Character Builder crashing - PLEASE HELP! - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Character Builder crashing - PLEASE HELP!

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
felton9012
Feb 22, 2010 23:16:45 I've had the CB since it came out and have had absolutely no problems with it until now. I'm running Windows XP SP3 on Parallels Desktop for my Mac and it has worked just fine. However, as of yesterday I can't open the CB. It crashes on startup and the error report comes up saying, "Configuration system failed to initialize." I then click don't send report and I get another error message that says:

System.ArgumentException: Parameter is not valid.
at System.Drawing.Font.GetHeight(Graphics graphics)
at System.Drawing.Font.GetHeight()
at System.Drawing.Font.get_Height()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.get_FontHeight()
at [].[]..ctor([] , [] )
at [].[].[][]([] )
at [].[].[](Exception , Boolean )

Note: the [] shows up as a full square in the error message, but I don't know how to make those here.

This message flashes for a second and then disappears and the program closes out. (I had to take a quick screen shot just so I could copy all this down).

I have looked around the forums and interwebs to try and find a fix and some people have said to try uninstall the CB and all .NET framework versions and then reinstall. This did not work for me.

I don't know if this is related at all but the Adventure Tools work perfectly fine with no problems.

If anyone can help me out with this situation, I'd really appreciate it! I don't want to pay for this program and not have it working!

Thanks!
#2
felton9012
Feb 24, 2010 17:06:41 bump
#3
ORC_Wyvern
Feb 25, 2010 11:19:16 Hi Felton,
I'm sorry to read that you're having trouble with Character Builder. Have you tried contacting Customer Service?

Log in using your forums account log in information, then choose "Email Us", then "Online Gaming" then "D&D Insider" then "Report a bug"

Hope this helps!
#4
pchela
Feb 27, 2010 17:32:08 I'm having this exact same problem. I'm using VMware Fusion on my Mac and it worked fine up until yesterday. I reinstalled and it worked before I updated the software.... after the update, nothing.
#5
sharper
Mar 04, 2010 3:36:35 I have the exact same problem as well. I tried repairing it, and that didn't work. I uninstalled and reinstalled, that didn't work either.

I did find a temporary fix for this. I noticed there was another folder called CharBuilderFull_p . I just use the program in there.

What I did in detail...

Right click the Character Builder icon on your desktop and choose properties.

In the box labeled " Start in: " add \CharBuilderFull_p to the end.

Mine looks like this, with the quotes and everything.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Wizards of the Coast\Character Builder\CharBuilderFull_p"

Hope this helps.
#6
felton9012
Mar 04, 2010 9:50:38 Sharper - I have not found a folder named CharBuilderFull_p anywhere on my computer. I ran a search for it and found nothing. When I tried putting that into the "start in" box, it said the path was not valid. Where did you find that folder?
#7
sharper
Mar 04, 2010 13:32:28 It's in the Character Builder folder on my pc. It has all of the same files, except for HeroicDemo.update and CharBuilderFull.version . It's just like having another copy of the CB on my computer. No idea how it got there.

The path to your CB may be different from mine, so don't type it in verbatim. Go to your CB folder and see what's in it.

Honestly, I didn't fix anything. Everything I tried failed. I spent hours searching that error (System.ArgumentException: Parameter is not valid) on the internet. I tried copying all of the files from the good CB to the non-working one. I removed the two files I listed above from the old CB folder. Nothing I did had any effect. If it wasn't for the extra copy, mine wouldn't be working at all.
#8
sharper
Mar 04, 2010 13:40:33
Had an idea and it worked. So try this.

I right clicked on my desktop and made a new folder. (I called it CB, but the name shouldn't matter.)
I copied all of the files from the non-working Character Builder into it. I didn't copy anything from SampleChars, SamplePortraits, or CharBuilderFull_p.
From the new folder I just made, I double clicked CharacterBuilder.exe and it worked - no error message.
#9
felton9012
Mar 04, 2010 14:11:59 Oh my. You are my hero, Sharper! It works! Thank you for figuring that out!
#10
sharper
Mar 04, 2010 14:42:33 Haven't tried it, but you could probably move that new folder anywhere you want. Don't have to keep it on your desktop.

And the updater should also work if you make a shortcut to it and put the correct arguments at the end.( A shortcut to CharacterBuilderUpdater.exe with the arguments RealCharacterBuilderUpdater.exe and app.config . Right clicking the original Character Builder shortcut on your desktop and looking in the box labeled Target: should provide an example, only the path will be different.

And I'm glad to be able to help!
#11
Plulop
Mar 05, 2010 19:09:31 For what it's worth, the Program Files (x86) folder is one I've only seen in Windows 7 64-bit, which I upgraded to from Windows XP... where it would just be labelled "Program Files". Which might explain why the first link wasn't valid verbatim.

Good solve there, Sharper!
#12
felton9012
Mar 06, 2010 14:43:40 Update: I've gone through and changed my shortcut icon's path and target and now it starts up perfectly with the updater. Thanks again, Sharper.
#13
reddrick
Mar 07, 2010 16:42:54
i downloaded the demo and it starts up just fine but when i try to select a race or change tabs it crashes. anyone got an idea for me?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 felton9012 Feb 22, 2010 23:16:45	I've had the CB since it came out and have had absolutely no problems with it until now. I'm running Windows XP SP3 on Parallels Desktop for my Mac and it has worked just fine. However, as of yesterday I can't open the CB. It crashes on startup and the error report comes up saying, "Configuration system failed to initialize." I then click don't send report and I get another error message that says: System.ArgumentException: Parameter is not valid. at System.Drawing.Font.GetHeight(Graphics graphics) at System.Drawing.Font.GetHeight() at System.Drawing.Font.get_Height() at System.Windows.Forms.Control.get_FontHeight() at [].[]..ctor([] , [] ) at [].[].[][]([] ) at [].[].[](Exception , Boolean ) Note: the [] shows up as a full square in the error message, but I don't know how to make those here. This message flashes for a second and then disappears and the program closes out. (I had to take a quick screen shot just so I could copy all this down). I have looked around the forums and interwebs to try and find a fix and some people have said to try uninstall the CB and all .NET framework versions and then reinstall. This did not work for me. I don't know if this is related at all but the Adventure Tools work perfectly fine with no problems. If anyone can help me out with this situation, I'd really appreciate it! I don't want to pay for this program and not have it working! Thanks!
#2 felton9012 Feb 24, 2010 17:06:41	bump
#3 ORC_Wyvern Feb 25, 2010 11:19:16	Hi Felton, I'm sorry to read that you're having trouble with Character Builder. Have you tried contacting Customer Service? Log in using your forums account log in information, then choose "Email Us", then "Online Gaming" then "D&D Insider" then "Report a bug" Hope this helps!
#4 pchela Feb 27, 2010 17:32:08	I'm having this exact same problem. I'm using VMware Fusion on my Mac and it worked fine up until yesterday. I reinstalled and it worked before I updated the software.... after the update, nothing.
#5 sharper Mar 04, 2010 3:36:35	I have the exact same problem as well. I tried repairing it, and that didn't work. I uninstalled and reinstalled, that didn't work either. I did find a temporary fix for this. I noticed there was another folder called CharBuilderFull_p . I just use the program in there. What I did in detail... Right click the Character Builder icon on your desktop and choose properties. In the box labeled " Start in: " add \CharBuilderFull_p to the end. Mine looks like this, with the quotes and everything. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Wizards of the Coast\Character Builder\CharBuilderFull_p" Hope this helps.
#6 felton9012 Mar 04, 2010 9:50:38	Sharper - I have not found a folder named CharBuilderFull_p anywhere on my computer. I ran a search for it and found nothing. When I tried putting that into the "start in" box, it said the path was not valid. Where did you find that folder?
#7 sharper Mar 04, 2010 13:32:28	It's in the Character Builder folder on my pc. It has all of the same files, except for HeroicDemo.update and CharBuilderFull.version . It's just like having another copy of the CB on my computer. No idea how it got there. The path to your CB may be different from mine, so don't type it in verbatim. Go to your CB folder and see what's in it. Honestly, I didn't fix anything. Everything I tried failed. I spent hours searching that error (System.ArgumentException: Parameter is not valid) on the internet. I tried copying all of the files from the good CB to the non-working one. I removed the two files I listed above from the old CB folder. Nothing I did had any effect. If it wasn't for the extra copy, mine wouldn't be working at all.
#8 sharper Mar 04, 2010 13:40:33	Had an idea and it worked. So try this. I right clicked on my desktop and made a new folder. (I called it CB, but the name shouldn't matter.) I copied all of the files from the non-working Character Builder into it. I didn't copy anything from SampleChars, SamplePortraits, or CharBuilderFull_p. From the new folder I just made, I double clicked CharacterBuilder.exe and it worked - no error message.
#9 felton9012 Mar 04, 2010 14:11:59	Oh my. You are my hero, Sharper! It works! Thank you for figuring that out!
#10 sharper Mar 04, 2010 14:42:33	Haven't tried it, but you could probably move that new folder anywhere you want. Don't have to keep it on your desktop. And the updater should also work if you make a shortcut to it and put the correct arguments at the end.( A shortcut to CharacterBuilderUpdater.exe with the arguments RealCharacterBuilderUpdater.exe and app.config . Right clicking the original Character Builder shortcut on your desktop and looking in the box labeled Target: should provide an example, only the path will be different. And I'm glad to be able to help!
#11 Plulop Mar 05, 2010 19:09:31	For what it's worth, the Program Files (x86) folder is one I've only seen in Windows 7 64-bit, which I upgraded to from Windows XP... where it would just be labelled "Program Files". Which might explain why the first link wasn't valid verbatim. Good solve there, Sharper!
#12 felton9012 Mar 06, 2010 14:43:40	Update: I've gone through and changed my shortcut icon's path and target and now it starts up perfectly with the updater. Thanks again, Sharper.
#13 reddrick Mar 07, 2010 16:42:54	i downloaded the demo and it starts up just fine but when i try to select a race or change tabs it crashes. anyone got an idea for me?