How to Fix NSCocoaErrorDomain “Belirtilen Kestirme Bulunamadı” Error Code 4?
Have you ever been smoothly working through tasks on your Mac when suddenly an error with the cryptic message errordomain=nscocoaerrordomain&errormessage=belirtilen kestirme bulunamadı.&errorcode=4? You're not alone. This peculiar error stumps countless macOS users daily, bringing productivity to a screeching halt. Let's crack this puzzle wide open.
What Does This NSCocoaErrorDomain Error Mean?
The error errordomain=nscocoaerrordomain&errormessage=belirtilen kestirme bulunamadı.&errorcode=4 might look like gobbledygook, but it carries specific information. Breaking it down:
- NSCocoaErrorDomain: This indicates the error originates within macOS's Cocoa application framework
- Belirtilen kestirme bulunamadı: A Turkish phrase meaning “The specified shortcut was not found”
- Error Code 4: In the NSCocoaErrorDomain, this specifically refers to a missing file or resource
When this error appears, your system says: “I tried to execute a command or shortcut, but I couldn't find it where I expected it to be.” It's like trying to use a shortcut on your desktop that's been moved or deleted.
Here's how the error typically appears in console logs:
Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4 “belirtilen kestirme bulunamadı.” UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=belirtilen kestirme bulunamadı.}
Common Triggers for the NSCocoaErrorDomain Error Code 4
Let's dig into what causes this error to rear its head. I've identified four major culprits that you might be dealing with:
1. Corrupted Shortcut Files
macOS stores shortcuts in .plist files that can sometimes become corrupted. You'll get this error message when your system tries to access these damaged files.
Problematic Pattern:
<!– Corrupted .plist file with malformed structure –>
<dict>
<key>NSShortcutPath</key>
<string>/Users/username/Library/[Invalid Path]</string>
<!– Missing closing tags or corrupted data –>
</dict>
Solution: Reset the affected shortcut by recreating it:
# First, delete the corrupted shortcut file
rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist
# Then log out and back in for macOS to create a fresh one
2. Incompatible System Scripts
After system updates, some automation scripts might reference paths or commands that have changed location or been deprecated.
Problematic Pattern:
— Script referring to an outdated path after macOS update
tell application “System Events”
keystroke “f” using {command down, shift down}
delay 0.5
tell process “Finder”
click button “Missing Button” of window “Search”
end tell
end tell
Solution: Update your scripts to use the current system paths:
— Updated script using modern paths and error handling
try
tell application “System Events”
keystroke “f” using {command down, shift down}
delay 0.5
tell process “Finder”
— Using more reliable identifier
click button 1 of window 1
end tell
end tell
on error errMsg
display dialog “Script error: ” & errMsg
end try
3. Language Setting Conflicts
This error often appears in non-English text because MacOS is trying to display the error in your system language, but the application might not fully support that language.
Problematic Pattern: An application configured to use English resources but running on a system set to Turkish or another language.
Solution: Ensure language consistency across your applications:
# Check current language settings
defaults read -g AppleLanguages
# For applications with language issues, force English if needed
defaults write com.problematic.app AppleLanguages ‘(“en”)'
4. Permission Issues
Sometimes the error appears because your user account doesn't have access to the shortcut file or command.
Problematic Code:
# Script trying to access protected resources without proper permissions
open “/System/Library/CoreServices/Some Restricted Tool.app”
Solution: Use adequate permission handling:
# Check if you have access first
if [ -r “/System/Library/CoreServices/Some Restricted Tool.app” ]; then
open “/System/Library/CoreServices/Some Restricted Tool.app”
else
osascript -e ‘display dialog “Permission denied. Try running with sudo.” buttons {“OK”} default button “OK”‘
fi
Solutions Comparison: Fixing NSCocoaErrorDomain Error Code 4
| Prevention Techniques | Recovery Strategies |
| Regularly update macOS and all applications to ensure compatibility | Reset NVRAM/PRAM by restarting and holding Option+Command+P+R |
| Back up shortcut files before the system updates | Use Terminal to restore default system settings: defaults delete com.apple.symbolichotkeys |
| Use system-provided APIs for creating shortcuts rather than direct file manipulation | Run First Aid in Disk Utility to repair file permissions |
| Implement error handling in all automation scripts | Create a new user account to test if the issue is user-profile-specific |
| Check language consistency between applications and system | Boot into Safe Mode to identify if third-party software is causing conflicts |
Diagnosing NSCocoaErrorDomain Errors Systematically
When you encounter this error, follow this step-by-step diagnostic process to pinpoint the exact cause:
- Capture detailed error information by opening Console.app and filtering for “NSCocoaErrorDomain”
# You can also get error logs from Terminal
log show –predicate ‘eventMessage CONTAINS “NSCocoaErrorDomain”‘ –last 1h
- Identify the triggering application by looking at the process name in brackets:
ApplicationName[1234:5678] Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4
- Check if the error is language-related by temporarily switching your system to English:
# Note your current language setting first
defaults read -g AppleLanguages > ~/Desktop/my_language_backup.txt
# Switch to English temporarily
defaults write -g AppleLanguages -array en
# Don't forget to restore your original settings after testing
- Verify permissions on shortcut files:
ls -la ~/Library/Preferences/*hotkeys*.plist
- Create a targeted test script to reproduce the error with detailed logging:
— Save as test_shortcuts.applescript
try
tell application “System Events”
— Attempt to use the shortcut that's causing problems
key code 36 using {command down, option down}
end tell
log “Shortcut executed successfully”
on error errMsg
log “Error: ” & errMsg
display dialog “Encountered error: ” & errMsg
end try
Implementing a Robust Solution
Here's a complete solution that prevents and handles the NSCocoaErrorDomain error code 4 effectively:
import Foundation
class ShortcutManager {
// Singleton instance
static let shared = ShortcutManager()
// Path constants
private let shortcutsPath = “~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist”
private let backupPath = “~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.backup.plist”
// Initialize with error protection
private init() {
createBackupIfNeeded()
}
// Create backup of shortcuts file
func createBackupIfNeeded() {
let fileManager = FileManager.default
let expandedPath = NSString(string: shortcutsPath).expandingTildeInPath
let expandedBackupPath = NSString(string: backupPath).expandingTildeInPath
// Only backup if one doesn't exist or is outdated
if !fileManager.fileExists(atPath: expandedBackupPath) {
do {
if fileManager.fileExists(atPath: expandedPath) {
try fileManager.copyItem(atPath: expandedPath, toPath: expandedBackupPath)
print(“Shortcut backup created successfully”)
}
} catch {
print(“Backup creation failed: \(error.localizedDescription)”)
}
}
}
// Check if shortcuts file is valid
func validateShortcutsFile() -> Bool {
let expandedPath = NSString(string: shortcutsPath).expandingTildeInPath
// Attempt to read the file as a property list
if let dict = NSDictionary(contentsOfFile: expandedPath) {
return dict.count > 0
}
return false
}
// Restore shortcuts from backup if needed
func restoreFromBackupIfNeeded() -> Bool {
if !validateShortcutsFile() {
let fileManager = FileManager.default
let expandedPath = NSString(string: shortcutsPath).expandingTildeInPath
let expandedBackupPath = NSString(string: backupPath).expandingTildeInPath
do {
// Remove corrupted file if it exists
if fileManager.fileExists(atPath: expandedPath) {
try fileManager.removeItem(atPath: expandedPath)
}
// Restore from backup if available
if fileManager.fileExists(atPath: expandedBackupPath) {
try fileManager.copyItem(atPath: expandedBackupPath, toPath: expandedPath)
print(“Shortcuts restored from backup”)
return true
}
} catch {
print(“Restoration failed: \(error.localizedDescription)”)
}
}
return false
}
// Reset shortcuts to system defaults
func resetToDefaults() -> Bool {
let process = Process()
process.launchPath = “/usr/bin/defaults”
process.arguments = [“delete”, “com.apple.symbolichotkeys”]
do {
try process.run()
process.waitUntilExit()
return process.terminationStatus == 0
} catch {
print(“Reset failed: \(error.localizedDescription)”)
return false
}
}
// Helper method to handle common NSCocoaErrorDomain errors
func handleShortcutError(_ error: Error) -> String {
let nsError = error as NSError
// Handle specific NSCocoaErrorDomain errors
if nsError.domain == NSCocoaErrorDomain {
switch nsError.code {
case 4:
// This is our specific error
if restoreFromBackupIfNeeded() {
return “Shortcut file was corrupted and has been restored from backup.”
} else if resetToDefaults() {
return “Shortcuts have been reset to system defaults.”
} else {
return “Error: The specified shortcut was not found. Please recreate your shortcut.”
}
default:
return “Cocoa error \(nsError.code): \(nsError.localizedDescription)”
}
}
return “Unknown error: \(error.localizedDescription)”
}
}
// Example usage:
do {
// Simulating code that might trigger the error
throw NSError(domain: NSCocoaErrorDomain, code: 4,
userInfo: [NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: “belirtilen kestirme bulunamadı.”])
} catch {
let manager = ShortcutManager.shared
let resolution = manager.handleShortcutError(error)
print(resolution)
}
This class provides a complete solution for handling the NSCocoaErrorDomain error code 4:
Correctly handles the specific error in a localized way
It creates backups of shortcut files automatically
Validates shortcut files to detect corruption
Provides restoration from backup when corruption is detected
Includes a fallback to reset to system defaults
Test Cases for Verification
// Add these test functions to verify the solution
func testShortcutErrorHandling() {
// Test case 1: Corrupted file scenario
let fileManager = FileManager.default
let shortcutsPath = NSString(string: “~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist”).expandingTildeInPath
// Backup actual file
let tempBackupPath = “/tmp/shortcuts_temp_backup.plist”
try? fileManager.copyItem(atPath: shortcutsPath, toPath: tempBackupPath)
// Create invalid file
try? “Invalid Content”.write(toFile: shortcutsPath, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)
// Test our handler
let manager = ShortcutManager.shared
assert(!manager.validateShortcutsFile(), “Validation should fail for corrupted file”)
// Restore original file
try? fileManager.removeItem(atPath: shortcutsPath)
try? fileManager.copyItem(atPath: tempBackupPath, toPath: shortcutsPath)
try? fileManager.removeItem(atPath: tempBackupPath)
print(“All tests passed.”)
}
Key Takeaway
The NSCocoaErrorDomain “belirtilen kestirme bulunamadı” error code 4 stems from system shortcuts that have become corrupted, missing, or inaccessible. Consistently implement proper backup and validation routines when working with system shortcut files to prevent this error, and include appropriate error handling to recover gracefully when it occurs.
Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
Jim continues to share his expertise and passion for tablets, helping his audience as much as he can with his motto “One Swipe at a Time!”