Apple Mail's window will not open/show on desktop

Question

Level 1

10 points

Apple Mail's window will not open/show on desktop

Ran into a problem this weekend and can not seem to figure out what is causing it. I open mail and it launches since it is showing in the dock and the mail menu is visible. The main mailbox window is missing and most all of the menus are greyed out, even in the window menu where it allows you to select a window to see the main mail window is not showing up.

I have manually rebuilt the mailbox database and that did not help. I deleted the "Account.plist" file from the ~/library/mail/MailData/ folder and this seem to work. When I launched mail after I deleted this file the Main mail window was there with all my mailbox folders and emails. The only thing missing was the inbox for my main email account. Mail required that a new email account be created otherwise it would quit, I create the email account and everything was fine, until I quit out of mail. The next time I launched it again i was back to not have the main mail window. The only way to get it to come back is to delete the "Account.plist" file again and created the main email account. The only work around I have at this point is not to quit mail.

This kind of behavior tells me a file must be corrupted or something, but I can not seem to figure out which file is having the issue.

Can anyone provide any insight into what could be the issue here.

Posted on Jun 29, 2014 6:49 PM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jun 29, 2014 7:04 PM in response to Palermo64

Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.

The title of the Console window should be All Messages. If it isn't, select

SYSTEM LOG QUERIES ▹ All Messages

from the log list on the left. If you don't see that list, select

View ▹ Show Log List

from the menu bar at the top of the screen.Click the Clear Display icon in the toolbar. Then try the action that you're having trouble with again. Select any messages that appear in the Console window. Copy them to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message by pressing command-V.

The log contains a vast amount of information, almost all of which is irrelevant to solving any particular problem. When posting a log extract, be selective. A few dozen lines are almost always more than enough.

Please don't indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.

Please don't post screenshots of log messages—post the text.

Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

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Answer 2

Jun 29, 2014 7:22 PM in response to Palermo64

Go to your User's Library folder. **

Scroll down to Containers

Drag the com.apple.mail folder to the Desktop

Log out under the Apple in the Menu bar

Log in

Open Mail.

**

Show Library Folder:

Select the Finder in the Dock. Under Go in the Menu bar > hold down the Option key and you’ll see the Library.

If this fails, Go to System Preferences --> Create a New User in Users & Groups

Switch to the New User by logging out under the Apple in the Menu Bar.

Open Mail.
Enter your accounts.

Do you still see the issue?

If yes, then the problem is with your base files.

If no, then the problem is in your User's folder.

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Answer 3

Palermo64 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jun 29, 2014 8:44 PM in response to dianeoforegon

Okay, tried removing the com.apple.mail folder same result, I also removed the entire ~library/mail folder so to create entire new email account and data base. Again it opens up allow you to create the a new email account and check email, this time quit would not work I had to force quit out of mail and the same results as well when you open it again.

Also, I have two user account on this computer and the one is not having any issue what so ever it is just this one account. Not sure what happen, but I did do a Maverick update this week.

Also I looked at the console logs and noting is being reported about mail, I open mail and noting is being reported, only when I force quit does it shows I terminated the process.

I am thinking now the user account is somehow is corrupted, but that does not make sense since it is only affecting mail and nothing else at this point.

I have not yet tried creating a new user account, I will give that a try and see what happen, but I suspect under the new account email will work.

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Answer 4

Jun 29, 2014 9:10 PM in response to Palermo64

What happens when you log into your account in safe boot mode?

* shutdown

* start the Mac and *wait* for the startup chime to sound

* after the sound, press and hold down the shift key

* keep holding and *wait* until the grey  Apple logo appears

* now release the shift key and just wait (it could take a few minutes)

* eventually the login screen appears with the words SAFE BOOT

* log into your user while in safe boot mode and see if Mail opens.

If yes, I would start with fonts. Run Validate fonts in Font Book to see if you have other font issues. For additional help with fonts see Kurt Lang’s Font Management page.

How to use Font Book to validate fonts

1. Open Font Book in your Applications folder.

2. Select All Fonts.

3. Now click in the list of fonts and select all (Edit > Select All).

4. Under File in the Menu bar, select Validate Fonts.

5. Duplicate fonts will be marked with either the yellow badge or a black dot.

6. Select to remove or delete duplicates.*

7. Delete font caches (how to)

8. Restart your computer

* Step 6 – remove or delete duplicates is where the tricky part comes in. You can select to let Font Book disable or remove duplicates, but I’ve found that it removes the one you have not been using rather than selecting the best option.

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Answer 5

Palermo64 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jun 29, 2014 9:15 PM in response to Palermo64

Update, found the problem or at least it appears to have fixed the problems. I notice that the address book was generating and error when mail was opening, this only showed up once I created a whole new email account and database. It was throwing this error

CoreData: error: exception during fetchRowForObjectID: Fatal error. The database at /Users/cpalermo/Library/Application Support/AddressBook/MailRecents-v4.abcdmr is corrupted. SQLite error code:11, 'database disk image is malformed' with userInfo of {

NSFilePath = "/Users/cpalermo/Library/Application Support/AddressBook/MailRecents-v4.abcdmr";

NSSQLiteErrorDomain = 11;

}

It was this file that was corrupted MailRecents-v4.abcdmr I deleted this file and mail open and closed without issue then I put back all the original mail files and database and those too open fine without and issue.

Not sure why this file would cause all sorts of issue with mail, but deleting appears to fix the problem. I have other people reporting the same problem as what I encountered but there was not fix, I wonder if this was other peoples issue as well.

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Answer 6

Jun 29, 2014 9:18 PM in response to Palermo64

Thanks for sharing your fix. I'm sure it will help others that are having this issue.

What error report showed the problem? Was it an Apple Report?

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Answer 7

Palermo64 Author

Level 1

10 points

Jun 29, 2014 9:23 PM in response to dianeoforegon

I am going to look at the fonts as well, thanks for suggestion, not that the original email database is working again, i am getting font error when Mail is opening up but they do not seem to be causing any major problems. Before I did any thing else I check to make sure permission was correct and they were a mess so I repaired them all. It appear the last Maverick update really screwed up the second user account on this computer. The other one was fine no issue bit this one had all sorts of issue most of them were easy fixes like repairing permissions.

Here are the font errors I am now getting

Jun 29 23:54:27 Palermo-iMac.local sandboxd[159] ([14389]): mdworker(14389) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Arial/..namedfork/rsrc (import fstype:hfs fsflag:480D000 flags:40000005E diag:0 isXCode:0 uti:com.apple.mail.emlx plugin:/Library/Spotlight/Mail.mdimporter - find suspect file using: sudo mdutil -t 416245)

Jun 29 23:54:31 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:31 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14388) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Tahoma/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:31 --- last message repeated 2 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:31 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14390) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Arial/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:31 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:31 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14387) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Arial/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:31 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:31 Palermo-iMac.local sandboxd[159] ([14388]): mdworker(14388) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Arial/..namedfork/rsrc (import fstype:hfs fsflag:480D000 flags:40000005E diag:0 isXCode:0 uti:com.apple.mail.emlx plugin:/Library/Spotlight/Mail.mdimporter - find suspect file using: sudo mdutil -t 417242)

Jun 29 23:54:35 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:35 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14390) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Arial/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:35 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:35 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14390) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Tahoma/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:36 --- last message repeated 2 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:36 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14389) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Tahoma/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:43 --- last message repeated 5 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:43 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14387) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Tahoma/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:47 --- last message repeated 2 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:47 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14387) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Century Gothic/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:47 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:47 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14387) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Lucida Handwriting/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:48 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:48 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14390) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Tahoma/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:48 --- last message repeated 2 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:48 Palermo-iMac.local mdworker[14389]: Unable to parse date: "Wen, 5 Jul 2006 11:14:16 -0200"

Stripped string: "Wen, 5 Jul 2006 11:14:16 -0200"

Jun 29 23:54:52 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14389) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Arial/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:52 --- last message repeated 3 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:52 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14388) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Tahoma/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:53 --- last message repeated 2 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:53 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14387) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Tahoma/..namedfork/rsrc

Jun 29 23:54:56 --- last message repeated 2 times ---

Jun 29 23:54:56 Palermo-iMac.local mdworker[14387]: Unable to parse date: "Sun, 15 2002 17:32:41 -0060"

Stripped string: "Sun, 15 2002 17:32:41 -0060"

Jun 29 23:55:01 Palermo-iMac kernel[0]: Sandbox: mdworker(14388) deny file-read-data /Users/cpalermo/Library/Fonts/Arial/..namedfork/rsrc

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Answer 8

Jun 29, 2014 10:18 PM in response to Palermo64

Rather than trying to repair the permissions on the Fonts, see Kurt Lang's instructions for reinstalling your fonts.

http://www.jklstudios.com/misc/osxfonts.html#reinstallingyourfonts

BTW, mdworker is the process used by Spotlight to index your files.

If you have Microsoft Office installed, see my article on dealing with the duplicate fonts installed by Microsoft.

http://www.officeformachelp.com/office/font-management/

(Fair disclosure: OfficeforMacHelp is my site. I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.)

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Answer 9

Sep 3, 2015 6:44 PM in response to Palermo64

Having the same problem. removed problem fonts still have problem I have this on my Console though when I open Mail. Any geeks have an idea what this means: 9/3/15 6:37:38.958 PM icbaccountsd[16476]: Connection error while checking Apple Internalness. Error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "Couldn’t communicate with a helper application." (The connection to service named com.apple.CrashReporterSupportHelper was invalidated.) UserInfo=0x7f81a0c39270 {NSDebugDescription=The connection to service named com.apple.CrashReporterSupportHelper was invalidated.}

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