[HowTo] Check why your app is crashing/not saving/freezing... and more

For all of you guys with Applications that crash, bug, quit to Springboard, freeze, don't save files, etc etc...

There is a simple solution to debug and see what's going on.

First, turn off the Auto-Lock feature in Settings > General > Auto-Lock.

Second, you must Install OpenSSH in your Phone (if not already installed by a Jailbreak application).
OpenSSH requires BSD Subsystem.

Open a SSH session from your computer to your phone.
You can use:
- Putty > ssh client for Windows available at putty.org
- Terminal > for OS X, already installed in /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.

Connect to your phone:

Quote:

ssh -l root x.x.x.x

x.x.x.x has to be changed to your iPhone IP Address.
To know your iPhone IP, go to Settings > Wifi > click the blue arrow where your phone is connected to.

If you see a message like this just type yes and press ENTER

Quote:

The authenticity of host 'x.x.x.x (x.x.x.x)' can't be established.
RSA key fingerprint is xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?

Then you'll be asked to enter a password. Simply type alpine and press ENTER

Now you are connected in SSH.

Since 1.1.3, all the Apps are executed as mobile user from Springboard and because we are logged as root in the SSH session, we need to switch to mobile user.
Type this command and press ENTER.

Quote:

su mobile

You'll notice in the SSH session window, the # will change to $.

# = root
$ = mobile

To exit the mobile level simply type exit and press ENTER.
It will go back to the root level.

Now if you want to execute any app you must know its exact name (Case Sensitive).
You can use the "TAB" key to auto-complete the path/name.

For example, if you type:

Quote:

cd /A

and press TAB. It will complete to

Quote:

cd /Applications.

Type the following command:

Quote:

cd /Applications/X

X must be changed to the first letter of your app name.
All the applications name starts with a Capital Letter.

When you press tab, if you have several apps starting with the same letter, you'll be proposed several choices. Just complete the entry by the app name you want to execute and press ENTER. (don't forget the .app/ at the end of the name)

Now that you are in the application's package, you must execute its binary.

type this command and press ENTER:

Quote:

./Xxxxxxx

Xxxxxxx must be changed to the same name of your application package name except you don't need to add .app/ at the end.

Your app is now started and you should see several lines right after the last command you typed.

You can copy/paste them in your thread to let people help you.

Use CTRL + C keys to quit the application you started.

Most of the time the report messages are obvious enough to understand the source of the problem.

Since i'm checking every time i install/upgrade a 3rd party application, my phone never crash/freeze/hang or behave abnormally. I just don't keep apps that will report problems that can't be solved. :)

hmmm interesting :cool:
Running apps from Mobileterminal (no ssh) will obviously do the same thing (u can skip a few steps if u got it). that's how I was able to fix customize.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XianLi

First, turn off the Auto-Lock feature in Settings > General > Auto-Lock.

can i use insomnia or iAwake2??

Thanks XianLi!

Very Useful!

exit app???

How do I exit the app after running it? The ssh terminal window is not longer at the command line and the iPhone home button doesn't work!

you should have pressed CRTL + C before exiting the SSH session.

SSH again in the Phone and type top to see what is your application name.

Then CTRL + C to quit top and after you must use killall yourappname to close your app.

In 1.1.4 iChess doesn´t save games.

I tried this method, but doesn´t work with this app.

When I start the app (./iChess) in putty, doesn´t appear any lines (but in the iphone the app start, and with contrl+C it stops).

Any more ideas?

Thanks for all

(I always write the same: Sorry for my bad english, I´m Spanish)

You must check your app permissions/ownership

It may try to save in /var/root/ instead of /var/mobile/

I will have to try this with Customize 2.0, since it always crashes for me.

Will the above commands fix the camera not saving photos while vWallpaper is installed but disabled?