darktable 5.4.0 fails to start fully on unknown condition

[Graycard]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I checked and did not find my issue in the already reported ones

Describe the bug

I have tried three times to install darktable 5.4.0, and each time, darktable attempts to start, but I get the message at the op left of the blank window, "darktable (not responding)". After I uninstall v5.4.0, I reinstall v5.2.1 and darktable runs normally.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install darktable 5.4.0.
2. Start v5.4.0.
3. Watch the blank window for action interminably.
4. Note the message "darktable (not responding)".
5. Uninstall v5.4.0.
6. Reinstall v5.2.1.
7. Start darktable v5.2.1.
8. Watch v5.2.1 start and run normally.

Expected behavior

darktable should start and run as it has in many versions past.

Logfile | Screenshot | Screencast

Screenshot does not work on this window.

Commit

No response

Where did you obtain darktable from?

darktable.org / GitHub release

darktable version

5.4.0

What OS are you using?

Windows

What is the version of your OS?

Windows 11 Pro

Describe your system

Windows 11 Pro
13th Gen Intel i7-1355U 1.7 GHz.
32.0 GB RAM

Are you using OpenCL GPU in darktable?

None

If yes, what is the GPU card and driver?

No response

Please provide additional context if applicable. You can attach files too, but might need to rename to .txt or .zip

No response

[wpferguson]

If darktable doesn't respond, try killing it and restarting it. I've seen it before but don't have a reproducer. Killing and starting it again has cleared it.

Do you have the splash screen disabled. I've also seen this stop darktable. You can edit the darktablerc file and set splash screen to true and see if that helps.

[gi-man]

I have seen 3 similar reports, but no Logfile. Can you provide one starting darktable with the -d all flag? The FAQ has details on how to do this and the log file location for Windows.

[Graycard]

Thanks for that hint.  After enabling the splash screen in 5.2.1 and subsequently reinstalling 5.4.0, darktable has decided to come alive. ***

…

On 12/24/25 at 23:53, wpferguson wrote: *wpferguson* left a comment (darktable-org/darktable#19992) <#19992 (comment)> If darktable doesn't respond, try killing it and restarting it. I've seen it before but don't have a reproducer. Killing and starting it again has cleared it. Do you have the splash screen disabled. I've also seen this stop darktable. You can edit the darktablerc file and set splash screen to true and see if that helps. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#19992 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AMMM6FATD2CHQWIL3C2WG5T4DNUT7AVCNFSM6AAAAACP65WR5SVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTMOJQHA3DSOBSGM>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[Graycard]

More feedback - Once the splash screen was enabled, darktable 5.4.0 started as normally anticipated.  Once it was running right, I disabled the splash screen again and restarted darktable.  All is well.  Thanks again for the input. ***

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On 12/24/25 at 23:53, wpferguson wrote: *wpferguson* left a comment (darktable-org/darktable#19992) <#19992 (comment)> If darktable doesn't respond, try killing it and restarting it. I've seen it before but don't have a reproducer. Killing and starting it again has cleared it. Do you have the splash screen disabled. I've also seen this stop darktable. You can edit the darktablerc file and set splash screen to true and see if that helps. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#19992 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AMMM6FATD2CHQWIL3C2WG5T4DNUT7AVCNFSM6AAAAACP65WR5SVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTMOJQHA3DSOBSGM>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[jenshannoschwalm]

@wpferguson what would you think: would it help to enforce splashscreen=on when upgrading to 5.4?

[Graycard]

Not so fast, Bunkie!!!  After the earlier changes, 5.4.0 came right up and ran - until I turned off the splash screen.  On top of that, when I reinstalled 5.2.1, it came up in a different theme (darktable-elegant-gray).  I reverted the theme to darktable, ensured that splash screen was enabled, then reinstalled 5.4.0 for the umpteenth time.  So far, so good...  (Not holding my breath...) ***

…

On 12/24/25 at 23:53, wpferguson wrote: *wpferguson* left a comment (darktable-org/darktable#19992) <#19992 (comment)> If darktable doesn't respond, try killing it and restarting it. I've seen it before but don't have a reproducer. Killing and starting it again has cleared it. Do you have the splash screen disabled. I've also seen this stop darktable. You can edit the darktablerc file and set splash screen to true and see if that helps. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#19992 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AMMM6FATD2CHQWIL3C2WG5T4DNUT7AVCNFSM6AAAAACP65WR5SVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTMOJQHA3DSOBSGM>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[Graycard]

In my case, that seems to be the right magic to make 5.4.09 come up on line. ***

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On 12/25/25 at 12:02, Hanno Schwalm wrote: *jenshannoschwalm* left a comment (darktable-org/darktable#19992) <#19992 (comment)> @wpferguson <https://github.com/wpferguson> what would you think: would it help to enforce splashscreen=on when upgrading to 5.4? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#19992 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AMMM6FBQBN4V6VKHBZJB75T4DQKBDAVCNFSM6AAAAACP65WR5SVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTMOJRGYYDKMJUGE>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[wpferguson]

@Graycard I've seen that too where the only way I can get it to run is with the splash screen enabled.

@jenshannoschwalm I don't know. I have reproduced on Linux and I may be able to do it "on demand" and get a log.

[gi-man]

I installed dt on a windows 11 partition I have. I cant reproduce with or without the splash screen setting. I changed themes too.

I cant recall if this is normal or not: with the splash screen setting off, I still see a splash screen show up for an instant.

Windows 11 Home 25H2

[jenshannoschwalm]

I have reproduced on Linux and I may be able to do it "on demand" and get a log.

That would be very good, i still have no idea whats going on here.

with the splash screen setting off, I still see a splash screen show up for an instant.

Check for xmp crawler?

[victoryforce]

If darktable doesn't respond, try killing it and restarting it. I've seen it before but don't have a reproducer. Killing and starting it again has cleared it.

@wpferguson The same here. The next launch after process killing is almost always successful (I seem to recall seeing this freeze twice in a row once, but after that everything was fine for a long time). No reproducer.

@Graycard I've seen that too where the only way I can get it to run is with the splash screen enabled.

Then it's possible that my freezes have another cause. I don't turn off the splash screen, it's always shown and the same freezes that the OP reports happen occasionally.

[wpferguson]

@jenshannoschwalm here you go

splash_screen_hang.txt

[jenshannoschwalm]

@wpferguson i think i may have found a reason for a race condition.

We set control->running to running-state quite early in dt_control_jobs_init() which might be not good as when we enter the gtk_main() loop in gui/gtk.c it might be possible the worker threads are not running already and thus might not be able to proceed jobs??? Absolutely not sure about this, just a first guess. Does it help to add some g_usleep(1000) before gtk_main() ?

btw, we can't simply set the running state later as then the kicker jobs just terminates.

[wpferguson]

Added the g_usleep(1000) and it appears to have worked. The instance that was hanging quit, but when I removed the sleep it didn't hang again.

I'll try and create another hanging instance and verify that the sleep fixes it.

[eobet]

I'm on Windows 10 and this just began happening to me. I was working, shut Darktable down, noticed I forgot something, started it and then (not responding), no matter how many times I try to start it.

I deleted the data.db and library.db lock files but that did not help. Deleting the databases themselves did also not help. Deleting the entire appdata/local/darktable folder did help, however but I really don't want to start from scratch.

I see a discussion about splash screens above, but I have not touched those settings (I spend 5-15 minutes waiting for "checking for updated sidecar files" every time I launch).

EDIT: Uninstalled and downloaded the 5.5.0 nightly and that launches with my preserved settings!