Project Centre crashes *every* time

[markg5]

As it says, really. I only use the "big three" apps in Office 2k4, but
recently I decided to use the Project Centre, as it was part of the whole
package and seemed a good way of keeping things organised. However each time
I try to add something the error notification opens (or rather doesn't - I
get the dock icon, but nothing else!) and the app that called the Project
Centre needs to be Force Quitted from Activity Monitor (the normal way
doesn't work!).
When I open Entourage "manually" it needs the "Shift-when-starting" salute
each time. I have used the uninstall and reinstall everything technique
twice. I have deleted loads of prefs. Everything is up-to-date. (Both MS Apps
and Tiger) and I have a 1.25GHz iMac with .75GB RAM (and, unfortunately
loads of Third Party apps I don't want to drop).

Can you help?
It's a case of one last chance, otherwise I will make my own Project Centre
by adding aliases to separate folders, and perhaps using DragThing to launch
them from a new dock.
Thanks

 

[Barry Wainwright]

A few more details, please...

You say you are using the 'project centre' - I presume that you mean you
have switched into the project centre overview pane of the main browser
window? (Some people confuse 'Project Centre' with 'project gallery' - two
similarly named entities that do completely different things).

Have you any projects defined in there? Were you able to make a new project,
or is that where you get the crash?

Are any of the projects 'shared', or are they all local to yourself?

If you haven't made any projects, can you subscribe to one made by someone
else?

I am also a little unclear about what you mean by "when I open Entourage
'Manually'...". Also, what is the 'shift-when-starting' salute - do you mean
'option' to start, which triggers the database utility for repair or
compact?

 

[markg5]

A few more details, please...

Sure ...

You say you are using the 'project centre' - I presume that you mean you
have switched into the project centre overview pane of the main browser
window?

Yes. I hit the red toolbox to get the panel open and click the briefcase(?)
icon

Have you any projects defined in there?

Just the one. I was going to try it out first. Currently it has 5 Word dox
and 2 Excel ones.

Were you able to make a new project, or is that where you get the crash?

The crash comes when I try to add new ones to the Project

Are any of the projects 'shared', or are they all local to yourself?

All mine - no sharing ... they are for my own "organisation"

If you haven't made any projects, can you subscribe to one made by someone
else?

That isn't really possible. I use Office at home. The only other person on
the network is my wife (with a valid product key under the terms of the
license) and she needs me to sort this out before she dares commit to
something!

I am also a little unclear about what you mean by "when I open Entourage
'Manually'..."

i.e. clicking the icon in the Finder, rather than having Word call it into
existence via the Project Centre

Also, what is the 'shift-when-starting' salute - do you mean
'option' to start

No; I read somewhere that holding down the shift key solves problems. As it
is, not doing this gives me the grey background to the splash screen then
calls the error reporter (which is now starting to crash!). Holding down
shift gets me all the way into the app.

Thanks for the time ... anymore info I can add, just yell!

 

[Mickey Stevens]

Sure ...


No; I read somewhere that holding down the shift key solves problems. As it
is, not doing this gives me the grey background to the splash screen then
calls the error reporter (which is now starting to crash!). Holding down
shift gets me all the way into the app.

Holding down the Shift key at startup keeps schedules from running. Since
that's the only way you can start up, it's one of your schedules running on
launch that's causing the problem. When you're in Entourage, go to Tools >
Schedules, and open each one. Make a note of which ones are set to run "At
Startup".

I suspect it will be a schedule that receives or sends mail. If so, check
the Outbox to make sure there's nothing set to be sent. If there is, delete
it.

If that doesn't seem to correct the problem, be aware that there are some
types of messages that will crash any version of Entourage regardless of
whether the Junk Filter is turned on or off. If you are crashing on
receiving mail, it is likely happening because of a corrupt message on the
server. Work through the steps on the "Crashes" page on The Entourage Help
Page to resolve the problem. Basically, you need to remove damaged messages
from the server to restore your ability to download from the account in
Entourage.
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/send_receive/crashes_hangs.html>

Alternatively, if you don't use Entourage for mail, you can simply uncheck
the "Enabled" box for the "Send & Receive All" schedule, which will probably
fix the problem.

 

[markg5]

Holding down the Shift key at startup keeps schedules from running. Since
that's the only way you can start up, it's one of your schedules running on
launch that's causing the problem. I suspect it will be a schedule that

receives or sends mail.

Yep. The only schedules were the default "send and receive", "empty trash"
and "send all". I unchecked them - I use "Mail" as my default mail app. I am
also working off-line with Notifications turned off.

Nope. Still crashes. I'm going to try the rebuild database thing ....

*BLUSH*
The "shift" was a red-herring. When I was waiting for the rebuild I thought I
would read the logs (in Console). I came across
"LaunchCFMApp[738]: [Silk] Shift Key was held down. Disabling Silk
completely."
Silk is a font "haxie". I have had no problems in the other Office apps and
had forgotten about it. Adding Entourage to the excluded apps seems to have
helped.

Sorry for wasting your time - I will now let unsanity know!

 

[Allen Watson]

Holding down the Shift key at startup keeps schedules from running. Since
that's the only way you can start up, it's one of your schedules running on
launch that's causing the problem. I suspect it will be a schedule that
receives or sends mail.
Yep. The only schedules were the default "send and receive", "empty
trash" and "send all". I unchecked them - I use "Mail" as my default
mail app. I am also working off-line with Notifications turned off.

Nope. Still crashes. I'm going to try the rebuild database thing ....

*BLUSH* The "shift" was a red-herring. When I was waiting for the
rebuild I thought I would read the logs (in Console). I came across
"LaunchCFMApp[738]: [Silk] Shift Key was held down. Disabling Silk
completely."
Silk is a font "haxie". I have had no problems in the other Office apps
and had forgotten about it. Adding Entourage to the excluded apps seems
to have helped.

Sorry for wasting your time - I will now let unsanity know!

Thanks for giving us the feedback; that's useful information.