Ionic-cli: Non-whitespace before first tag.

[yolofy]

When I run the command: ionic run android
I get the following error:

Error: Non-whitespace before first tag.
Line: 0
Column: 1
Char:


Caught exception:
 undefined

Mind letting us know? https://github.com/driftyco/ionic-cli/issues

It would be nice if it told me which file to fix

[yolofy]

Deleting and reinstalling all node_modules, plugins, and platforms solved the problem for me.

[jgw96]

Hello all! As this seems to have been an issue with your local setup and not the ionic cli I will be closing this issue for now. Thanks for using Ionic!

[agusdutra]

I'm having this issue right now with the last version .
I deleted all node_modules, reinstaled it, but it keeps throwing that error.

I can runionic serve and it works fine.
But if I run commands to build android or ios like :
ionic cordova platform add android
ionic cordova prepare android
ionic cordova run android

I get this error:

Error: Non-whitespace before first tag.
Line: 0
Column: 1
Char:
    at error (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\sax\lib\sax.js:666:10)
    at strictFail (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\sax\lib\sax.js:692:7)
    at beginWhiteSpace (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\sax\lib\sax.js:965:7)
    at SAXParser.write (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\sax\lib\sax.js:1006:11)
    at XMLParser.feed (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\elementtree\lib\parsers\sax.js:48:15)
    at ElementTree.parse (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\elementtree\lib\elementtree.js:271:10)
    at Object.parse (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\elementtree\lib\elementtree.js:584:8)
    at Function.<anonymous> (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\@ionic\cli-utils\lib\cordova\config.js:35:28)
    at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
    at fulfilled (C:\Users\gecos\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\ionic\node_modules\tslib\tslib.js:100:62)

[imhoffd]

I'm guessing there's an xml syntax error in your config.xml file.

[agusdutra]

This is my config.xml,
I never touched this file.
I created the project with the CLI and tried to run the commands I listed before.

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<widget id="io.ionic.starter" version="0.0.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/ns/widgets" xmlns:cdv="http://cordova.apache.org/ns/1.0">
    <name>proj</name>
    <description>An awesome Ionic/Cordova app.</description>
    <author email="hi@ionicframework" href="http://ionicframework.com/">Ionic Framework Team</author>
    <content src="index.html" />
    <access origin="*" />
    <allow-intent href="http://*/*" />
    <allow-intent href="https://*/*" />
    <allow-intent href="tel:*" />
    <allow-intent href="sms:*" />
    <allow-intent href="mailto:*" />
    <allow-intent href="geo:*" />
    <preference name="ScrollEnabled" value="false" />
    <preference name="android-minSdkVersion" value="16" />
    <preference name="BackupWebStorage" value="none" />
    <preference name="SplashMaintainAspectRatio" value="true" />
    <preference name="FadeSplashScreenDuration" value="300" />
    <preference name="SplashShowOnlyFirstTime" value="false" />
    <preference name="SplashScreen" value="screen" />
    <preference name="SplashScreenDelay" value="3000" />
    <platform name="android">
        <allow-intent href="market:*" />
        <icon density="ldpi" src="resources/android/icon/drawable-ldpi-icon.png" />
        <icon density="mdpi" src="resources/android/icon/drawable-mdpi-icon.png" />
        <icon density="hdpi" src="resources/android/icon/drawable-hdpi-icon.png" />
        <icon density="xhdpi" src="resources/android/icon/drawable-xhdpi-icon.png" />
        <icon density="xxhdpi" src="resources/android/icon/drawable-xxhdpi-icon.png" />
        <icon density="xxxhdpi" src="resources/android/icon/drawable-xxxhdpi-icon.png" />
        <splash density="land-ldpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-land-ldpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="land-mdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-land-mdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="land-hdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-land-hdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="land-xhdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-land-xhdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="land-xxhdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-land-xxhdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="land-xxxhdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-land-xxxhdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="port-ldpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-port-ldpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="port-mdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-port-mdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="port-hdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-port-hdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="port-xhdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-port-xhdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="port-xxhdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-port-xxhdpi-screen.png" />
        <splash density="port-xxxhdpi" src="resources/android/splash/drawable-port-xxxhdpi-screen.png" />
    </platform>
    <platform name="ios">
        <allow-intent href="itms:*" />
        <allow-intent href="itms-apps:*" />
        <icon height="57" src="resources/ios/icon/icon.png" width="57" />
        <icon height="114" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="114" />
        <icon height="40" src="resources/ios/icon/icon-40.png" width="40" />
        <icon height="80" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="80" />
        <icon height="120" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="120" />
        <icon height="50" src="resources/ios/icon/icon-50.png" width="50" />
        <icon height="100" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="100" />
        <icon height="60" src="resources/ios/icon/icon-60.png" width="60" />
        <icon height="120" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="120" />
        <icon height="180" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="180" />
        <icon height="72" src="resources/ios/icon/icon-72.png" width="72" />
        <icon height="144" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="144" />
        <icon height="76" src="resources/ios/icon/icon-76.png" width="76" />
        <icon height="152" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="152" />
        <icon height="167" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="167" />
        <icon height="29" src="resources/ios/icon/icon-small.png" width="29" />
        <icon height="58" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="58" />
        <icon height="87" src="resources/ios/icon/[email protected]" width="87" />
        <icon height="1024" src="resources/ios/icon/icon-1024.png" width="1024" />
        <splash height="1136" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-568h@2x~iphone.png" width="640" />
        <splash height="1334" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-667h.png" width="750" />
        <splash height="2208" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-736h.png" width="1242" />
        <splash height="1242" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-Landscape-736h.png" width="2208" />
        <splash height="1536" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-Landscape@2x~ipad.png" width="2048" />
        <splash height="2048" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-Landscape@~ipadpro.png" width="2732" />
        <splash height="768" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-Landscape~ipad.png" width="1024" />
        <splash height="2048" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-Portrait@2x~ipad.png" width="1536" />
        <splash height="2732" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-Portrait@~ipadpro.png" width="2048" />
        <splash height="1024" src="resources/ios/splash/Default-Portrait~ipad.png" width="768" />
        <splash height="960" src="resources/ios/splash/Default@2x~iphone.png" width="640" />
        <splash height="480" src="resources/ios/splash/Default~iphone.png" width="320" />
        <splash height="2732" src="resources/ios/splash/Default@2x~universal~anyany.png" width="2732" />
    </platform>
    <engine name="browser" spec="5.0.1" />
    <plugin name="ionic-plugin-keyboard" spec="^2.2.1" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-whitelist" spec="^1.3.1" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-device" spec="^1.1.4" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-splashscreen" spec="^4.0.3" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-ionic-webview" spec="^1.1.11" />
</widget>

[Azadehkhojandi]

I had same issue and fixed mine by running following commands
ionic cordova platform rm android
ionic cordova platform add android
ionic cordova build android
ionic cordova emulate android

[degroundshaker]

I faced this issue when my PC went off all of sudden due to power cut.

At first, I kept trying _adding/removing platforms_ & _Node Modules._
Later I found out that my config.xml file has been corrupted, which was then causing this error.

I restored my config.xml file and things were back on right track.

Cheers!

[jackelkarat]

check your config.xml

[tumisangStarfire]

Can i get Instructions on how to fix the config.xml

[imhoffd]

These XML errors all include the line number and column number at which the error occurred. Just look in config.xml at the line and column it says and you should see the error. Here's a primer on XML: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/xml/xml_syntax.htm

[cjnatan]

@aBirds1 I had a similar issue and my main application code was intact(Using an external tool, I compared the folders:: src, resources and app root with my git repo.).

As someone mentioned above, it happened when my VM crashed unexpectedly (brought to you by Microsoft's unexpected blue screens:)).

So, to resolve this, I deleted the following folders from my project(you could try deleting each folder at a time)::

NOTE: if like me, you had to make quite a few changes in your android/ios gradle config to make certain native plugins work, I would suggest you take a backup of platforms folder before you delete it.

1> node_modules
2> platforms
3> www
4> plugins

Then I executed::
1> npm install
2> ionic cordova platform add ios
3> ionic cordova platform add android
4> any additional steps you might need (potentially reinstalling specific plugins)
5> done.

Hope it helps someone.

[nokieng17]

My case, there is a white space of ion-icon. So, I removed the white space and the problem is solved

<ion-icon ios="ios -more" md="md -more"></ion-icon>
However, the error is only occurred on ios device only.

I hope, this solution can give you a hint to your problem.

[pradeepdsmk]

If using git, just checkout config.xml. Most editors offer 'Revert Modifications' under git options/menu

[Cperbony]

For me, only need to check if any whitespace at begin or the end of the config.xml file.
removed and it works!
I hope it helps.

[mukund248]

try
ionic integrations enable cordova --add
command

[Marktaylor399]

yeah i am facing that issue too due to power cut

[GonzaloUNAB2018]

i was an error in my config.xml... it was deleted for any reason... restore it and every thing is ok!