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Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-03 06:33:19
by Daniel Siegel
Here's something new for me: In my account on our older Powerbook G4 titanium, I can no longer open any of my files. Not the new file, not any old file. Nisuswriter Pro will open, but no documents. I get a message saying "open failure" or, if I try just opening a new file, I get the message that it can't open my newfile but would I like a new one? When I say yes, it again tells me it can't create the document.
However, if I then log out and then come in on my wife's account, everything is fine. The problem, and lack of same, occurs in both Pro and Express on both accounts.
I've already trashed the preferences file, run Techtools and Disk Utility.
Any other ideas?

Re: Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-03 09:10:48
by Kino
Err... a corrupted Pref file, perhaps?

/Users/you/Library/Preferences/com.nisus.NisusWriter.plist
/Users/you/Library/Preferences/com.nisus.NisusThesaurus.plist

How about moving those files to another folder?

Other files read by NW‌ Pro when starting up may be relevant too.
/Users/you/Library/Application Support/Nisus Writer/Nisus New File.dot
/Users/you/Library/Application Support/Nisus Writer/Glossaries/*.ngloss
/Users/you/Library/Application Support/Nisus Writer/Languages/*.nlang

Edit: Sorry, I did not read your message carefully -- "I've already trashed the preferences file". Now I think most likely "Nisus New File.dot" would be corrupted.

Re: Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-03 11:01:59
by martin
Clearing out your preferences and Nisus Writer support files as Kino has mentioned is definitely something to try. You might also think if you've installed anything recently that could affect other running applications, eg: haxies.

If you continue to have troubles use the menu Help > Send Feedback after a document fails to open. The report could contain some information to help us diagnose the problem.

Re: Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-04 07:42:21
by Daniel Siegel
I think I've now tried all the variations you both (Martin and Kino) so kindly and quickly suggested. I even again tried trashing all those files and reinstalling NWP. Still doesn't work. Nor can I activate "send feedback" since all I get is a dialogue saying that the document (be that my .dot file or any of my regular files) could not be opened. At that point, the "send feedback" is gray.
Only thing is that I can't find any files called glossaries, in either of the two accounts.
Still, NWP opens fine in my wife's account and not in mine.
The only other thing I can think of is that the first time I tried to open the application, it seemed to be wanting to open many documents and wasn't getting anywhere. So I force quit and started again. The first messages I then got were that Nisus couldn't access the US English language option and I should choose another language. Then the messages shifted to the ones I describe. In that earlier phase, I got a document to open, but it was all dark and no text could be entered.
I'm wondering if there is some problem at a deeper level, but everything else seems to be working fine, including mail, the web, textedit, etc.
Worse case scenario is that I just work from the other account until we get back home from our vacation and I can go back to my desktop and reformat this entire computer.
Thanks, in advance, for any other suggestions you might think of.
Daniel

Re: Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-04 08:28:19
by martin
Since the feedback reporter isn't working, can I have you follow there steps to gather some diagnostic information:

1. Quit NWP if it is running.
2. Launch the Console application (in your Applications/Utilities folder)
3. Clear the console window (via the Edit menu or toolbar item).
4. Launch NWP.
5. Try to open a document (eg: trigger the problem).
6. Copy whatever appeared in the Console window and paste it into an email.

You can send the information to the following address:

Image

Thanks Daniel, hopefully we can figure this problem out for you.

Re: Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-04 09:17:31
by Kino
The problem, and lack of same, occurs in both Pro and Express on both accounts.
How many Nisus Thesaurus do you have? If you have multiple copies, Nisus Writer Pro/Express may be confused. Search for it using Spotlight, Finder's find field or something else. Perhaps there would be an old version hidden somewhere in your hard disk, perhaps. In my understanding, just a single copy under (one of) Applications folder or in its subfolder would be sufficient. You don't need to have it installed in the same folder as the one in which Nisus Writer Pro/Express is situated.

Re: Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-05 06:04:02
by Daniel Siegel
Thanks again, Kino and Martin. I've sent Martin the log from Console that appeared when I opened NWP. I have only one copy of the Thesaurus, but have noticed that each time NWP opens in my account, it runs through a list of the fonts. It doesn't do this on my wife's account. A clue, perhaps?
I appreciate your support and hope I can do the same for someone else.
Daniel

Re: Can't Open any documents

Posted: 2008-09-05 07:33:24
by Kino
but have noticed that each time NWP opens in my account, it runs through a list of the fonts
Have you enabled WYSIWYG font menu? If so, try to uncheck "Font menu shows previews" in NW‌ Pro's Preferences - Appearance, quit NW‌ Pro and relaunch it.

If this fixes the problem, then most likely

/Users/you/Library/Application Support/Nisus Writer/.wysiwygFontSizeCache

is corrupted (or perhaps permission problem?). As it is an invisible file, the easiest way to remove it would be...

1. Quit NW‌ Pro (or Express) if it is running.

2. Rename "Nisus Writer" folder to "Nisus Writer old" or something alike.

3. Create a new "Nisus Writer" folder.

4. Move all visible folders and files from "Nisus Writer old" folder to "Nisus Writer" folder.

Alternatively, you can use TinkerTool (free) to make Finder "show hidden and system files".
http://www.bresink.com/osx/TinkerTool.html

Also there are cache folder(s) related to Nisus Writer under /Users/you/Library/Caches/ (com.nisus.NisusWriter in Leopard, "Nisus Writer Pro/Express" in Tiger) but I‌ tend to think it would be irrelevant.

If this does not work, I believe Martin will solve your problem soon.