Failed to open database file

For the last couple of weeks, Audacity has started to lagg in the middle of editing recorded files. This has usually been resolved by simply closing the program and then opening it again. But I guess it had enough, since now it won’t open the database file at all. This is the error I’m getting:

{
“timestamp”: 1632303367,
“event_id”: “e278e0903992453fb7d54fda999e2f9a”,
“platform”: “native”,
“release”: “audacity@3.0.4”,
“contexts”: {
“os”: {
“type”: “os”,
“name”: “Macintosh”,
“version”: “10.16.0”
}
},
“exception”: {
“values”: [
{
“type”: “Error_Opening_Project”,
“value”: “Failed to open database file:\n\n/”,
“mechanism”: {
“type”: “runtime_error”,
“handled”: false,
“data”: {
“sqlite3.rc”: “14”,
“sqlite3.context”: “DBConnection::ModeConfig”,
“sqlite3.mode”: “PRAGMA .busy_timeout = 5000;PRAGMA .locking_mode = SHARED;PRAGMA .synchronous = NORMAL;PRAGMA .journal_mode = WAL;PRAGMA .wal_autocheckpoint = 0;”,
“log”: “11:36:07: DBConnection SetDBError\n\tErrorCode: 14\n\tLastError: Failed to set safe mode on primary connection to /\n\tLibraryError: unable to open database file\n11:36:07: DBConnection SetError\n\tErrorCode: 14\n\tLastError: Failed to open database file:\n\n/\n\tLibraryError: (14): unable to open database file\n”
}
}
}
]
}
}

And now none of the previously saved down AUP3 files want to open, they’re getting this same error too. The only Audacity files are a select few ones with the older version that still had the _data folders that came with them, but even some of those receive a similar error.

What can I do to fix this? I’ve tried rebooting, re-installing audacity 4 times, installing 3.0.2, 3.0.0, resetting all configurations and searching around the forum. Would love to get the file back…

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Your best bet is Audacity 3.0.4. If you still can’t get your .aup3 file to open, zip it up and upload it to a public file server. Post or PM me a link - I’ll take a look at it.

Hi Jademan, thank you very much!

Here’s a link to the file:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KgUoKo-hNIuOXFj6iRXCFYvaxjJJJ6AR?usp=sharing

So I have been able to download your file and I took a quick look at it. So far I am able to reproduce your problem. I’ll report back again tomorrow.

See next post.

linhag,

I am still looking into your issue. In the meantime, I have been able to extract all of the audio from your project into a new project which I have uploaded. I have sent you a link via PM.

linhag,
The tools I am currently using are currently taking me around in circles, so I am forwarding your project to the developers. We’ll see what they have to say.

While you were getting an “Error: (14): unable to open database file”, I was getting: “Error: Unable to decode project document”, but I still had an underlying database error. I am not quite sure why this was the case.

Are you running your .aup3 projects from the cloud? If so, you are asking for trouble. I am especially concerned as you say all of your .aup3 projects are broken.

Audacity works best when everything is on one local machine. If your machine and your data are separated by air or even by a cable, things are not going to go smoothly.

Thanks a lot for your help Jademan! I tried downloading the file you sent in PM (I’m not authorized to use this function it seems) but am still getting the same error.

I’m not running them from the cloud, they’re all on my harddrive and have stayed there for close to 30 episodes.

Thanks again for taking the time :slight_smile:.

I am at a loss for what is plaguing your machine. Here are some ideas:

  1. Run Tools > Reset Configuration

  2. Uninstall all versions of Audacity, and then Install Audacity 3.0.4 from Audacity ® | Downloads

It may be worthwhile perusing these forum posts that also reported a sqlite3 error 14:

Perhaps others will chime in…