Cannot open old project in WINE

Scrivener Scrivener for Windows
1

I am using Scrivener 3.1.4.1 on Windows 7 without problems but the writing is on the wall for Windows and Linux seems to be my future. I have native Linux applications for many of my needs but there are 3 Windows programs that I can’t leave behind: Photoshop, SketchUp (3D modeling), and Scrivener.

The possibilities for running the three are:

  1. a dual-boot system (which would not allow me to interact with native Linux apps)
  2. A virtual machine (a performance hit on my meager hardware)
  3. WINE (tricky installation and iffy performance)

I chose WINE.

After endless fidgeting with Linux’s terminal window and screams of despair, I got WINE installed. The next steps went unbelievably smoothly. I clicked INSTALL for Photoshop and it worked! I clicked INSTALL for SketchUp and it worked! I clicked INSTALL for Scrivener 3.1.6.0 and it worked! I entered my registration code and it worked!

I created a project with the “non-fiction essay” template and saved it in wine’s [c:\](file:///c:/) directory as “test”. Flaws may appear in time but the main functions seemed to work.

But then…

I copied an old project folder (.scriv) from my desktop PC and transferred it to the Documents folder on my test laptop (next to the non-fiction essay folder).

I cannot open the file.

I try clicking the .scrivx file in my Documents folder and the “Project Templates” window opens. I then click the “Open Existing Project” button, locate the .scrivx file (again) and click “Open”. Nothing happens. The “Project Templates” window remains for several minutes and then closes. The same thing happens if I start Scrivener from the WINE menu.

Any ideas? I’m hoping it’s something stupid and easily fixed.

2

As it sounds like you were able to create a project and test it a bit, we can assume it doesn’t have an overall problem with loading projects and doing basic things. The things I would check are:

  • Trying copying it again, this time using .zip to first compress the project folder down to one file for the transfer, then unzip it on the target computer. That will eliminate any weirdness that might have occurred when copying many folders and files.
  • If that still isn’t working, then go into Options, and under General: Warnings, enable logging, then restart. That should give you a little more information as to what is going on while the project is loading.

I try clicking the .scrivx file in my Documents folder and the “Project Templates” window opens.

That should work, Wine should be creating a file type association for the .scrivx file that most tools will be aware of that routes it to Scrivener. But depending on which file manager you are using and other variables, I’d stick with Open commands initially, until you know it can open normally.

2 Likes
3

.zip didn’t help.

This is what I got after I told it to load the project. I omitted the first 17 pages of opening Scrivener and loading fonts (new LO install with every font in the world). Is there a better way of submitting log files? This is on an ancient MacBook Pro (2009) but so far the hardware hasn’t caused any problems.


Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x50076 (1
20) (Call not implemented.)
Info: Loading project: "C:/users/rbh/Documents/The Book-Notes.scriv"
Info: "TimeCounter: SCRBinderReader::readProject needed 0.006 sec"
Info: "TimeCounter: SCRProject::initProject needed 0.275 sec"
Info: "TimeCounter: SCRProjectFolderFormat::openProject needed 0.319 sec"
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (Inva
lid cursor handle.)
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (Inva
lid cursor handle.)
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (Inva
lid cursor handle.)
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (Inva
lid cursor handle.)
Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
Info:

GL Type: desktop
Surface Type: OpenGL
Surface Profile: CompatibilityProfile
Surface Version: 3.3
QSG RHI Backend: OpenGL
Using Supported QSG Backend: yes
Using Software Dynamic GL: no
Using Multithreaded OpenGL: yes

Init Parameters:
  *  application-name Scrivener
  *  browser-subprocess-path C:\Program Files\Scrivener3\QtWebEngineProcess.exe
  *  create-default-gl-context
  *  disable-es3-gl-context
  *  disable-features ConsolidatedMovementXY,InstalledApp,BackgroundFetch,WebOTP,WebPay
ments,WebUSB,PictureInPicture
  *  disable-speech-api
  *  enable-features NetworkServiceInProcess,TracingServiceInProcess
  *  enable-threaded-compositing
  *  in-process-gpu
  *  use-gl desktop

Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x400bc (1
20) (Call not implemented.)
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x300d6 (1
20) (Call not implemented.)
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x200f6 (1
20) (Call not implemented.)
Info: Loading Documents: "A9152066-6F46-42F4-8DEE-35BBCE318F94" "Taliesin"
Info: "TimeCounter: Loading RTF file:C:/users/rbh/Documents/The Book-Notes.scriv/Files/
Data/A9152066-6F46-42F4-8DEE-35BBCE318F94/content.rtf needed 0.024 sec"
Info: "TimeCounter: RTF Markup processing: needed 0.004 sec"
Info: "TimeCounter: Documents Load Time: \"Taliesin\" needed 0.029 sec"
Info: "TimeCounter: Full Load Time: 'Taliesin' needed 0.031 sec"
Critical: File:  Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x400f2 (1
20) (Call not implemented.)
4

Yeah, a code block like that is fine for stuff like this.

I must confess I have never seen the “critical” error line regarding icons posted around here before. Given the fact that this is an old MacBook, I suspect it might be something unique to that—maybe newer versions of Wine have less support for old and uncommon hardware? I’m not sure though. From what I can gather, the function call it is referring to relates to high-resolution displays. To me that seems like a rather global thing, rather than something that only one project might trigger but not another. I suppose it could have to do with content in the project though, if it is demanding a special library to display an image properly, for instance?

Two troubleshooting steps:

  • First, since one of the functions refers to icon loading, go into the Icons subfolder for the project, and set aside that whole folder. These would be any custom icons the project is using. This is safe to do, if the software cannot find a requested icon file it will not delete the assignment.
  • Next, if that doesn’t work, or you have no custom icons in the project, then it’s worth a try to see if maybe what it is trying to open in the editor has content it is struggling to open. Try going into the Settings subfolder of the main project folder, and drag both the ui-common.xml and ui-win.ini files out to the desktop, or somewhere else temporary. This will factory reset the project’s display settings, and part of doing so will ensure nothing loads in the main editor, and all items in the binder will be collapsed. If it loads successfully in that state, then the idea would be to start navigating around, particularly to anything that might be problematic, like a video, image, or text items with images embedded in them, and keep an eye on the log output.
1 Like
5

I disabled the icons subfolder in my problem project (called NOTES) and it made no difference. I then copied its icons subfolder to a new, working project (called BLANK) and it opened fine and my custom icons (little, single colored, shapes) were usable.

I then disabled ui-common.xml and ui.ini and NOTES still would not open. (There are 7 small jpg’s in NOTES but no videos.)

I did the following 3 times:

  1. I open Scrivener with the WINE menu and the Project Templates and Log windows open.
  2. After 11 seconds of activity, the log displays “Info: License Server reply received.”
  3. I then click “Open Existing Project” and click the NOTES .scriv file.
  4. Nothing happens until, after 115 seconds (±7 seconds), the Log and Project Templates windows close.

Is there some process which times out?

6

This might be unrelated, but you say you’re installing Scrivener straight into Wine, but the Wine installation that I have used in the past requires dependencies and fonts and all kinds of Other Stuff in order to actually work. That’s why the people over on the Linux forum (here on L&L, I mean) have mostly settled on using a Linux programme called Lutris. It’s a Wine GUI for games, but it has an automated Scrivener installation.

Maybe give that a try and see if it works better?

The other option I just learned about is something called Winboat, which isn’t a translation layer like Wine, but instead a full installation of Windows (somehow!) on your Linux system which means everything runs inside of it exactly as it would in Windows. It also means you’re exposing Linux to Microsoft’s invasive bloatware, though.

7

You’re correct. I installed Scrivener directly into Wine using its “Add/Remove Programs” window. Getting Wine installed in the first place was aggravating but installing programs has so far been amazingly easy. It ran Scrivener’s install program (including registration) perfectly and the installation seems pretty solid.

I looked at Lutris and Bottles. Both try to simplify and automate the convoluted process of installing and running Wine but they had problems of their own which didn’t seem to be worth it.

I also looked at Winapps and Winboat. Both access a licensed Windows installation running in a Virtual Machine running on Linux. Winapps has a complex command line installation process, Winboat tries to automate the process. Both are Virtual Machines which means my under-powered hardware has to simultaneously run two operating systems.

My difficulty is that a Scrivener project created on a different computer won’t run on my new test installation. New projects don’t show any problems (so far).

8

Okay, interesting. I have had no problem bringing Scriv files from my old Mac version into my Linux (Lutris/Wine/Windows) installation.

But I also still use the Mac version on my work computer, so the next time I have both in the same room, I’ll see if I can still move the files back and forth. I should move both existing files as well as files generated by both computers. That would be a true test.

The weird thing is both our installations are running on Wine at base. The only difference AFAICT might be the “other stuff” that comes with the Lutris installation.

So check this out. The Lutris installation is essentially “descended” from installations like this one:

I wonder if looking at these instructions might show you an extra setting or dependency (or whatever) that your Wine installation doesn’t have, and if that extra whatever could fix your problem?

9

Okay, thanks for running those tests. Perhaps the DPI stuff is a bit of a red herring, though it does seem to be the only part of the log that is unusual and concerning (at least, “Critical” sounds scary).

So there is one fallback tool we have, that is intended for situations like this where a project doesn’t load for whatever reason:

  1. Create a new blank project.
  2. From that, use the File ▸ Import ▸ Scrivener Project... menu command.
  3. Select the “.scriv” folder of the project you want to import.

Unless the problem is content related, somehow, that should work. It does have downsides though—part of what makes it a recovery option means it isn’t super thorough. Compile settings, project metadata, keywords, none of that will convey. But at least it will get the content back in front of you, with the binder hierarchy intact as best it can.

In parallel, if this project is something you’re willing to let us have a look at, I’d be happy to do so. If it doesn’t open for me either, we can maybe more easily track down why with the data right in front of us. You could send it either to technical support, or via PM to me, here on the forum.

1 Like
10

Some progress but still no cigar…

  1. Open linux Task Manager (Scrivener CPU %)
  2. Open Scrivener from Wine menu (3%)
  3. Create a new (Blank) project (45% for 1 sec)
  4. Check that project works (enter data, change styles), erase everything.
  5. File >Import>NOTES.scriv (50% for 10 sec, drops to 1%)
  6. NOTES appears in Binder below “Trash” !
  7. I expand NOTES, the project’s sub-headings appear (minus custom icons) !!
  8. I click on a sub-heading and the project’s text appears. Looks usable !!!
  9. I close the project and reopen (Wine Menu> Project Templates>Open Existing)
  10. Project opens (5 sec) but is unresponsive (23%, Wine is 35%)
  11. Scrivener closes window after 125 sec. (0%, Wine 0%) Same timeout as before?
1 Like
11

That is the strangest symptom. I don’t recall that kind of long duration silent quit/crash/hang on either Windows or Linux. Just to make sure, you’ve opened something involved, like the interactive tutorial from the Help menu, and let that sit around for ~130s without this happening?

I expand NOTES, the project’s sub-headings appear (minus custom icons)

Oh yes, that would clear up if you copied the Icons subfolder from the other project and then reloaded, but it’s a bit academic since the problem came back.

12

I can open a new project and edit it ‘til the cows come home. No problems. But…

  1. I reboot Linux
  2. Open NOTES (Wine Menu> Project Templates>Open Existing> NOTES) ScrivenerCPU @1111%, WineCPU@2%
  3. Move the Scrivener/NOTES window (no CPU change)
  4. Add text to the draft edit screen (no CPU change)
  5. Click NOTES section in binder. Project opens in the editor panel and is active!
  6. I click in the Binder to open the drop-down headings of NOTES and everything freezes (Scrivener@25%, Wine@35%)
  7. Scrivener closes after 95 sec.

I’ve done this multiple times.

13

Here are my actions and the resulting log entries:

I open Scrivener with the Wine menu

(log not shown, 17 pages of loading fonts)

The Existing Project window opens

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x40076

(120) (Call not implemented.)

I Click to open Notes.scriv

Info: Loading project: “C:/users/rbh/Documents/Import NOTES into blank project.scriv”

Info: “TimeCounter: SCRBinderReader::readProject needed 0.005 sec”

Info: “TimeCounter: SCRProject::initProject needed 0.239 sec”

Info: “TimeCounter: SCRProjectFolderFormat::openProject needed 0.272 sec”

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (In

valid cursor handle.)

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (In

valid cursor handle.)

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (In

valid cursor handle.)

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:QPixmap::fromWinHICON(), failed to GetIconInfo() (In

valid cursor handle.)

Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile

Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile

Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile

Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile

Info:

GL Type: desktop

Surface Type: OpenGL

Surface Profile: CompatibilityProfile

Surface Version: 3.3

QSG RHI Backend: OpenGL

Using Supported QSG Backend: yes

Using Software Dynamic GL: no

Using Multithreaded OpenGL: yes

Init Parameters:

* application-name Scrivener

* browser-subprocess-path C:\Program Files\Scrivener3\QtWebEngineProcess.exe

* create-default-gl-context

* disable-es3-gl-context

* disable-features ConsolidatedMovementXY,InstalledApp,BackgroundFetch,WebOTP,WebP

ayments,WebUSB,PictureInPicture

* disable-speech-api

* enable-features NetworkServiceInProcess,TracingServiceInProcess

* enable-threaded-compositing

* in-process-gpu

* use-gl desktop

Info: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x400bc

(120) (Call not implemented.)

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x300d6

(120) (Call not implemented.)

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x200f6

(120) (Call not implemented.)

Info: Loading Documents: “21DCC314-449E-4E25-8BD2-8B305C3848D3” “The Book-Notes”

Info: “TimeCounter: Documents Load Time: \“The Book-Notes\” needed 0.000 sec”

Info: “TimeCounter: Full Load Time: ‘The Book-Notes’ needed 0.004 sec”

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x400f2

(120) (Call not implemented.)

Info: Loading Documents: “9C33D1ED-4B2B-421E-ABFA-71AE1FD12F10” “NOTES”

Info: “TimeCounter: Documents Load Time: \“NOTES\” needed 0.000 sec”

Info: “TimeCounter: Full Load Time: ‘NOTES’ needed 0.008 sec”

Info: Loading Documents: “6A87E312-D45A-40B7-A198-744DBABC0601” “DATA”

Info: “TimeCounter: Documents Load Time: \“DATA\” needed 0.000 sec”

Info: “TimeCounter: Full Load Time: ‘DATA’ needed 0.003 sec”

NOTES has now loaded and is usable

I Enlarge the Scrivener window: TRASH note becomes visible

Info: Loading Documents: “FC2C625F-1246-428B-9331-ADFD9EDF2153” “TRASH”

Info: “TimeCounter: Documents Load Time: \“TRASH\” needed 0.000 sec”

Info: “TimeCounter: Full Load Time: ‘TRASH’ needed 0.004 sec”

I pass the cursor over (without clicking) the binder’s drop-down arrow for NOTES

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x40076 (1

  1. (Call not implemented.)

I Repeat

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x70068 (1

  1. (Call not implemented.)

I Repeat

Critical: File: Line:0 Function:EnableNonClientDpiScaling() failed for HWND 0x500ac (1

  1. (Call not implemented.)

I CLICK on the the binder’s drop-down arrow for NOTES

No log entries, Scrivener freezes and closes after ~2 minutes (Scrivener 25%, Wine 35%)

14

I tried it, traded .scriv files between Linux/Lutris/Wine and OSX. The one created in Linux worked on the Macbook and vice-versa. They both worked.

15

I created a new project on my Windows 7 desktop PC and copied it to my Linux laptop. It opens and runs without problems. I’m thinking that my problem lies with my NOTES project and not with Linux/Wine or the ancient Mac laptop it’s running on. Something is amiss with the NOTES.scriv files and causes problems with the binder.

1 Like
16

Yeah, that’s almost certainly the case. I don’t have much more I can offer for troubleshooting tips at this point, as like I say we don’t have anything on file for symptoms like this. Content issues, where they occur, typically result in an immediate crash (say for example, a bad web page or corrupted PDF). And it must be content, since the basic project import test barely imports anything other than content (as you noted, even the icons were not imported).

Again I think we would need live forensic data to really proceed in debugging it. If you cannot share the project as it stands, and you have another machine (or boot volume) you can use to open it with, there is a procedure to scramble the content of a project. As I always stress when doing so, make sure the problem still persists after doing so. I would omit step 6 in this particular case, as non-text content may be the culprit.

1 Like