preferences.xml corrupted when using a graphic tablet

[MattEFresh]

"preferences.xml not a valid xml file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default sttings. new settings will not be saved." WTF???

[Tom Davidson (tjd-mit)]

What OS are you running, and what version of Inkscape? Is this on a fresh install, or have you been using it for a while and this just started happening?

Can you please attach your preferences.xml file to this bug report:
If on Windows, it should be in C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\Inkscape\preferences.xml
If on Linux, look in ~/.inkscape/preferences.xml

[Tom Davidson (tjd-mit)]

see also bug 168922 and bug 168086.

[Tom Davidson (tjd-mit)]

If /tmp is full, then preferences.xml is also deleted see bug 168510

[MattEFresh (emohkay)]

im runnin windows xp, and its vers. .45, and i have been using your program for several months and then this happens, it does not keep me from working, its just really really annoying

> From: <email address hidden>
> To: <email address hidden>
> Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 04:51:42 +0000
> Subject: [Bug 194241] Re: preferences.xml not a valid XML file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default settings, new settings will not be saved
>
> If /tmp is full, then preferences.xml is also deleted see bug 168510
>
> --
> preferences.xml not a valid XML file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default settings, new settings will not be saved
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/194241
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in Inkscape: A Vector Drawing Tool: Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> "preferences.xml not a valid xml file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default sttings. new settings will not be saved." WTF???

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[Tom Davidson (tjd-mit)]

Hey, don't forget--Inkscape is *your* program, too. :D Inkscape is created and supported entirely by volunteers. Helping to track down problems by filing bug reports (like you are doing) and investigating weird behavior is a great way to help the software improve...

A quick workaround for your current problem is to move or delete your preferences.xml file. Inkscape should then generate a fresh one for you.

Before you delete the old file, though, could you please either attach it when you reply to this email (or, if you are viewing this at the launchpad website, use the 'Attachment' field to upload the file), so that we can try to figure out what is going wrong?

If this keeps happening to you after you have delete the corrupted file, check whether one or more partitions on your disk is full...

[MattEFresh (emohkay)]

i cant seem to find the preferences.xml file....

> From: <email address hidden>
> To: <email address hidden>
> Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:59:18 +0000
> Subject: [Bug 194241] Re: preferences.xml not a valid XML file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default settings, new settings will not be saved
>
> Hey, don't forget--Inkscape is *your* program, too. :D Inkscape is
> created and supported entirely by volunteers. Helping to track down
> problems by filing bug reports (like you are doing) and investigating
> weird behavior is a great way to help the software improve...
>
> A quick workaround for your current problem is to move or delete your
> preferences.xml file. Inkscape should then generate a fresh one for you.
>
> Before you delete the old file, though, could you please either attach
> it when you reply to this email (or, if you are viewing this at the
> launchpad website, use the 'Attachment' field to upload the file), so
> that we can try to figure out what is going wrong?
>
> If this keeps happening to you after you have delete the corrupted file,
> check whether one or more partitions on your disk is full...
>
> --
> preferences.xml not a valid XML file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default settings, new settings will not be saved
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/194241
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in Inkscape: A Vector Drawing Tool: Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> "preferences.xml not a valid xml file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default sttings. new settings will not be saved." WTF???

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[MattEFresh (emohkay)]

i have searched for pref...xml, and went looking for the folder listed on the error message and cant find that either,,,could i just uninstall then reinstall inkscape???

> From: <email address hidden>
> To: <email address hidden>
> Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:59:18 +0000
> Subject: [Bug 194241] Re: preferences.xml not a valid XML file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default settings, new settings will not be saved
>
> Hey, don't forget--Inkscape is *your* program, too. :D Inkscape is
> created and supported entirely by volunteers. Helping to track down
> problems by filing bug reports (like you are doing) and investigating
> weird behavior is a great way to help the software improve...
>
> A quick workaround for your current problem is to move or delete your
> preferences.xml file. Inkscape should then generate a fresh one for you.
>
> Before you delete the old file, though, could you please either attach
> it when you reply to this email (or, if you are viewing this at the
> launchpad website, use the 'Attachment' field to upload the file), so
> that we can try to figure out what is going wrong?
>
> If this keeps happening to you after you have delete the corrupted file,
> check whether one or more partitions on your disk is full...
>
> --
> preferences.xml not a valid XML file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default settings, new settings will not be saved
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/194241
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in Inkscape: A Vector Drawing Tool: Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> "preferences.xml not a valid xml file, or you dont have read permissions on it. inkscape will run with default sttings. new settings will not be saved." WTF???

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[Tom Davidson (tjd-mit)]

I'm not really familiar with Inkscape on Windows, but un-/re-install should work. While you're at it, you may want to upgrade to 0.45.1 (the 0.46-preview releases have some big problems on Windows right now).

[ScislaC (scislac)]

This was with a now unsupported version of Inkscape. A newer version (0.46) is available. Given that as well as the lack of follow-up on this issue, this bug will be closed. If you continue to have the same problem with the newer version, please feel free to reopen the bug report.

[Denis Darii (dnx)]

I get the following error:

/var/www/.inkscape/preferences.xml:1: parser error : Start tag expected, '<' not found

And I solved the problem by replacing the content of preferences.xml with:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<inkscape
   xmlns:sodipodi="http://sodipodi.sourceforge.net/DTD/sodipodi-0.dtd"
   xmlns:inkscape="http://www.inkscape.org/namespaces/inkscape"
   version="0.xx.x">
</inkscape>

Replace version="0.xx.x" with your version of inkscape.

[Celt (celts-mail)]

i just updated Inkscape to 0.47 final release and this is the first time I have had this bug. I've been using 0.46 for a month or two.

I renamed my preferences file and the problem wasn't fixed. I deleted the new auto-generated preferences file but still get this error. I found a faq online that suggested unchecking a box in 'colour management'. When I looked at 'colour management' in preferences settings the box is already unchecked and any changes would be lost on restart anyway.

In the release notes it says the preferences system is changed and it doesn't use this file now!

It makes the new (very essential) "auto save" feature totally useless because 'auto save' (requires a restart) is lost when one restarts. If you fix nothing else then PLEASE fix THIS.

I use a grapics tablet which I must re-enable every time I start Inkscape and this gets very annoying. I notice when I go to enable this device (an aiptek usb tablet) the 'device' field in the drop down menu is full of gibberish. Also, I have to click every field in the window before it will make any changes to the settings. IE: I have to click the giberish so it turns blue and then click 'screen' in the dropdown box, then click each of the 'x', 'y' and 'pressure' fields so it will set a pressure, then click 'save', THEN click 'close'.

I have also had the 'random disappear without any warning whatsoever' crash. I was hoping updating to 0.47 would fix that but it hasn't. It is related to how long it is since I last saved and it always happens when I am dragging a curve or a node on a short line with the pen.

Hope this helps.

XP Pro, Inkscape ver 0.47.

[Ganda (oj-3438)]

I have the same problem in German it's "Die Vorgabendatei C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\inkscape\preferences.xml is kein gültiges XML-Dokument" "Inkscape läuft mit den Vorgabeeinstellungen.
Neue Einstellungen werden nicht gespeichert."

For my graphics tablet (MEDION LIFE P82012 (MD 85637) A-DE N), I will find only hieroglyphics in the preferences.xml (<group id="楁瑰步吠扡敬t਀Ȃ 牐獥畳敲匠祴畬s䘰׆䣠Ŋ麗'ꊛ櫅
" mode="screen" axes="x;y;pressure;" keys="" />) and under "Input Devices" in Incscape

The procedures are the same as Celt describes it.

Vista 64Bit Home Premium SP2

Ganda

[Daniel Ejsing-Duun (zilvador)]

I had the same problem in Inkscape 0.48. I'll reopen the bug and attach my preferences.xml file

[Alvin Penner (apenner)]

@Daniel, your preferences file had an extra > at the end which was causing a syntax error on loading, not sure where that came from. Otherwise the file looks fairly normal.
- are you using a tablet?
- which OS?
- could you try deleting or renaming the preferences file to see if the newly created file works properly?
- does this happen if you simply open Inkscape and close it without actually doing anything?
- could you attach the error message you are getting?

[Magnes (magnesus2)]

Inkscape still corrupts the file from time time - probably related to WACOM because it has a bug in very long lines like that:

 <group
     id="devices">

    <group
       keys="&lt;Primary&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;&lt;Alt&gt;&lt;Mod2&gt;&lt;Mod3&gt;&lt;Mod4&gt;&lt;Mod5&gt;;&lt;Primary&gt;&lt;Shift&gt;&lt;Alt&gt;&lt;Mod2&gt;&lt;Mod3&gt;&lt;Mod4&gt;&lt;Mod5&gt;;&lt;Primary&gt;&lt;Sh

...

Also it sometimes puts </group> or </inkscape></group> at the end of the file.
Resetting preferences is not a solution - because we put time into making our own preferences. Right now I fix the XML by editing it and deleting the line that is corrupt.

[jazzynico (jazzynico)]

Related:
* Bug #1297779 "Warning dialog on broken preferences.xml should not be modal"
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/1297779>
* Bug #911700 "Preferences.xml file recovery "
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/911700>

Some preferences file garbling issues are now fixed (Bug #168922, Bug #168510), and it seems that most remaining issues are related to graphic tablets. Thus I'm renaming the report accordingly.

[Magnes (magnesus2)]

I think I know when the preferences.xml can be corrupted - it happened to me recently when I was closing about 6 Inkscape instances at the same time - maybe they all tried to write to preferences.xml at the same time. The result was additional, unnecessary /inkscape> at the end of the file.