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Errors

Practice CS doesn't open or start

Scenario

Sometimes Practice CS doesn't open or start.

Cause

Sometimes, no error message is displayed after attempting to launch Practice CS. Many of these issues are due to interference from third-party applications within the workstation or server environment.

Troubleshooting Questions

To narrow down the cause of the issue, consider the following troubleshooting questions.
If you have a network installation of the application and the application doesn't open on one workstation, go to a different workstation to try it there.
  • If the application does open from another workstation, there's an issue with the first workstation.
  • If it doesn't open from any other workstation, there may be an issue on the server level. This includes a bad installation, lack of permissions, and third-party interference.
If you are troubleshooting a specific workstation that can't launch the application, have another person sign in to the workstation as a different user and attempt to launch the application.
  • If the application does open while logged in as a different user, it indicates that there is an issue specific to the original user.
  • If you can't open the application while logged onto the workstation as a different user, then the issue is specific to the workstation environment.
Error messages are sometimes helpful as they can explain the specific cause of the behavior.
If you have a specific error message, search the this site for the error message to see if there is a specific resolution.
If you were able to launch the application previously, something has changed in your operating environment. If this is the case, it is important to review possible changes in your operating in that time frame such as third-party applications installed, updates to antivirus and firewall applications, updates to the operating system, etc.
If you have other CS Professional Suite applications installed, attempt to open one of the applications.
If you are able to open a different CS application, it will narrow your troubleshooting specifically to Practice CS.
If you are not able to open a different CS application, it indicates that something is affecting the whole CS Professional Suite. Likely possibilities include lack of permissions to the WinCSI directory or third-party interference.

Solution 1: user-specific steps

It is possible that user's Practice CS user profile is corrupt, which can potentially cause the program not to launch properly for them. To resolve this:
  1. On the machine the user is on, in the file explorer browse out to
    C:\Users\<UID>\AppData\Local\Creative Solutions\Practice CS
     (where
    <UID>
     represents the user's Windows profile name).
  2. Rename the file
    ClientSettings.xml
     (Example: appending .old to the file so it becomes ClientSettings.old). If you receive a message stating this may make the file unusable and if you're sure, click
    Yes
    .
  3. Attempt to launch the application again.
    • If you are now able to launch the application, no further troubleshooting is required.
    • If you are not able launch the application, you may rename the user preference file back to the original file name and continue troubleshooting.
To manually clear a user's Temp directory:
  1. Close all applications.
  2. Go to the
    Start
     menu.
  3. In the Search programs and files input, type
    %temp%
    . Then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. This will open your local Temp directory.
  4. Select all (CTRL + A on your keyboard) the items in the directory, then hit the
    Delete
     key on your keyboard. Click
    Yes
     to the Delete Multiple Items dialog box.
    • If you are prompted with the File In Use or Folder In Use dialog box, mark the checkbox
      Do this for all current items
       and select
      Skip
      .
  5. Attempt to launch the application.
    • If you are now able to launch the application, no further troubleshooting is required.
    • If you are not able launch the application, continue troubleshooting.
If you are able to launch the application from a workstation as an administrator, or while logged in as a local administrator or domain administrator but not as a user, then it indicates that there is a permissions issue for the user. Additionally, you may receive an error message that either states it is a permissions issue, or we have determined it to be related.
Check the user permissions.

Workstation and server-specific steps

Practice CS requires Microsoft SQL Server (SQL). In most cases where you are unable to fully launch Practice CS, it is SQL related and you will often receive an error message that references this.
Listed here are examples of other third-party applications that can prevent Practice CS from opening.
Antivirus Applications
Antivirus applications are necessary to protect your workstation or server environmental from viruses, spyware, malware and other harmful and unknown threats. Thomson Reuters does not recommend running a machine without an antivirus program installed. At the same time, Thomson Reuters does not recommend a specific brand or type of antivirus application. What we do recommend is that the proper exclusions and exceptions are made within your antivirus application to prevent any potential interference with any CS application.
Firewall
While firewalls (whether software or hardware) are important to control the flow traffic of information in and out of your network, they can sometimes interfere with Practice CS if not configured properly. This may cause Practice CS not to open properly and can occur with the SQL instance on the server the program is using, or with the local executable the application installs on each workstation.
Windows Components
Practice CS requires .NET Framework and Visual C++, two Windows operating system components, to run the application. If one of the Windows components is not installed or corrupt, it may prevent Practice CS from opening.

This article applies to:

  • Product: Practice CS