Can't start emacs (spacemacs) anymore: Invalid read syntax: Invalid byte-code object

Question

Can someone tell me how I can recover from this error? I runs emacs 28.0.50 with spacemacs [email protected] on Ubuntu 19.10.

Here is the backtrace from emacs --debug-init

Debugger entered--Lisp error: (invalid-read-syntax "Invalid byte-code object")
  read(get-file-char)
  require(use-package-core)
  byte-code("\300\301!\210\300\302!\210\300\303!\210\300\304!\210\300\305!\210\306\307\310\311\312$\210\313\314!\207" [require use-package-core use-package-bind-key use-package-diminish use-package-delight use-package-ensure autoload use-package-jump-to-package-form "use-package-jump" nil t provide use-package] 5)
  require(use-package)
  spacemacs-bootstrap/init-use-package()
  funcall(spacemacs-bootstrap/init-use-package)
  (let* ((pkg-name (eieio-oref pkg ':name)) (owner (car (eieio-oref pkg ':owners)))) (spacemacs-buffer/message (format "%S -> init (%S)..." pkg-name owner)) (funcall (intern (format "%S/init-%S" owner pkg-name))))
  configuration-layer//configure-package(#<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced90d0>)
  mapc(configuration-layer//configure-package (#<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced6330> #<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced7678> #<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ceccf10> #<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced78e4> #<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced7b48> #<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced7db0> #<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced90d0> #<cfgl-package cfgl-package-15636ced9340>))
  (let (packages-to-configure) (let ((--dolist-tail-- packages) pkg-name) (while --dolist-tail-- (setq pkg-name (car --dolist-tail--)) (let ((pkg (configuration-layer/get-package pkg-name))) (cond ((eieio-oref pkg ':lazy-install) (spacemacs-buffer/message (format "%S ignored since it can be lazily installed." pkg-name))) ((and (eieio-oref pkg ...) (not ...)) (spacemacs-buffer/message (format "%S ignored since it has been excluded." pkg-name))) ((null (eieio-oref pkg ...)) (spacemacs-buffer/message (format "%S ignored since it has no owner layer." pkg-name))) ((not (configuration-layer//package-reqs-used-p pkg)) (spacemacs-buffer/message (format ... pkg-name))) ((not (cfgl-package-enabled-p pkg)) (spacemacs-buffer/message (format "%S is disabled." pkg-name))) (t (let (...) (if dir ...)) (if (memq ... ...) nil (configuration-layer//activate-package pkg-name)) (cond (... ...) (t ... ...))))) (setq --dolist-tail-- (cdr --dolist-tail--)))) (setq packages-to-configure (reverse packages-to-configure)) (mapc 'configuration-layer//configure-package packages-to-configure) (mapc 'configuration-layer//post-configure-package packages-to-configure))
  configuration-layer//configure-packages-2((async bind-key bind-map diminish evil hydra use-package which-key))
  configuration-layer//configure-packages((abbrev ac-ispell academic-phrases ace-jump-helm-line ace-link ace-window add-node-modules-path aggressive-indent all-the-icons all-the-icons-dired amx anaconda-mode anki-editor ansi-colors archive-mode async attrap auctex auctex-latexmk auto-compile auto-complete auto-correct auto-dim-other-buffers auto-highlight-symbol auto-yasnippet avy beacon biblio biblio-core bibtex bind-key bind-map blacken bnf-mode bookmark bracketed-paste bug-hunter calendar calibre-mode camcorder centered-cursor-mode cheat-sh chronometer clean-aindent-mode cloc cmm-mode color-identifiers-mode column-enforce-mode comint command-log-mode ...))
  configuration-layer//load()
  (cond (changed-since-last-dump-p (configuration-layer//load) (if (spacemacs/emacs-with-pdumper-set-p) (progn (configuration-layer/message "Layer list has changed since last dump.") (configuration-layer//dump-emacs)))) (spacemacs-force-dump (configuration-layer//load) (if (spacemacs/emacs-with-pdumper-set-p) (progn (configuration-layer/message (concat "--force-dump passed on the command line, " "forcing a redump.")) (configuration-layer//dump-emacs)))) ((spacemacs-is-dumping-p) (configuration-layer//load)) ((and (spacemacs/emacs-with-pdumper-set-p) (spacemacs-run-from-dump-p)) (configuration-layer/message "Running from a dumped file. Skipping the loading p...")) (t (configuration-layer//load) (if (spacemacs/emacs-with-pdumper-set-p) (progn (configuration-layer/message (concat "Layer list has not changed since last time. " "Skipping dumping process!"))))))
  configuration-layer/load()
  (let ((file-name-handler-alist nil)) (require 'core-spacemacs) (spacemacs/dump-restore-load-path) (configuration-layer/load-lock-file) (spacemacs/init) (configuration-layer/stable-elpa-init) (configuration-layer/load) (spacemacs-buffer/display-startup-note) (spacemacs/setup-startup-hook) (spacemacs/dump-eval-delayed-functions) (if (and dotspacemacs-enable-server (not (spacemacs-is-dumping-p))) (progn (require 'server) (if dotspacemacs-server-socket-dir (progn (setq server-socket-dir dotspacemacs-server-socket-dir))) (if (server-running-p) nil (message "Starting a server...") (server-start)))))
  (if (not (version<= spacemacs-emacs-min-version emacs-version)) (error (concat "Your version of Emacs (%s) is too old. " "Spacemacs requires Emacs version %s or above.") emacs-version spacemacs-emacs-min-version) (let ((file-name-handler-alist nil)) (require 'core-spacemacs) (spacemacs/dump-restore-load-path) (configuration-layer/load-lock-file) (spacemacs/init) (configuration-layer/stable-elpa-init) (configuration-layer/load) (spacemacs-buffer/display-startup-note) (spacemacs/setup-startup-hook) (spacemacs/dump-eval-delayed-functions) (if (and dotspacemacs-enable-server (not (spacemacs-is-dumping-p))) (progn (require 'server) (if dotspacemacs-server-socket-dir (progn (setq server-socket-dir dotspacemacs-server-socket-dir))) (if (server-running-p) nil (message "Starting a server...") (server-start))))))
  eval-buffer(#<buffer  *load*-45090> nil "/home/chriad/.dotfiles/emacs.d/init.el" nil t)  ; Reading at buffer position 1880
  load-with-code-conversion("/home/chriad/.dotfiles/emacs.d/init.el" "/home/chriad/.dotfiles/emacs.d/init.el" nil nil)
  load("/home/chriad/.dotfiles/emacs.d/init.el")
  (let* ((emacs-directory (file-name-as-directory (chemacs-emacs-profile-key 'user-emacs-directory))) (init-file (expand-file-name "init.el" emacs-directory)) (custom-file- (chemacs-emacs-profile-key 'custom-file init-file)) (server-name- (chemacs-emacs-profile-key 'server-name))) (setq user-emacs-directory emacs-directory) (if server-name- (progn (setq server-name server-name-))) (mapcar #'(lambda (env) (setenv (car env) (cdr env))) (chemacs-emacs-profile-key 'env)) (if (chemacs-emacs-profile-key 'straight-p) (progn (chemacs-load-straight))) (load init-file) (if (not custom-file) (progn (setq custom-file custom-file-) (if (equal custom-file init-file) nil (load custom-file)))))
  chemacs-load-profile("default")
  (if args (let ((s (split-string (car args) "="))) (cond ((equal (car args) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist '("--with-profile" lambda (_) (pop command-line-args-left))) (chemacs-load-profile (car (cdr args)))) ((equal (car s) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist (cons (car args) '(lambda ...))) (chemacs-load-profile (mapconcat 'identity (cdr s) "="))) (t (chemacs-check-command-line-args (cdr args))))) (chemacs-load-profile (chemacs-detect-default-profile)))
  chemacs-check-command-line-args(nil)
  (cond ((equal (car args) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist '("--with-profile" lambda (_) (pop command-line-args-left))) (chemacs-load-profile (car (cdr args)))) ((equal (car s) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist (cons (car args) '(lambda (_)))) (chemacs-load-profile (mapconcat 'identity (cdr s) "="))) (t (chemacs-check-command-line-args (cdr args))))
  (let ((s (split-string (car args) "="))) (cond ((equal (car args) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist '("--with-profile" lambda (_) (pop command-line-args-left))) (chemacs-load-profile (car (cdr args)))) ((equal (car s) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist (cons (car args) '(lambda (_)))) (chemacs-load-profile (mapconcat 'identity (cdr s) "="))) (t (chemacs-check-command-line-args (cdr args)))))
  (if args (let ((s (split-string (car args) "="))) (cond ((equal (car args) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist '("--with-profile" lambda (_) (pop command-line-args-left))) (chemacs-load-profile (car (cdr args)))) ((equal (car s) "--with-profile") (add-to-list 'command-switch-alist (cons (car args) '(lambda ...))) (chemacs-load-profile (mapconcat 'identity (cdr s) "="))) (t (chemacs-check-command-line-args (cdr args))))) (chemacs-load-profile (chemacs-detect-default-profile)))
  chemacs-check-command-line-args(("emacs"))
  eval-buffer(#<buffer  *load*> nil "/home/chriad/.emacs" nil t)  ; Reading at buffer position 7021
  load-with-code-conversion("/home/chriad/.emacs" "/home/chriad/.emacs" t t)
  load("~/.emacs" noerror nomessage)
  startup--load-user-init-file(#f(compiled-function () #<bytecode 0x2bc902d994a710f>) #f(compiled-function () #<bytecode 0x81a386fa1b19353>) t)
  command-line()
  normal-top-level()

Birdwell

I'm not familiar with Spacemacs, but my first thought would be to go and clean out all byte-compiled code that runs at startup. – Rance

Bisect your init file to find the culprit. (Don't byte-compile your init file.) You can bisect it by commenting out 1/2, then 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, etc. See command comment-region. – Sales

Looks like the latest update from emacs-snapshot PPA broke Spacemacs. They don't call it bleedin' edge for nothing! – Discriminator

github.com/jwiegley/use-package/issues/844 – Lanky

Answer 1

I had the same issue this morning.

I'm using emacs 28.0.50 on Kubuntu 19.10.

My issue was gone by deleting use-package:

rm -rf ~/.emacs.d/elpa/use-package-*

# if using the `develop` branch:
# rm -rf ~/.emacs.d/elpa/<your emacs version>/develop/use-package-*

and re-installing it:

emacs -q

eval:

(progn
  (require 'package)
  (add-to-list 'package-archives '("melpa" . "http://melpa.org/packages/"))
  (package-initialize)
  (package-refresh-contents)
  (package-install 'use-package)
  (require 'use-package)
)

Lift

Thank you! Saved my life! Just one minor mistake: it should be ~/.emacs.d/elpa/<your emacs version>/develop/use-package-* – Brinton

@KenetJervet Maybe you are using Spacemacs but Adobe is not. – Homecoming

@Homecoming Yes you are right I am using Spacemacs. I didn't know about vanilla Emacs! Sorry! – Brinton

should I also clean inside of /usr/share/emacs/28.0.50/lisp/ ?@Lift – Trunkfish

@Trunkfish no, re-installing use-package should be enough. – Lift

For me, nuking the whole .emacs.d/elpa directory (causing Emacs to reinstall everything on startup) did the trick. – Illuse

Answer 2

For me it was a matter of doing "M-x reinstall-package RET use-package RET" and restarting Emacs.

Someplace

Answer 3

Reinstalling use-package via the list-packages UI worked for me. (Delete use-package, install it again) I did not see a re-install option there. Thank you for the hints here.

Cuttlebone

Answer 4

I received almost exactly the same error (emacs 28.0.50 with spacemacs [email protected] on Ubuntu 18.04). I updated the emacs packages and the problem disappeared. If I had any better ideas (or explanations) I would include them but that's all I got. Good luck!

Trevortrevorr