0

I have been running jEdit 5.3 for about 1.5 years with no significant problem. On 2017-07-03 I used it and it worked fine. On 2017-07-04, it would not start. jedit and javaw exe's were created, but the jEdit window did not display. I uninstalled version 5.3 and tried to install version 5.4 and got this error: "The installer will now try to quit a running instance of jEdit. Please save your work and exit jEdit for the installation to continue." When I continue, the installer freezes. The same happens if I try to install version 5.3. I did not have a running instance, but the installer thought that I had one. I am guessing that something went wrong with jEdit when I shutdown on the 3rd. (I always intend to close all apps before I shut down, it is possible that I forgot to shutdown jEdit.) Does anyone know how to tell windows 7 to get rid of this phantom instance of jEdit. I am using a backup version of jEdit 4.5.2 for the time being. So, I can continue with my work. I am guessing that this phantom instance also caused the jEdit 5.3 startup problem that I had before the uninstall. 2017-07-15 Update: I tried installing jEdit 5.4 on Saturday and it worked! On my previous try, when I got the 'running instance' warning I stopped, because every other time I continued at the point the installation froze. On Saturday, I tried continuing after the warning, and it worked! My thanks to Ross Rogers and Mr. Vampire for taking the time to give me expert advice. Renaming the roaming jedit file apparently was effective. I am guessing that deleting the server file would have helped also.

Jim P
  • 3
  • 4
  • Did you kill all Jedit processes in Task Manager ( `ctrl` + `alt` + `del` ). If it's in a weird state, you may try nuking all your settings by deleting the folder `C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\jEdit` . In a pinch you can start with "no server" from the command line `"C:\Program Files\jEdit.exe" -noserver`. Running from the command line may also give you more information about what is happening. – Ross Rogers Jul 08 '17 at 13:13
  • Thanks for your response, Ross. There are no jEdit processes displayed in the Task Manager to kill. I renamed the Roaming jEdit folder to jEditBAK and tried to install jEdit 5.4 and got the same error - that an instance of jEdit is running. Unfortunately, I do not have jEdit 5.3 installed anymore to try the -noserver option. Does that option apply to me? I am on a local network with only my laptop and our family desktop.I also got the same install error on the desktop, which I did not expect. If you have any other ideas, please let me know. – Jim P Jul 10 '17 at 13:13
  • The "server" in question is actually a service that runs directly on your machine and serves jedit instances to the local machine. Did you rename the file and restart your machine? Perhaps the jedit instance is still running, but won't be after a restart with the directory renamed. Anyways, do still try the command line as you should get more info. Try the `-noserver` option on any version of jedit. – Ross Rogers Jul 10 '17 at 13:22
  • I did not see any checkmark for Ross Rogers' answer, so I checked Mr. Vampire's answer. – Jim P Jul 17 '17 at 13:48

2 Answers2

0

The most likely cause is a stale server file that points to some other process. jEdit and the installer talks to running instances via the network (TCP) on a port that is opened randomly and written to the server file in your settings directory. If you do not quit jEdit cleanly (e. g. only close the window without using the file menu or the shortcut to completely quit jEdit when the jEdit server is running), then jEdit on next start (or the installer) finds the server file and tried to talk to the process listening on the port written in the file. If there is no process listening, it is assumed that the server file is stale and a new instance of jEdit is started. Unfortunately jEdit is not as grateful if there is some process listening on that port but is not answering, jEdit just waits forever currently. This definitely needs to be improved and I think there is also a ticket for this. Try to delete the server file in your settings directory, by default it is %APPDATA%/jEdit/server on Windows and then try to start jEdit or the installer again.

Vampire
  • 35,631
  • 4
  • 76
  • 102
  • I don't see any server file. This is happening when I try to install jedit 5.5 on windows 10. – js2010 Aug 18 '20 at 16:04
  • Hard to guess then. If jEdit starting or installation hangs, the only case I know is if there is the stale `server` file as described. – Vampire Apr 05 '23 at 13:37
0

I had to add /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES. /VERYSILENT wasn't silent enough. /? doesn't tell you what the options are.

https://www.itninja.com/software/contributors/jedit-1/4-2570

js2010
  • 23,033
  • 6
  • 64
  • 66