I have a fairly simple Haskell program which I build with cabal, which ends up seemingly successful with an executable (apl.exe).

(but what a path(!):

  . \dist-newstyle\build\x86_64-windows\ghc-8.10.1\apl-0.0.1\build\apl\apl.exe

 

Running that gives an error:

Program 'apl.exe' failed to run: The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration

is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more

detailAt line:1 char:1

+ ./apl

+ ~~~~~.

At line:1 char:1

+ ./apl

+ ~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed

 

Looking in the Windows event viewer, it reports:

     Activation context generation failed for "…\apl.exe". Error in manifest or policy file "…apl.exe" on line 2. Invalid Xml syntax.

 

Sxstrace did not seem to give any additional information:

Begin Activation Context Generation.

Input Parameter:

                Flags = 0

                ProcessorArchitecture = AMD64

                CultureFallBacks = en-US;en

                ManifestPath = D:\CS\Courses\CS505 -APL\Labs & Hmwks\Dsem Labs -Haskell Solns\dist-newstyle\build\x86_64-windows\ghc-8.10.1\APL-0.0.1\build\APL\apl.exe

                AssemblyDirectory = D:\CS\Courses\CS505 -APL\Labs & Hmwks\Dsem Labs -Haskell Solns\dist-newstyle\build\x86_64-windows\ghc-8.10.1\APL-0.0.1\build\APL\

                Application Config File =

-----------------

INFO: Parsing Manifest File D:\CS\Courses\CS505 -APL\Labs & Hmwks\Dsem Labs -Haskell Solns\dist-newstyle\build\x86_64-windows\ghc-8.10.1\APL-0.0.1\build\APL\apl.exe.

                INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is (null).

                ERROR: Line 2: XML Syntax error.

ERROR: Activation Context generation failed.

End Activation Context Generation.

 

Online some posts suggest installing a current VC_redist – I did that, no relief.

 

Any suggestions on what is causing this, and a fix?

 

Running GCH: 8.10.1

Cabal: 3.2.0.0

Windows 10

 

Dr. Gregory Guthrie