Mago could not be started, but I do have errors in my IDE (some files

[EranNL]

I just started using Mago, but I can't quite get it to work.

Some files work, they have squigly lines marking issues. Other files do not work and emit this following error after a while:

When I open context actions on <?php in the working file, I get the notification that Mago couldn't be started

This is my Mago configuration:

With this interpreter configured:

Running on the latest version of this plugin: 2025.1.5.

[xepozz]

Hi, @EranNL
I suppose you opened quite big project? Could you please check if it works with a new empty project?

[EranNL]

@xepozz Same problem, unfortunately.

This is also interesting (and perhaps related). There is something not going well with the executable:

but if I click on the three dots:

And I can't select a CLI interpreter anymore.

Edit:

And something else: When I remove all mago related composer packages I can't disable Mago. I disabled inspections (the other switches are not switchable), but I keep getting the error that the formatter could not be found.

[adrichel]

Hi, I ran into a similar issue:

I've tried to set up Mago via Composer inside a Docker container. I was able to point to the interpreter, the Mago path etc. and it said OK, Mago version 1.0.3 when I clicked on validate. But it failed to run and an alert said: Mago couldn't be started.

I've done a bit of digging in the PhpStorm XMLs and what struck me was that the php-tools.xml config keeps getting rewritten. Every time I restart PhpStorm or change settings, it adds entries with deletedFromTheList="true" and duplicates the config in weird ways. Even after manually cleaning up the file to have just the correct interpreter and path, it gets overwritten again on next restart.

[xepozz]

Thanks for the reports. I'm pushing the 2026.1.0 build with fixed that configuration management popup. Better to try again there.

[xepozz]

@xepozz Same problem, unfortunately.

This is also interesting (and perhaps related). There is something not going well with the executable:

but if I click on the three dots: And I can't select a CLI interpreter anymore.

Edit:

And something else: When I remove all mago related composer packages I can't disable Mago. I disabled inspections (the other switches are not switchable), but I keep getting the error that the formatter could not be found.

mago is'n a path, it's a shortcut for your bash/sh/zsh/Nsh. Please specify the full absolute path, use which mago in a terminal to get it. Or use composer's vendor/bin/mago file with default PHP interpreter (coming in the new update)

[xepozz]

I've done a bit of digging in the PhpStorm XMLs and what struck me was that the php-tools.xml config keeps getting rewritten. Every time I restart PhpStorm or change settings, it adds entries with deletedFromTheList="true" and duplicates the config in weird ways. Even after manually cleaning up the file to have just the correct interpreter and path, it gets overwritten again on next restart.

thanks for that, I've changed some logic there

[xepozz]

Hi, I ran into a similar issue:

I've tried to set up Mago via Composer inside a Docker container. I was able to point to the interpreter, the Mago path etc. and it said OK, Mago version 1.0.3 when I clicked on validate. But it failed to run and an alert said: Mago couldn't be started.

Windows/Linux/Macos?

[EranNL]

@xepozz Still nothing, with this configuration:

Also, mago is not one of the options for the external formatters. I don't know whether that is something desired, but it is interesting

EDIT:
Interesting thing is that sometimes it works. I just got Mago feedback in a new file. So the settings seem correct. Perhaps you need some logging from me?

[xepozz]

@EranNL see #30 (comment)