OpenBCI GUI freeze, couldn't create a writer [resolved, antivirus]
Hello, I'm using an Ultracortex Mark IV with cyton board (8 channels) for emotion and motion detection in EEG data and it used to work just fine on my old laptop. I recently changed laptops and now every time I try to start up a session, everything works until I start the datastream, at which point the GUI freezes (window stays on, but all buttons are frozen and the frequency displays remain flat:

My specs are:
- OS: Windows 10;
- GUI version: openbcigui_v5.0.9_2021-11-06_00-16-07_windows64
Note that there is no problem connecting the cyton board to my computer. The GUI recognizes the USB dongle just fine, I'm strictly following the start-up instructions from the starting guide (https://docs.openbci.com/GettingStarted/Boards/CytonGS/), and the LEDs flicker as intended. Everything seems to be going ok, until it crashes when clicking the "start data stream" button.
Here are also a couple of similar posts on the forum, none of which solved my issue:
- https://openbci.com/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/941/ganglion-v2-gui-freezes-on-start-system
- https://openbci.com/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/2174/data-stream-wont-start-resolved-railed
- https://openbci.com/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/3098/cyton-connected-but-no-data-stream
- https://github.com/OpenBCI/OpenBCI_GUI/issues/118
Note that the issue only seems to happen with the "Start Data Stream" button. If I don't click on it, the rest of the GUI works fine. This enables me to also post the log of my session:
Error! Failed to open C:\Users\romai\Documents\OpenBCI_GUI\Console_Data\Console_2022-01-10_12-58-18.txt for write.
java.lang.RuntimeException: Couldn't create a writer for C:\Users\romai\Documents\OpenBCI_GUI\Console_Data\Console_2022-01-10_12-58-18.txt
Console Log Started at Local Time: 2022-01-10_12-58-18
Screen Resolution: 1920 X 1080
High-DPI Screen Detected: false
Operating System: Windows
Welcome to the Processing-based OpenBCI GUI!
For more information, please visit: https://docs.openbci.com/Software/OpenBCISoftware/GUIDocs/
OpenBCI_GUI::Setup: GUI v5 Sample Data exists in Documents folder.
OpenBCI_GUI::Settings: Found and loaded existing GUI-wide Settings from file.
ControlP5 2.3.1 infos, comments, questions at http://www.sojamo.de/libraries/controlP5
TopNav: Internet Connection Successful
Local Version: v5.0.9, Latest Version: v5.0.9
GUI is up to date!
OpenBCI_GUI: AuditoryFeedback: Loading Audio...
OpenBCI_GUI: AuditoryFeedback: Done Loading Audio!
OpenBCI_GUI::Control Panel: Playback history file not found.
OpenBCI_GUI::Setup: Setup is complete!
sourceList: click!
OpenBCI_GUI: Channel count set to 8
ControlPanel: Found Cyton Dongle on COM port: COM3
-------------------------------------------------
ControlPanel: Attempting to Auto-Connect to Cyton
-------------------------------------------------
ControlPanel: Found Cyton Dongle on COM port: COM3
Success: Host and Device on Channel number: 20 using COM port: COM3
[DEFAULT]: Attempting to Start Session...
initButtonPressed: Calling initSystem() after next draw()
OpenBCI_GUI: Start session. Calling initSystem().
=================================================
|| INITIALIZING SYSTEM ||
=================================================
OpenBCI_GUI: Configuring Cyton Channel Count...
Sending config string to board: c
OpenBCI_GUI: Channel count set to 8
InitSettings: Saving Default Settings to file!
SessionSettings: 3 active widgets saved!
[SUCCESS]: Session started!
ConsoleLog: Copying console log to clipboard!
ConsoleLog: Copying console log to clipboard!
ConsoleLog: Copying console log to clipboard!
ConsoleLog: Copying console log to clipboard!
ConsoleLog: Copying console log to clipboard!
==> So it seems it has to do with an inability to open a text file to write to. I have no idea how to solve this though. Any help would be greatly appreciated
.
Comments
Found a similar issue here :https://openbci.com/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/2738/windows-openbci-gui-freezes-resolved ==> It's a problem with read/write access for the program.
I tried running OpenBCI GUI as Administrator but this didn't solve the problem. But adding an exception for my OpenBCI_GUI folder to my antivirus (AVG) did the trick! GUI works fine again.