Mailspring: Avoid corruption of config.json on unexpected shutdown

[brandondube]

Unexpected shutdowns (e.g. OS crash) will cause config.json to become corrupted. I believe this is because Mailspring keeps it open for R/W axis, so it becomes corrupted if Mailspring doesn't shut down properly.

The client should behave in a way that is robust against this issue.

[ElectricCookie]

This happened to me too after windows crashed!

[shaunidiot]

Any updates on this? I'm having this problem as well and the error persists even after

1. Restarting of MailSpring and the PC itself.
2. Reinstalling with removal all folders on MailSpring from AppData/Local and AppData/Roaming.

Multiple copies of config.json.local-<some unique id>.bak is getting replicated in MailSpring folder in AppData/Roaming.

I've tried copying the data from config.json, deleting the file itself, then pasting the content into a new config.json file but problem still persists.

[M1n15ter]

Ive got the same problem. Ive tried reinstalling it, but doesnt make any difference. I dont believe that the beginning of it was a crash or anything. In fact I cannot determine what kicked it off. I love the programme but this is just annoying.
Any movemnet on a solution for this yet?

[ccc5vd]

Adding my +1 here. Believe it is the same issue as what occurred in Nylas Mail, see thread here. It looks like they developed a fix in Nylas 0.4.51, but that it reoccurred in a later release, and has popped back up here. Hopefully this means it's an easy fix?!

Using the bug report template:

Are there any related issues?
No.

What operating system are you using?
Windows 10.0.17134 Build 17134

What version of Mailspring are you using?
1.2.2

Bug?
Told that Mailspring failed to load config.json due to unexpected token, meaning I have to completely redo my config, adding new accounts, updating signature, etc. This is the third time this has happened in the last week, 2 of the three were related to a crash/unexpected shutdown, one was during normal conditions.

Do you have any third-party plugins installed?
No.

Is the issue related to a specific email provider (Gmail, Exchange, etc.)?
Gmail, but not sure that's related.

Is the issue reproducible with a particular attachment, message, signature, etc?
Just launching Mailspring

Absolutely love all the features of Mailspring and would love to upgrade to pro, but this could be a dealbreaker if not fixed--it's a huge pain to have to reload all my accounts each time!

Update added link to fix from Nylas mail, hopefully it's the same issue!

[robert-winkler]

+1 just happened to me (due to an unexpected update of Windows?).
I just subscribed to the Pro Version..

[ElectricCookie]

Mailspring should simply make backups of config.json before changing. Always reinstalling profiles whenever windows feels like bricking something is pretty painful.

[jitchavan]

This issue is still there with Windows 10 version 1803 OS build 17134.523.
Corrupted config.json after windows improper shutdown.
Reinstalling does not solve this issue either. Mailspring never starts after it.

[Bobbycharlton1]

i am having this issue constantly. my laptop will sometimes be off over night when I open it in the morning, for reasons I do not know. but every time it does, I get the config.json error on start and I have to re-configure mailspring every time.

[lopugit]

bump

[JustSid]

This happens so regularly to me that I'm unfortunately going to switch away from Mailspring. It's great when it works, but I don't want to set it up from scratch every few weeks. It's very frustrating and sure, I could make a backup of a good config.json somewhere, but I don't want to hand hold applications.

[sandsou]

I am also fed up with this issue. Setting up the app from ground whenever my computer crashes is simply troubling enough to defeat the purpose of convenience of using MailSpring at the first place.

[timersys]

same, I already started over twice. Won't do it again

[paulocoghi]

Unfortunately, same here. I reconfigured Mailspring twice after the error on a Windows PC from a customer. And the error is repeating.

@bengotow , please, help us :smile:

[desyatnik]

Same issue here after sudden shutdown (windows 10). I'm not going to dump Mailspring, since it's the only email client I found (tried them all more or less) that plays nicely with multiple email accounts, however a fix would be great.

[JustSid]

@desyatnik I was in the same boat when I ditched Mailspring last year. I'm still subscribed to the issue and shocked that this is still a problem, so I'm hoping to be able to give you a suggestion for an alternative: eM Client. It's not free and it only works on Windows and macOS. But if that's okay for you, it's an absolutely fantastic mail client. And it doesn't corrupt its own config when it doesn't cleanly exit :P

[desyatnik]

@JustSid Hey Sidney, thanks for the suggestion!
I was so happy when I discovered an email client that knows how to do unified inbox (looking at you Outlook) and search across several email accounts, but this issue is weird and kind of unpromising bearing in mind that it was open more than 2 years ago.
I'm still willing to give Mailspring another chance, but will keep an eye on other options and definitely check out this eM Client.
Thanks again!

[ElectricCookie]

Switched to em too and now to stock mail on the Mac. I loved mailspring but 1 setup every month was too much.

[ibrahimhajjaj]

Switched to em too, res setup every week is too much!

[PavelHonza]

Fuck! Few hours setting up for nothing. I finish with mailspring......

[paulocoghi]

It seems this issue is related to the ones mentioned by @ccc5vd. This happened before on Nylas, detailed here and the fix was reviewed by @bengotow, here.

If this is a regression from Nylas, propagated to Mailspring, maybe we already have a solution.

[ashtez]

Yes, Windows just bluescreened me, and then Mailspring greets me with this error. Always a pleasure.