Mac app not opening

January 8, 2006 6:55 AM

MacFilter. One of my applications won't open from finder.

I am running OSX. I installed an app last night (Stellarium) that is a memory hog, but was running fine. When I tried to open it again, the icon expanded like it usually does when you open an app, then nothing. It does not appear in the status bar or in the activity monitor, so it is not running. I ran disk utility, but no help. Any ideas on why this won't open but appears as if it is? (It's a great free app if you like starwatching, btw)

posted by gingembre to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Applications->Utilities->Console likely has some sort of crash report.
posted by scottreynen at 7:22 AM on January 8, 2006

Whoa! Didn't know about Console, but now I see the benefit. It gave me this report:

Loading configuration file /Users/ginger/Library/Preferences/Stellarium.ini ...
sdl: Couldn't set 1280x1024 video mode (No video mode large enough for 1280x1024), retrying with stencil size 0
sdl: Couldn't set 1280x1024 video mode: No video mode large enough for 1280x1024!
2006-01-07 20:43:20.863 Stellarium[417] Window menu = 0x630700
2006-01-07 20:43:20.864 Stellarium[417] Minimize
2006-01-07 20:43:20.865 Stellarium[417] Window menu item
2006-01-07 20:43:20.865 Stellarium[417] Main menu
2006-01-07 20:43:20.868 Stellarium[417] NSApp Window menu = 0x630700

So what I think I did was set the resolution too high in the program and now my video card won't open it. SO... follow up question: How can I reset the resolution of the program so it will open up? Am I in catch-22 land? Obvs, IANAProgrammer.
posted by gingembre at 7:38 AM on January 8, 2006

Based on the console info, if you go to your home folder/Library/Preferences folder you should find a file called Stellarium.ini. Just delete that and the program will go back to the defaults and create a new preferences file.
posted by teg at 7:43 AM on January 8, 2006

(In case that was unclear, I mean the program will create a new preferences file, all you'll have to do is delete the file, then restart the Stellarium program.)
posted by teg at 7:45 AM on January 8, 2006

Success! Thanks AskMefe!!
posted by gingembre at 7:52 AM on January 8, 2006

Er...MeFi. MeFites. All y'all.
posted by gingembre at 7:53 AM on January 8, 2006

Just in case Googlers ever come across this thread, this symptom can also be found if you're on 10.3 and trying to run a 10.4-only app.
posted by WCityMike at 9:35 AM on January 8, 2006