Updating to macOS 13.3 broke compiling cpp

Question

After updating to Ventura 13.3, installing latest Xcode and command line tools, I get this error while compiling any cpp file

/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/cstddef:50:9: error: no member named 'nullptr_t' in the global namespace

it happens in #include <iostream>

for example:

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    std::cout << "Hello World!";
    return 0;
}

and the output is:

In file included from Untitled.cpp:1:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/iostream:41:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/ios:221:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__locale:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/memory:841:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__algorithm/copy.h:12:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__algorithm/unwrap_iter.h:13:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__iterator/iterator_traits.h:14:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__iterator/incrementable_traits.h:15:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/concepts:133:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__concepts/arithmetic.h:15:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/type_traits:421:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__functional/invoke.h:15:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__type_traits/apply_cv.h:16:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__type_traits/remove_reference.h:13:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/cstddef:50:9: error: no member named 'nullptr_t' in the global namespace
In file included from Untitled.cpp:1:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/iostream:41:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/ios:221:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__locale:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/memory:841:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__algorithm/copy.h:12:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__algorithm/unwrap_iter.h:13:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__iterator/iterator_traits.h:14:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__iterator/incrementable_traits.h:15:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/concepts:133:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__concepts/arithmetic.h:15:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/type_traits:452:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__type_traits/is_compound.h:14:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__type_traits/is_fundamental.h:14:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__type_traits/is_null_pointer.h:24:49: error: use of undeclared identifier 'nullptr_t'; did you mean 'nullptr'?
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__type_traits/is_null_pointer.h:24:49: error: template argument for template type parameter must be a type
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__type_traits/is_null_pointer.h:23:17: note: template parameter is declared here
In file included from Untitled.cpp:1:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/iostream:41:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/ios:221:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__locale:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/memory:848:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/allocator.h:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/new:94:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/exception:149:45: error: field has incomplete type 'std::exception_ptr'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/exception:144:24: note: definition of 'std::exception_ptr' is not complete until the closing '}'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/exception:149:5: error: '__abi_tag__' attribute only applies to structs, variables, functions, and namespaces
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__config:689:37: note: expanded from macro '_LIBCPP_INLINE_VISIBILITY'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__config:673:26: note: expanded from macro '_LIBCPP_HIDE_FROM_ABI'
In file included from Untitled.cpp:1:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/iostream:41:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/ios:221:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__locale:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/memory:848:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/allocator.h:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/new:94:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/exception:149:55: error: expected ';' at end of declaration list
In file included from Untitled.cpp:1:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/iostream:41:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/ios:221:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__locale:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/memory:860:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/shared_ptr.h:28:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:173:3: error: non-static data member cannot be constexpr; did you intend to make it const?
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__config:728:31: note: expanded from macro '_LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR'
In file included from Untitled.cpp:1:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/iostream:41:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/ios:221:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__locale:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/memory:860:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/shared_ptr.h:28:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:173:32: error: member 'nullptr_t' declared as a template
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:173:42: error: expected ';' at end of declaration list
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:262:25: error: unknown type name 'nullptr_t'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:395:3: error: non-static data member cannot be constexpr; did you intend to make it const?
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__config:728:31: note: expanded from macro '_LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR'
In file included from Untitled.cpp:1:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/iostream:41:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/ios:221:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__locale:18:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/memory:860:
In file included from /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/shared_ptr.h:28:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:395:32: error: member 'nullptr_t' declared as a template
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:395:42: error: expected ';' at end of declaration list
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:484:25: error: unknown type name 'nullptr_t'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:533:14: error: unknown type name 'nullptr_t'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:533:24: error: cannot initialize a parameter of type 'int' with an rvalue of type 'std::nullptr_t'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:533:24: note: passing argument to parameter here
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:594:45: error: unknown type name 'nullptr_t'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:602:12: error: unknown type name 'nullptr_t'
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/v1/__memory/unique_ptr.h:610:45: error: unknown type name 'nullptr_t'
fatal error: too many errors emitted, stopping now

If the above sample code is placed in Test.C, the following command line will cause the errors:

clang++ -std=c++17 -stdlib=libc++ -g -c -o Test.o Test.C

Answer 1

I've recently had a similar issue but none of the solutions posted here have worked. What finally helped was using zig cc and zig c++ to compile the code instead, which avoids the MacOSX SDK standard library and uses its own.

See https://actually.fyi/posts/zig-makes-rust-cross-compilation-just-work/.

~/.local/bin/zig-cc:

#!/bin/sh
zig cc $@

~/.local/bin/zig-c++:

#!/bin/sh
zig c++ $@

and build with CC=zig-cc CXX=zig-c++ cmake ....

Answer 2

I was having this issue and finally tracked it down to an environment variable that was set in my environment.

The variable is

CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH

I had previously followed the workaround described here:

https://cmichel.io/fixing-cpp-compilation-bugs-for-the-mac-os-catalina-upgrade/

which involved setting an environment variable (in my bash .profile):

CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH=/usr/local/opt/llvm/include/c++/v1:/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include

Removing the CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH environment variable fixed the problem and compilation works again!!!

Hopefully this will help someone else get past this tricky/subtle build problem!

If not, "eskimo" on the Apple Developer forums offered some helpful diagnostic suggestions when I posted this issue on the Apple Developer Forum. Maybe those would be of use. The URL of the post is:

https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/729072

(Unfortunately you may need to be a registered/logged-in Apple Developer to access that page, but... ) The diagnostic commands he requested I run were the following:

• sw_vers
• xcode-select -p (to show setting)
• xcode-select -s /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools (to set setting)
• csrutil status
• pkgutil --pkgs
• printenv | \grep CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH (my own addition)

The results of these commands might be helpful for someone to help you, if you continue to have problems.

Answer 3

I was facing the same issue, this answer solved it. In my case, except to rm -rf MacOSX.sdk, I had to call also rm -rf MacOSX13.3.sdk.