Can't compile app with mix phx.server: (ArgumentError) argument error

Phoenix Forum Questions / Help
,
1

I can’t compile phoenix app after delete _build folder (OS Win 11). The same error is always given, in the same place:

mix phx.server
==> file_system
Compiling 7 files (.ex)
Generated file_system app
==> decimal
Compiling 4 files (.ex)
Generated decimal app
==> mime
Compiling 1 file (.ex)
Generated mime app
==> nimble_options
Compiling 3 files (.ex)
Generated nimble_options app
==> bunt
Compiling 2 files (.ex)
Generated bunt app
** (ArgumentError) argument error
    (stdlib 5.0.2) io.erl:99: :io.put_chars(:standard_io, <<210, 229, 234, 243, 249, 224, 255, 32, 234, 238, 228, 238, 226, 224, 255, 32, 241, 242, 240, 224, 237, 232, 246, 224, 58, 32, 49, 50, 53, 49, 13, 10>>)
    (elixir 1.15.6) lib/system.ex:1121: System.do_port_byte/3
    (elixir 1.15.6) lib/system.ex:1107: System.do_cmd/3
    (mix 1.15.6) lib/mix/shell.ex:128: Mix.Shell.cmd/3
    (mix 1.15.6) lib/mix/tasks/deps.compile.ex:300: Mix.Tasks.Deps.Compile.do_command/5
    (mix 1.15.6) lib/mix/tasks/deps.compile.ex:211: Mix.Tasks.Deps.Compile.do_rebar3/2
    (mix 1.15.6) lib/mix/tasks/deps.compile.ex:93: anonymous fn/4 in Mix.Tasks.Deps.Compile.compile/2
    (elixir 1.15.6) lib/enum.ex:1693: Enum."-map/2-lists^map/1-1-"/2
2

Valeriy!

I’ve just created an app to reproduce the error you are mentioning. I was indeed able to run mix phx.server with no problem at all, even after removing the _build folder with rm -rf _build within the app directory. The files were recompiled and placed again the aforementioned folder. I am on Elixir 1.15.

–
Caleb

3

What version of Erlang are you on?

4

elixir -v
Erlang/OTP 26 [erts-14.0.2] [source] [64-bit] [smp:16:16] [ds:16:16:10] [async-threads:1] [jit:ns]

Elixir 1.15.6 (compiled with Erlang/OTP 26)

mix phx.new --version
Phoenix installer v1.7.2

5

I try to reinstall Erlang/Elixir on my work machine but it didn’t help (i get the same error).

I tried to compile the project on another machine and it compiled successfully. In order to continue working, I copied the _build folder from this computer to my work computer. When I modify the project files it recompiles successfully.
But compiling from clear list on my computer doesn’t work (i get the same error).

6

I tried this:

iex(1)> bin = <<210, 229, 234, 243, 249, 224, 255, 32, 234, 238, 228, 238, 226, 224, 255, 32, 241, 242, 240, 224, 237, 232, 246, 224, 58, 32, 49, 50, 53, 49, 13, 10>>
<<210, 229, 234, 243, 249, 224, 255, 32, 234, 238, 228, 238, 226, 224, 255, 32,
  241, 242, 240, 224, 237, 232, 246, 224, 58, 32, 49, 50, 53, 49, 13, 10>>
iex(2)> IO.puts(bin)
** (ArgumentError) argument error
    (stdlib 5.1.1) io.erl:103: :io.put_chars(:standard_io, [<<210, 229, 234, 243, 249, 224, 255, 32, 234, 238, 228, 238, 226, 224, 255, 32, 241, 242, 240, 224, 237, 232, 246, 224, 58, 32, 49, 50, 53, 49, 13, 10>>, 10])
    iex:1: (file)

and got the same error, which means that binary is not a valid (or printable) UTF-8 string:

iex(3)> String.valid?(bin)
false
iex(4)> String.printable?(bin)
false

So maybe you have something that tries to print stuff in your deps? Try and search for this binary, or fragments of it inside your codebase or the deps?

7

OK, at least I know what the string says.

First of all, it’s not UTF-8. It’s CP-1251, very normal for us the Slavs:

iex(1)> :erlyconv.to_unicode(:cp1251, bin)
"Текущая кодовая страница: 1251\r\n"

You’ll need to put that in your mix.exs if you want to play with it:

{:erlyconv, github: "eugenehr/erlyconv"}

So do with that info what you will. But you got a Russian text somewhere that’s not properly encoded.

1 Like
8

Thank you dimitarvp!
It was a ‘chcp1251’ auto command on startup powershell. I deleted it and everything is working well now.

1 Like
9

Cool! Glad you fixed your problem.

Mark accepted answers if you don’t mind – helps the forum search function surface such answers to other people in the future.