Wordfast Pro fails to open
You try opening Wordfast Pro 5 but it will not load. Typically, the initial blue WF logo is shown, with the blue comet underneath flying to and fro and the little caption saying Loading window content, but that's where it ends.
Contents
Potential causes and solutions
The problem is usually caused by one of the following conditions.
Wordfast auto-update problem
If WFP5 fails to open right after you auto-updated to a newer version, download, and install the latest version. Supposing the problem developed due to an auto-update issue, running the downloaded installer should resolve the problem.
Corruption in Wordfast's internal information
Windows:
To solve it, use your file manager (typically Windows Explorer). Go to your hard drive (usually C:\) and then follow this path to reach the .gs4tr.editor folder:
- …\Users\your_user_name\.gs4tr.editor[1]
Inside the .gs4tr.editor folder, there should be a folder whose name starts with the version number of Wordfast Pro 5 on your computer, such as 5.11.1_x64 (my current Wordfast Pro version is 5.11.1). Delete this version-specific folder[2]. Wordfast will re-create the folder when it needs it, with a new set of its internal information, without the old corruption.
Open Wordfast Pro 5.
If the problem persists, force-quit Wordfast Pro 5 (if it keeps on loading) and go to the following folder on your computer:
- …\Users\your_user_name\WordfastPro[3]
There should be two files, called application.settings and application.settings.sfc. Rename the files by adding an old. prefix, so their new names will be old.application.settings and old.application.settings.sfc. Wordfast will re-create the files when it needs them, with a new set of its internal information, without the old corruption.
Open Wordfast Pro 5.
MacOS:
To solve it, use Finder and go to the Applications folder. Right-click Wordfast Pro app[4] and select Show package contents. Under Contents ► Java ► configuration, you should see the following two folders:
- org.eclipse.core.runtime
- org.eclipse.osgi
Rename both the files by adding an old. prefix[5]. If you only see one of the folders, rename it. After you do this, the names will be as follows:
- old.org.eclipse.core.runtime
- old.org.eclipse.osgi
Wordfast will re-create the folders when it needs them, with a new set of its internal information, without the old corruption.
Open Wordfast Pro 5.
If the problem persists, force-quit Wordfast Pro 5 (if it keeps on loading) and go to the following folder on your computer:
- ► Users ► your_user_name ► WordfastPro[6]
There should be two files, called application.settings and application.settings.sfc. Rename the files by adding an old. prefix, so their new names will be old.application.settings and old.application.settings.sfc. Wordfast will re-create the files when it needs them, with a new set of its internal information, without the old corruption.
Open Wordfast Pro 5.
Your security software blocking Wordfast Pro 5
Anti-virus programs, firewalls, or other security software may prevent Wordfast Pro 5 from running by blocking some of its key components. To solve the problem, check the settings in your security software and white-list Wordfast Pro 5.
Currently (November 2019), F-Secure anti-virus has been repeatedly reported to block Wordfast Pro 5. To make sure it does not block it, follow the steps mentioned at their website and exclude the following folder from F-Secure's real-time scan:
- C:\Program Files\Wordfast Pro[7]
Other anti-virus programs also usually let you exclude the Wordfast program folder from their real-time scan.
After you exclude the Wordfast program folder in your security software, you may need to reinstall Wordfast Pro in order to restore the file(s) your security software neutralized or quarantined.
Windows Firewall blocking Wordfast Pro 5
Note: These instructions for Windows Firewall may give some hints to users of other firewalls, too.
Windows Defender may display a message saying Windows Firewall has blocked some features of this app with a reference to OpenJDK Platform binary application[8]. It also shows the path to the application, typically C:\Program Files\Wordfast Pro\jre\bin\javaw.exe. The path mentions Wordfast Pro but the name of the application does not, so it's easy to overlook it actually refers to a Wordfast Pro component. Unless you click Allow access (at least for private networks) in the dialog, Windows Firewall will block Wordfast Pro 5.
When the OpenJDK Platform binary component gets blocked by Windows Firewall, which prevents Wordfast Pro from opening, here is what to do: Open Windows Defender and access Firewall and network security section there. Click Allow an app through firewall. Scroll the list of apps to find OpenJDK Platform binary. Click it to select the line in the list. You can click the Details… button to verify it's the C:\Program Files\Wordfast Pro\jre\bin\javaw.exe file. Click Change settings button and then tick the check box under Private (you can also tick Public but it should not be necessary). Click OK to confirm the dialog.
Open Wordfast Pro 5.
References
- ↑ The whole path on my computer is C:\Users\David\.gs4tr.editor because David is my Windows user name and Wordfast Pro is installed in the default C:\ drive on my computer.
- ↑ If you don't want to delete it, you can rename it, say by adding an old_ prefix, so the new name will be, for example, old_5.11.1_x64
- ↑ The whole path on my computer is C:\Users\David\WordfastPro because David is my Windows user name and Wordfast Pro is installed in the default C:\ drive on my computer.
- ↑ If you have several versions of the Wordfast Pro app installed in Applications, this alone can cause issues. We strongly recommend only keeping one instance of Wordfast Pro 5 in Applications.
- ↑ If you repeat this procedure and folders with an old. prefix are already there, use old2. or 'old3.' etc.
- ↑ The whole path on my computer is MacHD ► Users ► David ► WordfastPro because MacHD is the name of my Mac hard drive and David is my Mac user name.
- ↑ Supposing your system is installed to the C:\ drive. If it's in D:\, for example, adjust the path as necessary.
- ↑ This is a key executable file that allows Wordfast Pro to use Java [1].
