WinGRASS errors

Due to the varieties of MS-Windows versions existing, a series of problems with the WinGRASS Installation have been identified (and solved):

The GRASS GIS (winGRASS) exits immediately after I start it!

First note that GRASS GIS 6.4.3 and later 'suggest to install the needed "Important Microsoft runtime libraries" already during the installation process (on the same install wizard page offering to download sample datasets), so you should make sure that you check this option during installation. If you are sure about that or the step ended with error, follow the instructions bellow.

You may need to install Microsoft's .NET Framework. You can download it here.

If it still asks for MSVCP100.dll, download it here.

If the above does not help, ends with error, or if it says that you already have everyting, you can reproduce steps which the installer is doing.

1. Download msvcrt-1.0.1-12.tar.bz2 archive
2. Uncompress the archive. Note that it is tar.bz2, so to uncompress it use 7-Zip or something else which can handle tar.bz2.
3. Then run EXE files from the bin directory:
   • vcredist_2005_x86.exe
   • vcredist_2008_x86.exe
   • vcredist_2010_x86.exe
4. Then copy all DLL files from the bin directory to the extrabin directory in GRASS GIS (installation) directory (the one you choose during the installation).
5. Test if GRASS is running now, if not make sure that you have tried all the steps and try again. If this does not help, please write to the grass-user mailing list.

Error message "ImportError: cannot import name MAXREPEAT"

A system-wide Python installation (2.7.2, independent of GRASS) may cause the trouble. Replacing this system-wide Python installation with version 2.7.4 (or newer 2.7.x), instead of 2.7.2, solves the problem.

A variant of the problem is also seen with "import re" appearing in the error message. The solution is the same: upgrade the system-wide installed version.

Note that you can also try to remove the system-wide installation but this has a higher risk of breaking some (part) other applciation which depends on the system-wide Python.

Error message "The ordinal 63 could not be located in the dynamic link libexpat.dll."

You have likely an old "libexpat.dll" in your directory %WINDIR%\system32 (or %WINDIR%\sysWOW64). Try to rename that file (or delete after backup). Then winGRASS should work.

Error message "The ordinal 32 could not be located in the dynamic link library proj.dll."

You have likely an old "proj.dll" in your directory %WINDIR%\system32 (or %WINDIR%\sysWOW64). Try to rename that file (or delete after backup). Then winGRASS should work.

The winGRASS user interface shows up in the wrong language for me!

MSys users should be setting the LANG, LC_MESSAGES etc. variables in ~/.bash_profile (etc) if they want it set to a specific locale other than the default locale of the system.

This and that is not functioning in my winGRASS installation!

May happen, we are working on it :) Please visit the Errata page and the WinGRASS Current Status page

Error message "This application has failed to start because libintl3.dll was not found". (or libiconv2.dll and/or regex2.dll)

Reinstalling of the "msys" package in the OSGeo4W installer will bring it back.

Error message "libfreetype-6.dll not installed" (similar wording)

You may need to install "libfreetype-6.dll" on your system. For this, launch the OSGeo4W Network Installer > Advanced Install, type freetype in the search box and do the freetype packages installation.

Perhaps I got platform specific issues!

OK, check the comments for winGRASS on XP/2000 or Windows7

The startup fails with a GISDBASE not defined error

Maybe there is junk in the session configuration file (%APPDATA%\GRASS6\grassrc6). To test, rename it and a new one will be created next time you run GRASS GIS:

• Note that AppData is a hidden folder
• the grassrc6 file is usually found in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\GRASS6\grassrc6
• rename it e.g. to grassrc6.old
• restart GRASS GIS

See also

• Known Issues in winGRASS
• MacOSX GRASS errors