Warning: Critical Error writing preferences.


Reference Number: KB-03074
Last Modified: July 15, 2024

The information in this article applies to:

Chief Architect Premier or Chief Architect InteriorsHome Designer Professional or Home Designer Architectural or Home Designer Suite



QUESTION

I am receiving the following error message:

  • "Warning #272032510 - Critical Error writing preferences."

How can I fix the problem?


ANSWER

Receiving a critical error when the software tries to write to the file that stores information from the program's Preferences typically indicates a problem with read/write permissions on the computer. This may have been caused by an operating system upgrade where permissions were not migrated forward correctly, or if your company's IT department locked down certain aspects of the user account so that when you are logged in, the software cannot write to the location that it needs to.


To resolve this error on Microsoft Windows

You must have read/write permissions to the location where the Preferences file is saved, which is:

C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Chief Architect Inc

Note: Please visit Microsoft's Support page on how to Show hidden files if you have trouble browsing to this location. 

If you are unfamiliar with checking read/write permissions, or do not have access to do so when logged in to your user account, then please contact Microsoft, your computer manufacturer, or a local certified computer technician in your area for further assistance.

If you have checked the read/write permissions, or adjusted them and rebooted the computer, but the issue continues, then you need to create a new user account on the system with full administrative rights. See the appropriate resource below for instructions on this process.

If the error does not display when signed in under the new user account with full administrative rights, then you will want to migrate your files over to the new user account for use in Chief Architect.


To resolve this error on Apple macOS

You must have read/write permissions to the location where the Preferences file is saved, which is:

/Users/admin/.config/Chief Architect Inc

Additionally, you may have to provide Full Disk Access to the Chief Architect or Home Designer program.

To do this, select the Apple menu, click on System Settings, then select the Privacy & Security category. Locate the Full Disk Access option and select it. Allow the Chief Architect/Home Designer program full disk access by enabling the toggle to the right of the application.

In prior macOS versions, navigate to Apple> System Preferences, click on the Security & Privacy category, then select the Privacy tab on the next window that appears. Scroll down to the Full Disk Access section on the left and select it. Allow the Chief Architect/Home Designer program full disk access by checking the box to the left of the application.

Chief Architect program with Full Disk Access


If the Chief Architect/Home Designer program is not listed in this section, select the Add + sign to open Finder and select the Chief Architect/Home Designer program from the Applications list.

Note: You may need to provide your user account password to make changes in this section.

If the "+" symbol is grayed out and you're unable to click on it, you may be using macOS Monterey 12 or prior and will need to click on the padlock icon in the lower left corner before you can make changes.

If providing Full Disk Access does not resolve the error, and you're unfamiliar with checking read/write permissions, or do not have access to do so when logged in to your user account, then please contact Apple or a local certified computer technician in your area for further assistance.

If you have checked the read/write permissions, or adjusted them, but the issue continues, then you need to create a new user account on the system with full administrative rights. See the appropriate resource below for instructions on this process.

If the error does not display when signed in under the new user account with full administrative rights, then you will want to migrate your files over to the new user account.