mainPaint

Troubleshooting mainPaint: Common Issues and Fixes

This guide walks through frequent problems users encounter with mainPaint and provides clear, step-by-step fixes so you can get back to creating.

1. mainPaint won’t start

• Symptoms: App crashes on launch or shows a blank window.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Restart your computer.
  2. Update mainPaint to the latest version.
  3. Check graphics drivers: update GPU drivers (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel).
  4. Run as administrator (Windows) or check permissions (macOS).
• If it persists: Remove mainPaint preferences/config file (back it up first), then relaunch to regenerate defaults.

2. Brushes lag or stutter

• Symptoms: Brush strokes appear delayed or jittery.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Lower canvas resolution or reduce zoom level.
  2. Turn off heavy features like real-time smoothing, dynamic brush effects, or GPU acceleration to test which causes lag.
  3. Increase the app’s memory/cache allocation (Preferences).
  4. Close other CPU/GPU-intensive apps.
• Advanced: Update tablet drivers (Wacom/Huion) and set USB polling rates to recommended values.

3. Pressure sensitivity not working

• Symptoms: Tablet pressure has no effect; brush always at constant size/opacity.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Ensure tablet drivers are installed and up to date.
  2. In mainPaint Preferences → Input, enable Pressure and select the correct tablet device.
  3. Toggle Windows Ink (Windows) or use the tablet’s recommended driver mode.
  4. Reboot after driver reinstall.
• If still broken: Test pressure in another app to isolate tablet vs. mainPaint issue.

4. Colors display incorrectly or banding appears

• Symptoms: Colors look washed out, incorrect, or show visible banding in gradients.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Check Color Profile: set canvas and display profiles to sRGB or the desired working profile.
  2. Disable GPU color management if it’s inconsistent with system settings.
  3. Use 16-bit color mode for smoother gradients (if available).
• Hardware check: Calibrate your monitor or test on another display.

5. Files fail to open or save

• Symptoms: Error messages when opening/saving, corrupted files, or long save times.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Ensure you have write permissions to the save folder.
  2. Save to a local drive (not a network/mounted drive) to test.
  3. Reduce file size by flattening unnecessary layers or exporting a copy with fewer layers.
  4. Update mainPaint for bug fixes related to file formats.
• Recovery tip: Look for autosave/recovery files in mainPaint’s temp or backup folder.

6. Layers not behaving correctly

• Symptoms: Layer effects not applying, blending modes ignored, or invisible layers.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Confirm layer opacity and visibility toggles.
  2. Check clipping masks and group effects that may override layer appearance.
  3. Reset blend mode to Normal and reapply the intended mode.
  4. Merge problematic groups into a new layer as a test.
• When to report: Include a sample file if reproducible—developers can better diagnose complex layer bugs.

7. Performance drops with large brushes or many layers

• Symptoms: Slowdowns when working with large brushes, many layers, or high-resolution canvases.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Lower canvas resolution or work at 50–75% then upscale on export.
  2. Reduce brush spacing, or use smaller brush preview sizes.
  3. Merge or rasterize layers not currently edited.
  4. Increase cache size and GPU memory usage (Preferences).
• Workflow tip: Use layer grouping and keep background elements separate to minimize redraws.

8. Exported images look different than on-screen

• Symptoms: Exports are darker/lighter or edges are aliased.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Verify export color profile matches your canvas/profile settings.
  2. Use lossless formats (PNG, TIFF) for final exports.
  3. Apply export sharpening or anti-aliasing options if available.
• Check: Open exported file in another viewer to confirm whether issue is export or display-specific.

9. UI elements missing or scaled incorrectly

• Symptoms: Panels off-screen, tiny UI on high-DPI monitors, or overlapping dialogs.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Reset workspace/layout from the Window or View menu.
  2. Adjust application scaling in Preferences or OS display scaling settings.
  3. Delete workspace config file to restore defaults.
• Temporary: Use keyboard shortcuts to access hidden tools while resetting layout.

10. Crashes with specific tools or filters

• Symptoms: App crashes when using a filter, effect, or tool.
• Quick fixes:
  1. Update mainPaint and GPU drivers.
  2. Reduce input size (smaller selection or lower-res preview).
  3. Disable GPU acceleration to test whether crash is GPU-related.
• Report bug: Capture a reproducible sequence, include system specs, mainPaint version, and sample file.

When to Contact Support

• Reproducible crashes, file corruption, or persistent bugs after updates. Provide: mainPaint version, OS and GPU details, steps to reproduce, and a sample file or screenshot.

Quick checklist (try in order)

1. Restart app/computer
2. Update mainPaint and drivers
3. Reset preferences/workspace
4. Test on a new file or lower resolution
5. Collect logs/screenshots and contact support if unresolved

If you want, I can convert this into a printable checklist or a short troubleshooting flowchart.