Troubleshooting Guide

Common issues and their solutions.

No AWS Profiles Found

Problem: App shows "No profiles found" when launched.

Solutions:

1. Check AWS CLI installation:

   aws --version
   

   If not installed, follow AWS CLI installation guide

2. Verify config file exists:

   ls -la ~/.aws/config
   

3. List profiles manually:

   aws configure list-profiles
   

4. Example config file format:

   [default]
   region = us-east-1
   
   [profile dev]
   region = us-west-2
   
   [profile prod]
   region = us-east-1
   

Authentication Errors

Problem: "Access Denied" or authentication failures.

Solutions:

1. Check credentials file:

   ls -la ~/.aws/credentials
   

2. Test AWS access:

   aws sts get-caller-identity --profile your-profile-name
   

3. Verify Cost Explorer permissions:

   • Your IAM user/role needs ce:GetCostAndUsage permission
   • Add this policy to your IAM user:

   {
     "Version": "2012-10-17",
     "Statement": [
       {
         "Effect": "Allow",
         "Action": [
           "ce:GetCostAndUsage",
           "ce:GetDimensionValues"
         ],
         "Resource": "*"
       }
     ]
   }
   

Rate Limiting Issues

Problem: "Rate limit exceeded" errors.

Explanation: AWS allows only 1 Cost Explorer API request per minute per account.

Solutions:

• Wait for the cooldown: The app shows a countdown timer
• Adjust refresh interval: Go to Settings → Refresh Rate
• Use manual refresh sparingly: Don't click refresh repeatedly
• Check API usage: Monitor requests in the Debug section

Incorrect Cost Data

Problem: Costs don't match AWS console.

Explanations:

• Data freshness: AWS costs can take 24-48 hours to finalize
• Time zones: Ensure your Mac's timezone matches AWS region settings
• Currency: Check if you're viewing the same currency in both places
• Billing period: Verify you're comparing the same time periods

Solutions:

1. Wait 24-48 hours for data to stabilize
2. Check AWS Cost Explorer console to compare
3. Verify selected profile matches the account you expect
4. Clear cache and refresh data

Performance Issues

Problem: App is slow or unresponsive.

Solutions:

1. Reduce refresh frequency: Settings → Refresh Rate → increase interval
2. Check memory usage: Activity Monitor → AWSCostMonitor
3. Restart the app: Quit and relaunch
4. Clear cache: Settings → Debug → Clear Cache

Menu Bar Icon Missing

Problem: Can't find the app icon in menu bar.

Solutions:

1. Check if app is running: Look in Activity Monitor
2. Restart the app: Use Spotlight to launch again
3. Menu bar space: Hide other menu bar items to make room
4. Bartender conflict: If using Bartender, check if icon is hidden

App Won't Start

Problem: Application fails to launch.

Solutions:

1. macOS compatibility: Requires macOS 13.0+
2. Security settings:
   • System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General
   • Click "Open Anyway" if prompted
3. Corrupted download: Re-download from GitHub releases
4. Console logs: Check Console.app for crash reports

Data Not Refreshing

Problem: Cost data appears stale or won't update.

Solutions:

1. Check internet connection
2. Verify AWS credentials haven't expired
3. Manual refresh: Click refresh button
4. Check API limits: Debug section shows request counts
5. Service outages: Check AWS Service Health Dashboard

Settings Not Saving

Problem: App doesn't remember your preferences.

Solutions:

1. Permissions: Ensure app can write to ~/Library/Preferences/
2. Disk space: Check available storage
3. Reset preferences: Delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.middleout.AWSCostMonitor.plist

Getting Help

If you're still experiencing issues:

1. Enable debug logging: Settings → Debug → Enable Verbose Logging
2. Export logs: Settings → Debug → Export Logs
3. Create an issue: GitHub Issues
4. Join discussions: GitHub Discussions
5. Email support: [email protected]

When reporting issues, please include:

• AWSCostMonitor version
• macOS version
• AWS CLI version
• Error messages or logs
• Steps to reproduce

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Still stuck? Check our Discussions or create an issue.