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"Can't Open Preferences Database" on launch

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Posted by Tetsuo   (2 posts)  [Biography] bio
Date Mon 22 Jun 2009 01:39 PM (UTC)  [ quote  ]

Amended on Mon 22 Jun 2009 02:07 PM (UTC) by Tetsuo

Message
I just downloaded MUSHclient 4.40 at the recommendation of someone on another forum, but now that it's installed, I can't start it. Every time I try and start it, I get a dialog box pop up saying "Can't open preferences database: unable to open database file". Then, when I click "OK" (the only button available), it closes and nothing happens. Does anyone know what the problem is and how I can fix it? Searching the forum and looking through the FAQ haven't turned anything up.

e: Using Windows XP Home SP2.
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Posted by Nick Gammon   Australia  (18,772 posts)  [Biography] bio   Forum Administrator
Date Reply #1 on Mon 22 Jun 2009 09:15 PM (UTC)  [ quote  ]
Message
I just uninstalled MUSHclient on one of my copies of XP Home (SP 2), and reinstalled version 4.40. It started up fine when I used the MUSHclient icon in the start menu.

I'm not doubting it happened, I seem to recall a similar recent report.

MUSHclient tries to find an existing preferences database (which you won't have) in the working directory (ie. wherever the program starts from) and if not found, looks in the application directory (ie. where MUSHclient.exe is). If still not found, it opens the database (creating it if necessary) in the working directory.

My guess is that it is having trouble creating the database in that directory, for example maybe you don't have write access to it?

I suggest trying:


  • Give yourself write access to the directory MUSHclient starts in. This is possibly \Program Files\MUSHclient.

  • Try to find out the working directory (RH click to open the Start menu, navigate to MUSHclient, RH click the MUSHclient icon, get its properties). Then check that directory exists, and you can write to it.

  • Manually open \Program Files\MUSHclient and then double-click MUSHclient.exe to start the client that way - again making sure you can write to that directory.

  • Make your own working directory (eg. \My Documents\MUSHclient). Make a shortcut of the MUSHclient.exe file, and change its starting directory to your own working directory. Then use that shortcut.


Please post your findings so we can help anyone else with the same problem. Thanks!

- Nick Gammon

www.gammon.com.au, www.mushclient.com
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Posted by Tetsuo   (2 posts)  [Biography] bio
Date Reply #2 on Tue 23 Jun 2009 07:30 AM (UTC)  [ quote  ]
Message
Thanks for the tips Nick. I tried checking the preferences on /Program Files/MUSHclient, but that didn't work, so I tried the second piece of advice, checking the properties and working directory of the Start Menu shortcut. One of the entries (I don't know what the entry is called in English, since I'm working on a Chinese system, I think it's "Start In") pointed to the MUSHclient folder in the Start Menu, so I changed it to point to where it is actually installed, and now it works fine.
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Posted by Xtian   (53 posts)  [Biography] bio
Date Reply #3 on Sat 19 Sep 2009 03:15 PM (UTC)  [ quote  ]

Amended on Sat 19 Sep 2009 03:34 PM (UTC) by Xtian

Message
Yes, I just had this too on a brand new XP installation yesterday. You have to edit the shortcut and change the "execute in" to the right folder.

This seems to be fixed in 4.43beta.
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