> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.burakov.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Troubleshooting

> Fixes for the common snags — SmartScreen and Gatekeeper warnings, missing shells, PATH problems, and build errors.

## "Windows protected your PC" (SmartScreen)

An app that runs commands on a schedule and starts at login looks, to Windows, a lot like malware — so an unsigned build can trigger SmartScreen. If you trust the source (or built it yourself), click **More info → Run anyway**. To avoid this on machines you distribute to, sign the binary with a code-signing certificate.

## macOS: "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" (Gatekeeper)

This appears for apps downloaded from the internet. Clear it by **right-clicking the app → Open** (confirm once), or from a terminal:

```bash theme={null}
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /path/to/Cronch.app
```

A copy you build yourself and run locally is not quarantined, so Gatekeeper doesn't block it.

## A rule shows "shell missing"

The rule names a shell that isn't installed on this machine, so Cronch won't run it. Either install that shell, or edit the rule to use one Cronch detected (or **Direct**). This commonly happens after importing rules created on a different computer — see [Commands & shells](/cronch/commands-and-shells).

## "It runs in my terminal, but not on a schedule"

Almost always an **environment** issue: the scheduled job can't find a tool that's on your `PATH` in a terminal. Cronch already resolves your login environment to avoid this, but if a job still can't find something:

* Use the **full path** to the program in the command, or
* Set the needed variable on the rule (the **Environment variables** field), or
* Set the rule's **Working directory** if the script expects to run from a specific folder.

## A job didn't run while the machine was asleep or off

That's expected — a tray app can't run while it isn't running. When Cronch next starts, a rule with **Catch up if missed** enabled runs once to make up for it. If it didn't, check that catch-up is on for that rule. See [Schedules](/cronch/schedules).

## Build errors (building from source)

* **Windows: `error: linker 'link.exe' not found`** — install the Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools with the **Desktop development with C++** workload.
* **Windows: linker errors from Git Bash / MSYS** — build from **PowerShell** or the Developer Command Prompt; Git Bash's own `link.exe` can shadow MSVC's.
* **macOS: `xcrun: error: invalid active developer path`** — run `xcode-select --install`.

The complete build guide, including toolchain setup, is in `BUILD.md` in the repository.