Unable to Load RGB effects file error message

[danj]

When I opened xlights tonight (v44), I got error message "unable to load RGB effects file".   I clicked ok then got a popup "XML parsing error, duplicate attribute at line 4".  I then tried to open one of my in-progress sequences and (not surprisingly), xlights wasn't finding any of my models.   So I closed without saving.   I then downloaded v45 to see if maybe it was something weird with the way I loaded v44 last night (usually it is something I did!); got the same error messages.   I then deleted the xlights_rgbeffects.xml file from my xlights folder (I did verify it is in the right place) and saved the backup from last night as the rgbeffects file.   I still got the "unable to load" error message.   When I look at the xlights_rgbeffects.xml file with notepad++, I am seeing all my models there so I think the file is ok.   It is 60 kb in case that means anything....    Not sure what to do next.   I tried several recent versions (v43, v42, v41); all same results.   I also saved one of my xlights_rgbeffects.xbkp files as the xml file; still getting error message....   I posted my xlights_rgbeffects file.   Any help would be very much appreciated!!

[Gilrock]

This happens when someone upgrades an xlights_rgbeffects.xml file to 2016.38 and then goes backwards and forwards again.  You cause a double upgrade so there are duplicate LayoutGroup fields.

[danj]

Thanks Gil.   That is not what happened here, though.  I downloaded v44 last night and used it to make some changes to an in-progress sequence; no problems last night.   When I re-opened xlights tonight, I got the error message.   I tried going backwards to some previous versions thinking that maybe the file got corrupted or something, but as noted in my post that didn't work.   Any ideas where to go from here??
Thanks.

[jnealand]

You will have to manually edit your rgb effects file and remove the duplicates.  Or go back to a backup and use that to replace your rgb effects file.

[Gilrock]

Well specifically I look for the line <effects version="0004"> and if that "effects" tag is either missing or the value is less than "0006" then I do the upgrade.  So somehow that tag was missing from your file or something caused it to be set to a smaller value.

[Gilrock]

I'm putting code in that will prevent the duplicate but there's no way for me to correct it when it won't open so it has to be fixed manually.  Just search for all the "LayoutGroup" tags and delete the ones where its shows up twice for the same model.

[danj]

Thanks very much Jim & Gil.  Gil, I had already done what Jim suggested before you responded.   I really appreciate the help.   I went back to the night before and picked up one of my backups from that night; all is well now.   Thank goodness for backup files!!

[Gilrock]

Meh we could have fixed the file.  I was going to do it as soon as I finished something I was in the middle of but sounds like you got it going.

[danj]

Yessir.   I really appreciate the help!!!!   I was trying to walk thru some basic xlights stuff that I don't usually do; I am prepping to teach an "intro to xlights" at a Mississippi mini this weekend.   This helped me make progress last night!

[danj]

I am still getting the error message or a lack of rgbeffects info--where xlights asks me if I want to reset models...   Tonight I went back to 8/8/16 copy of rgbeffects and that worked.   Is there something I need to do differently?   Running v45...   Thanks.

Posted the rgbeffects file that seemed to do the trick..

[Gilrock]

That's an invalid file because it has <effects version="0005"> and it has "LayoutGroup" attributes but I didn't add the LayoutGroup attributes until version "0006" of the effects file.  There is no way you got into that state unless you saved your models from a new version with an older version.

[Gilrock]

To make it a valid version "0005" effects file you need to delete all the "LayoutGroup" attributes from the file.