Problem

When opening the standalone version of an OpenFlows product or when trying to open or create a hydraulic model, a small window appears with an error like "WaterGEMS has stopped working" (with no other details and no option to submit a crash log) and the program does not open.

Solution

This is a generic crash that can occur in a number of different situations, mostly related to operating system components or other supporting prerequisites. Here are some cases that have come up before:

Case 1

The "Stopped working" error can occur starting with versions that include access to CONNECTION client.

First, make sure you have the most recent version of the CONNECTION Client installed. This can be found in the Windows system tray - you can typically right click and choose to update. Also, try logging into the CONNECTION Client after updating. In some cases you may need to exit the CONNECTION Client and the OpenFlows product, reopen the CONNECTION Client (check the Windows start menu to find it), log in, then open the OpenFlows product.

Also, if possible, try running the OpenFlows product as Administrator - right click on the shortcut and choose "Run as Administrator"

If that doesn't help, try reinstalling CONNECTION Client, then performing a clean reinstallation of the OpenFlows product.

Case 2

This can occur if there is a problem with the Microsoft Visual C++ prerequisite. To resolve this, uninstall all existing versions of Microsoft Visual C++ as seen in the Windows "Programs and Features", then reinstall. Different versions of the OpenFlows product require different versions of the C++ redistributable, as well as other software you may have installed. Reinstall the OpenFlows product after uninstalling the C++ redistributables, and it will reinstall the requires ones, which usually consist of the following versions: 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015 (both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions).

In at least one case, it was found that the Microsoft Visual C++ "2015-2019" (14.26.28619) component needed to be manually installed first.

Case 3

In one case, the problem was resolved by running the program in compatibility mode. Right click on the desktop or start menu shortcut, choose Properties, click the Compatibility tab, then select to run in compatibility mode. Try different options such as Windows 7.

Case 4

This issue can also occur if there is a problem with the Microsoft .NET Framework prerequisite. 

In one case, the Windows Event Viewer Application log contained a separate entry corresponding to the time of the crash, indicating an issue with "CLR20r3".  Running a scan on the system resulted in the following:

It appears the issue has to do with the .NET Framework component that is a part of the operating system.  The user had a repair done on his operating system to resolve this issue. 

In another case, a full reinstallation was necessary:

1) Uninstall the OpenFlows product (from Windows "Programs and Features"). Preferably, do a clean reinstallation (removing leftover components after uninstalling)

2) Uninstall all Microsoft .NET framework versions, which need to be uninstalled in descending order. This may require you to uninstall Windows Media Player.

3) Restart your computer

4) Perform a registry cleanup. (Perform this step if comfortable - if not, try proceeding to the next steps) This can be done with a number of registry cleanup utilities, such as "CCleaner". This may locate and repair missing entries related to .NET Framework.

5) Reinstall and check if the error no longer occurs. Reinstallation of .NET Frameworks may also require reinstallation of Windows Media Center.

6) If the problem still occurs, try checking for any new additional updates to the .NET framework that are available. You may also want to check for recent Windows Updates of ".NET security and quality rollup".

Possible related links: 1 | 2

Case 5

If using a 64-bit Operating System, try opening the 32-bit version of the program first, create a new model, then try opening the program normally (such as from the Desktop shortcut). For example the 32-bit version of WaterCAD is C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\WaterCAD\WaterCAD.exe

Case 6

Another option would be to run a Repair on the program through the Control Panel (Control Panel > Programs and Features). Click on the product name in the list and find the Uninstall button at the top of the list.  Click Uninstall and a dialog will display with the option to Repair the installation.

Also, if you are a local Administrator on your computer, you can right-click on the shortcut for the program and select Properties. In the Compatibility tab, place check mark for the item "Run this program as an administrator". Also click on "Change settings for all users" and make sure that "Run this program as an administrator" is set from there as well.

Case 7

Products: FlowMaster 08.11.01.03, PondPack 08.11.01.56

Note: This workaround will not apply to OpenFlows applications other than the ones listed above.

Try opening the following managed starter file.

• For FlowMaster: C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\FlowMaster\FlowMaster.Starter.exe
• For PondPack: C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\PondPack8\Haestad.PondPack.Starter.exe

Opening the application using this file should not have any adverse effects. If the program opens without the error, then do the following to create a desktop shortcut.

1. Right-click on the file listed above, which corresponds to the application having the issue > Create Shortcut > Yes (to place it on your desktop).
2. Right-click on the new desktop shortcut > Properties > Compatibility tab > Change settings for all users > Check "Run this program as an administrator" > Apply > OK > OK.

Case 8

If this issue occurs with a specific model, try the following:

First, try compacting the database. To do this, close the model but leave the product open. Go to Tools > Database Utilities > Compact Database. Select the database file and choose the option to purge the model to save space. Once completed, open the model and see if the issue still occurs.

This is an indication that the output files are too large or numerous. Try creating a new folder and moving just the starter file and the database file (.wtg and .wtg.sqlite for the water products, .stsw and .stsw.sqlite for the storm and sewer products) to the new folder. Once done, open the model from the new folder location.

If that doesn't help, try importing the database into a new drawing. This is done by going to File > Import > (product name) database. 

Lastly, you can also try deleting the engineering library database.  Go to c:\users\<user name>\AppData\Roaming\Bentley\EngineeringLibraries and delete EngineeringLibraries.mdb and EngineeringLibraries.sqlite.  Make sure the program is closed when you do this.  When you open the program again, the files will get re-created. Note: Custom items in the engineering library will be lost if you do this.

What if none of these help?

Generate a "dump" file and send it to technical support for investigation. To do this:

1.     Start the OpenFlows product (such as WaterCAD)

2.     Do not close the Application has stopped working window

3.     Run Windows Task Manager (press Ctrl-Shift-Esc or right click in the bar at the bottom of the screen and select “Start Task Manager”)

4.     In Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and right-click on the crashed process

5.     Select Create Dump File

You can compress this into a zip file and upload it as an attachment to your forum post here or your service request here (log in to the CONNECTION Center then click the "New Service Request" link). If the file is too large, request an upload link from technical support.

See Also

When opening WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, or SewerGEMS the splash screen displays then goes away