#92 Data Crow won't open -- java.lang.nullpointerexception

[either-or]

I was using Data Crow to add some front and back pictures for a movies and it would not add them -- it gave the broken link image instead. So I saved the movies I was working on without the pictures and logged out of Data Crow. When I try to log back in, I get the "data crow could not be started java.lang.nullpointerexception" error message. I have 4.11 installed on a Windows 10 Pro. I don't have any earlier versions of Data Crow on this computer.

[Robert Jan van der Waals]

Hi,

Looking at the log file there are some issues with the data/user folder of Data Crow. Is the data folder of an older versions of Data Crow?

What you could do for now is remove the XML entries from the /upgrade folder. It contains definitions to convert fields but apparently it now contains invalid values.

If you can give that a go at first - I think at least Data Crow will then start. I do not know of course what steps were taken prior as I can see one of the alteration is on a custom field.

Cheers,
Robert

[either-or]

I removed the XML entries from the /upgrade folder as you suggested but I am still getting the same error. I've attached a screenshot of the full error I'm getting. It is likely that the data folder is an older version of Data Crow. I've been using Data Crow nonstop for the last 12 or more years. I had problems with custom fields about a year ago that you helped me with but I thought I had removed all of those.

[Robert Jan van der Waals]

Hi, ah, yes, now I remember. The problem you have is that your modules, which are contained in the user folder, are of a version Data Crow does not expect. As long as you have a backup, you could remove the modules from the user folder as it will then copy them from the Data Crow installation folder. But I do not know which fields you have added; you would have to recreate these.

[either-or]

I do have a recent backup. Would I be better off doing a full uninstall of Data Crow and removing any vestiges of previous versions and then doing a fresh re-install of Data Crow and then importing my backup? If I remove the modules (as I have previously done) will that prevent this from happening again? I don't want to recreate the fields I had before as they clearly made the system unstable and are no longer apart of my backups.

[Robert Jan van der Waals]

Sorry, yes, that would be best.

Or, you remove the modules and then start Data Crow and then make a new backup. That will make sure there are no references left to the old situation.

Apologies for my late reply,
Robert

[Andre Martinez]

Hi There,
It sounds like the error might be related to a corrupted configuration or cache file that Data Crow created when the images failed to load. The broken image links could have caused something in the database or settings to save incorrectly, which sometimes leads to the java.lang.NullPointerException on startup.

A common fix is to close Data Crow, go to the installation folder, and remove or reset the user configuration files so the program can rebuild them on the next launch. If that doesn’t work, you could also try a clean reinstall by deleting the current folder and doing a fresh download of version 4.11 from the official site, then reinstalling it to make sure no damaged files are causing the startup issue.
Bundle Of Thanks!