen', 'sysconfig_paths': {u'platstdlib': u'{platbase}/lib/python{py_version_short}', u'platlib': u'{platbase}/lib/python{py_version_short}/site-packages', u'purelib': u'{base}/lib/python{py_version_short}/site-packages', u'stdlib': u'{base}/lib/python{py_version_short}', u'scripts': u'{base}/bin', u'include': u'{base}/include/python{py_version_short}', u'data': u'{base}'}, 'sysconfig_scheme': None, 'base_prefix': None, 'system_stdlib_platform': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7', 'file_system_encoding': u'utf-8', 'version_info': VersionInfo(major=2, minor=7, micro=18, releaselevel=u'final', serial=0), 'sysconfig_vars': {u'base': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', u'platbase': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', u'PYTHONFRAMEWORK': u'Python', u'py_version_short': u'2.7'}, 'path': [u'/usr/local/bin', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python27.zip', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-darwin', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-mac', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-mac/lib-scriptpackages', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-tk', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-old', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload', u'/Users/peter/Library/Python/2.7/lib/python/site-packages', u'/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Extras/lib/python', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Extras/lib/python/PyObjC', u'/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg'], 'max_size': 9223372036854775807, 'sysconfig': {u'makefile_filename': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/config/Makefile'}, 'real_prefix': None, 'distutils_install': {u'purelib': u'lib/python2.7/site-packages', u'headers': u'include/python2.7/UNKNOWN', u'platlib': u'lib/python2.7/site-packages', u'data': u'', u'scripts': u'bin'}, 'architecture': 64, 'original_executable': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python', 'os': u'posix', 'system_executable': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python'}) [INFO builtin:69]
65 accepted PythonInfo({'base_exec_prefix': None, 'system_stdlib': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7', 'has_venv': False, 'prefix': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', 'stdout_encoding': u'UTF-8', 'executable': '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python', 'implementation': u'CPython', 'exec_prefix': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', 'platform': u'darwin', 'version': u'2.7.18 (default, Oct  2 2021, 04:20:38) \n[GCC Apple LLVM 13.0.0 (clang-1300.0.29.1) [+internal-os, ptrauth-isa=deploymen', 'sysconfig_paths': {u'platstdlib': u'{platbase}/lib/python{py_version_short}', u'platlib': u'{platbase}/lib/python{py_version_short}/site-packages', u'purelib': u'{base}/lib/python{py_version_short}/site-packages', u'stdlib': u'{base}/lib/python{py_version_short}', u'scripts': u'{base}/bin', u'include': u'{base}/include/python{py_version_short}', u'data': u'{base}'}, 'sysconfig_scheme': None, 'base_prefix': None, 'system_stdlib_platform': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7', 'file_system_encoding': u'utf-8', 'version_info': VersionInfo(major=2, minor=7, micro=18, releaselevel=u'final', serial=0), 'sysconfig_vars': {u'base': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', u'platbase': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7', u'PYTHONFRAMEWORK': u'Python', u'py_version_short': u'2.7'}, 'path': [u'/usr/local/bin', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python27.zip', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-darwin', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-mac', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/plat-mac/lib-scriptpackages', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-tk', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-old', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload', u'/Users/peter/Library/Python/2.7/lib/python/site-packages', u'/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Extras/lib/python', u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Extras/lib/python/PyObjC', u'/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg'], 'max_size': 9223372036854775807, 'sysconfig': {u'makefile_filename': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/config/Makefile'}, 'real_prefix': None, 'distutils_install': {u'purelib': u'lib/python2.7/site-packages', u'headers': u'include/python2.7/UNKNOWN', u'platlib': u'lib/python2.7/site-packages', u'data': u'', u'scripts': u'bin'}, 'architecture': 64, 'original_executable': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python', 'os': u'posix', 'system_executable': u'/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python'}) [DEBUG builtin:71]
70 filesystem is not case-sensitive [DEBUG info:29]
108 create virtual environment via CPython2macOsArmFramework(dest=/Users/peter/path/venv, clear=False, no_vcs_ignore=False, global=False) [INFO session:52]
108 write /Users/peter/path/venv/pyvenv.cfg [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:34]
108 	home = /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 	implementation = CPython [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 	version_info = 2.7.18.final.0 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 	virtualenv = 20.13.0 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 	include-system-site-packages = false [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 	base-prefix = /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 	base-exec-prefix = /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7 [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 	base-executable = /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python [DEBUG pyenv_cfg:38]
108 remove file /Users/peter/path/venv/bin/python [DEBUG _sync:37]
108 copy /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/Python to /Users/peter/path/venv/bin/python [DEBUG _sync:51]
109 remove file /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/os.py [DEBUG _sync:37]
109 symlink /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py to /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/os.py [DEBUG _sync:43]
109 remove file /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/os.pyc [DEBUG _sync:37]
109 symlink /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.pyc to /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/os.pyc [DEBUG _sync:43]
109 remove file /Users/peter/path/venv/include/python2.7 [DEBUG _sync:37]
110 symlink directory /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/include/python2.7 to /Users/peter/path/venv/include/python2.7 [DEBUG _sync:43]
110 remove file /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/config/Makefile [DEBUG _sync:37]
110 symlink /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/config/Makefile to /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/config/Makefile [DEBUG _sync:43]
110 remove file /Users/peter/path/venv/.Python [DEBUG _sync:37]
110 symlink /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Python to /Users/peter/path/venv/.Python [DEBUG _sync:43]
110 remove file /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload [DEBUG _sync:37]
110 symlink directory /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload to /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload [DEBUG _sync:43]
110 create virtualenv import hook file /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/site-packages/_virtualenv.pth [DEBUG api:95]
110 create /Users/peter/path/venv/lib/python2.7/site-packages/_virtualenv.py [DEBUG api:98]
111 change Mach-O for /Users/peter/path/venv/bin/python from /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/Python to @executable_path/../.Python [DEBUG mac_os:201]
111 Changing signature of copied python exe /Users/peter/path/venv/bin/python [DEBUG mac_os:132]
115 Could not change MacOS code signing on copied python exe at /Users/peter/path/venv/bin/python [CRITICAL mac_os:144]
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/virtualenv", line 11, in <module>
    load_entry_point('virtualenv==20.13.0', 'console_scripts', 'virtualenv')()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/__main__.py", line 65, in run_with_catch
    run(args, options, env)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/__main__.py", line 18, in run
    session = cli_run(args, options, env)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/run/__init__.py", line 32, in cli_run
    of_session.run()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/run/session.py", line 46, in run
    self._create()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/run/session.py", line 53, in _create
    self.creator.run()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/create/creator.py", line 171, in run
    self.create()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/create/via_global_ref/builtin/cpython/mac_os.py", line 122, in create
    self.fix_signature()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/virtualenv-20.13.0-py2.7.egg/virtualenv/create/via_global_ref/builtin/cpython/mac_os.py", line 137, in fix_signature
    subprocess.check_call(["cp", exe, bak_dir])
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 185, in check_call
    retcode = call(*popenargs, **kwargs)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 172, in call
    return Popen(*popenargs, **kwargs).wait()
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 394, in __init__
    errread, errwrite)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 1047, in _execute_child
    raise child_exception
TypeError: execv() arg 2 must contain only strings

[rcoltea]

Did you find a solution for this issue?

[rcoltea]

• Install PYTHON2.7
Download this pkg
https://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.18/python-2.7.18-macosx10.9.pkg
Python is installing pythonw check the symlink, for me it was installed here: /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/bin/pythonw

Get PIP : curl -O https://bootstrap.pypa.io/pip/2.7/get-pip.py
Install PIP python get-pip.py
Install virtualenv: pip install virtualenv

Create virtualenv with the new python:
virtualenv -p /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/bin/pythonw testenv

[descript-tom]

@peret I have the same issue on

• macOS 12.1
• M1 Max
• System Python 2.7

Package                                Version
-------------------------------------- -----------
altgraph                               0.10.2
asn1crypto                             0.24.0
bdist-mpkg                             0.5.0
bonjour-py                             0.3
cffi                                   1.14.3
configparser                           4.0.2
contextlib2                            0.6.0.post1
cryptography                           3.3.2
distlib                                0.3.4
enum34                                 1.1.6
filelock                               3.2.1
future                                 0.17.1
importlib-metadata                     2.1.3
importlib-resources                    3.3.1
ipaddress                              1.0.22
macholib                               1.5.1
matplotlib                             1.3.1
modulegraph                            0.10.4
numpy                                  1.8.0rc1
pathlib2                               2.3.6
pip                                    20.3.4
platformdirs                           2.0.2
py2app                                 0.7.3
pycparser                              2.19
pyobjc-core                            2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Accounts              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-AddressBook           2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-AppleScriptKit        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-AppleScriptObjC       2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Automator             2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CFNetwork             2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Cocoa                 2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Collaboration         2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CoreData              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CoreLocation          2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-CoreText              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-DictionaryServices    2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-EventKit              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ExceptionHandling     2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-FSEvents              2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-InputMethodKit        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-InstallerPlugins      2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-InstantMessage        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-LatentSemanticMapping 2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-LaunchServices        2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Message               2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-OpenDirectory         2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-PreferencePanes       2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-PubSub                2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-QTKit                 2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Quartz                2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ScreenSaver           2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ScriptingBridge       2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-SearchKit             2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-ServiceManagement     2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-Social                2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-SyncServices          2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-SystemConfiguration   2.5.1
pyobjc-framework-WebKit                2.5.1
pyOpenSSL                              20.0.1
pyparsing                              2.0.1
python-dateutil                        1.5
pytz                                   2013.7
scandir                                1.10.0
scipy                                  0.13.0b1
setuptools                             41.0.1
singledispatch                         3.7.0
six                                    1.12.0
typing                                 3.10.0.0
virtualenv                             20.13.0
wheel                                  0.33.1
xattr                                  0.6.4
zipp                                   1.2.0

Executing python -m virtualenv myvenv

leads to the error

Could not change MacOS code signing on copied python exe at /Users/USER/virtualenvs/myvenv/bin/python
TypeError: execv() arg 2 must contain only strings

[rcoltea]

There is a problem with the python version you have installed. How did you install it? Did you use brew?

[descript-tom]

Brew does not support Python 2.7 any longer. I use the system default Python 2.7

[peret]

Same here, I was using the MacOS system python. I have since switched to using python 3 for that project, but I can still test things when I have some spare time.

On February 1, 2022, Giacomo Ferretti ***@***.***> wrote: Brew does not support Python 2.7 any longer. I use the system default Python 2.7

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2282 (comment)- 1026787903>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe- auth/AAEW36JXVIZT6PUZD5JP4ZTUY7GGVANCNFSM5LMY7NJA>. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification- email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification- email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>