Mac Appstore upload: error, as Help bundle info.plist features an unexpected CFBundleExecutable key

Hello. My MacOS application has been regularly notarized for 12 weeks to allow people test the beta version, without any problem. Now the application is ready for Appstore submission.

Unfortunately, the uploading process ends with an error: "Bad CFBundleExecutable. Cannot find executable file that matches the value of CFBundleExecutable in the nested bundle ApplicationHelp [fr.application.pkg/Payload/Application.app/Contents/Resources/ApplicationHelp.help] property list file."

In the ApplicationHelp target, no CFBundleExecutable key is set. But if I read the Info.plist of the built help bundle, I can see that such key has been added during the build process. What can explain the presence of this key that seems to create the error when trying to upload the application package to the Appstore?

The only keys set in the help bundle info.plist are:

HPDBookAccessPath
HPDBookIndexPath
HPDBookTitle
HPDBookType
CFBundleDevelopmentRegion
CFBundleIdentifier
CFBundleSignature
CFBundleVersion
CFBundlePackageType
CFBundleInfoDictionaryVersion

Using Xcode 15.2 on Sonoma, application built for MacOS ≥ 12 (Apple Silicon only)

Thanks

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Problem seems to be solved. After hours of looking after the project files, I tried to upload my application to the Appstore directly:

• My first and numerous tries were made like this in Organizer: Distribute App -> Custom -> App Store Connect all these tries had the problem

• I managed today another way: Distribute App -> TestFlight & App Store This route succeeded at first try and my build is now available in App Store Connect…

A bug in Xcode 15?

Posted by
DenisDelbecq
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  • Problem not solved (I forgot that I did a manual change in the Archived package): To allow uploading to the Appstore, I had to remove the CFBundleExecutable key in the help package Info.plist before submitting. Then it works. But if I don't remove this key, uploading ends with the same error, whatever I use Custom or Test Flight & App Store setting for upload.

    —
    DenisDelbecq
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