Cannot open Audacity after clicking on the Nyquist option

[cglenn]

And I did follow the advice about not using the DMG when I upgraded to V2.0.5.

I have V2.0.5 and have been using it. However, my previous version, when opened, gave the critical nyquist files warning, so I unchecked that option in preferences. I assume the upgrade to 2.0.5 kept that unchecked.

So I checked it. Now when I try to start audacity, the warning about critical nyquist files missing appears, but I cannot click on okay. I get the spinning beachball when mousing over the okay button. I have to force quit the program.

What do I do?

[kozikowski]

I did follow the advice about not using the DMG when I upgraded to V2.0.5.

From where did this advice come?
Koz

[kozikowski]

You should not run Audacity from within the Disk Image, but the ZIP and the DMG (disk image) download result in exactly the same program except for the file time and date.

I don't remember the spells with this, but I do remember that Audacity puts parts of itself in places other than /Applications, and those places might have permissions issues.

As a first pass:

Go > Utilities > Disk Utility > select your system drive > Verify Disk, Repair Permissions > Close the panel and try again.

Koz

[cglenn]

I followed the advice from Gale's stickypost in the MacOS area (Installation: Do NOT run Audacity from the DMG!!!! ).

I repaired permissions, but this had no effect. I still cannot open Audacity to uncheck the Nyquist box. I don't really want any sound effects anyway.

Can I simply delete the Audacity folder in applications, re-download and reinstall? You did say some files get placed in other places, and if Audacity has an uninstall, I can't open the program to uninstall it (or just uncheck that infamous box). I can't believe checking one little box would cause the program to be unuseable.

Edited to add: Unlike the previous attempts to open, this time my Mac generated an error report. If you want to see it, please ask. As I was looking through it, it seemed to have a lot of info about my computer, almost all of which was not audacity related.

[kozikowski]

(Installation: Do NOT run Audacity from the DMG!!!! ).

Exactly correct. You should install Audacity from either the Disk Image (DMG) or the ZIP, not run it. When you install Audacity from either one, the installation process goes out and looks at the digital neighborhood making sure it knows where everything is and how best to manage itself. If you try and click on Audacity while it's still inside the disk image, it will not know how to properly behave. It will, however, try anyway, and sooner or later -- usually at the worst possible time -- the seemingly healthy program will fall face-forward in the dirt taking your show with it.

We talked about making something attention-getting happen if you do this process wrong. Many people see the Audacity application inside the Disk Image and just assume they're done.

They're not done. It is required that you actually install the program for it to work right.

Koz

[Gale Andrews]

The only way I can repeat this freeze in 2.0.5 is to drag Audacity.app out of its "Audacity" folder. If you did that, put Audacity.app back.

Otherwise, trashing the Audacity folder in /Applications, then re-download and reinstall will still leave Nyquist effects enabled. Trashing the Audacity folder in /Applications does not reset your existing preferences, and Nyquist effects are enabled by default in any case.

So force quit Audacity in Activity Monitor if you have not already done so.

Open Finder, Go > Go to Folder and type:

Code: Select all

~/Library/Application Support/audacity/  

Open "audacity.cfg".

There should be a couple of lines:

Code: Select all

[Nyquist]
Enable=1

Leave the [Nyquist] line alone, then underneath it, change "1" to "0". It should now look like this:

Code: Select all

[Nyquist]
Enable=0

If you don't see those two lines, add them as in the example that has the "0". Save audacity.cfg and run Audacity.app from within /Applications/Audacity.

By all means attach the Mac report, but it may not show anything useful. Please see here for how to attach files: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 49&t=64936 .

If audacity.cfg gets you going again, would you be prepared to try 2.0.6-alpha (our development version) with the Nyquist box checked? It's possible 2.0.6-alpha won't freeze on you, but it would be good to know whether it does or doesn't. Are you running as admin or standard user on your Mac?


Gale

[Gale Andrews]

We talked about making something attention-getting happen if you do this process wrong. Many people see the Audacity application inside the Disk Image and just assume they're done.

See http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 31#p232231 .


Gale

[cglenn]

I am using my tablet today but will follow your clear instructions tomorrow and report back.
Tx

[cglenn]

The only way I can repeat this freeze in 2.0.5 is to drag Audacity.app out of its "Audacity" folder. If you did that, put Audacity.app back.

That was the problem. I had taken the app out of the folder but left it in Applications. After I dragged the folder and the app onto my desktop, then put the cat back into the box, so to speak, then put the folder back into Applications, it now opens and works just fine.

I reviewed your sticky post. You may want to add a note about keeping the app in the folder.

BTW, with 2.0.2, I had the app on my desktop, and of course the nyquist warning would appear (but no program freeze), so I just unchecked it in preferences so the warning would not be generated. I guess 2.0.5 is a little more sensitive about it's existence, or perhaps Audacity has become self-aware but with a sensitive ego. I thought the creation of the first truly AI program would be accidental.

[Gale Andrews]

The only way I can repeat this freeze in 2.0.5 is to drag Audacity.app out of its "Audacity" folder. If you did that, put Audacity.app back.

That was the problem. I had taken the app out of the folder but left it in Applications.

That was only a guess as we found out recently that some users were doing that.

I reviewed your sticky post. You may want to add a note about keeping the app in the folder.

I now have done.

BTW, with 2.0.2, I had the app on my desktop, and of course the nyquist warning would appear (but no program freeze), so I just unchecked it in preferences so the warning would not be generated. I guess 2.0.5 is a little more sensitive about its existence.

I do not get a freeze in 2.0.6-alpha if I drag the app outside its folder. There are a couple of changes that could have fixed that, but the offer remains open for you download 2.0.6-alpha and find an undocumented way to make it freeze up.


Gale