pidgin won't open

alleykat, you say you can't open the program, then you say can't connect. Does this mean no icon appears on the tool bar and no buddy list appears or does it mean some of these things appear but it won't connect.

Also what you could look at is Application->accessories->Terminal (assuming you use Gnome) and start pidgin up by typing pidgin --debug. Then if you can report what it says, this may help.

Thanks for the reply, now it's behaving differently, pidgin will open
one of it's functions, like if someone has sent me a message, I get the
message, but when I close that window, I can't get pidgin to open again.
no icon appears, no buddy list either
here's what I got from terminal:
trude@ubuntu:~$ pidgin --debug
(20:59:14) prefs: Reading /home/trude/.purple/prefs.xml
(20:59:14) prefs: Finished reading /home/trude/.purple/prefs.xml
(20:59:14) dbus: okkk
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/markerline.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/gtkbuddynote.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/extplacement.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/gevolution.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/spellchk.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/ticker.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/timestamp.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/nautilus.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/convcolors.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/musicmessaging.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/timestamp_format.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/iconaway.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/notify.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/xmppconsole.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/cap.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/history.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/gestures.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/pidginrc.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libyahoo.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libzephyr.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/ssl.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/statenotify.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/tcl.so
(20:59:14) plugins: /usr/lib/purple-2/tcl.so is not loadable:
libtcl8.4.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or
directory
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/idle.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/offlinemsg.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/liboscar.so
(20:59:14) plugins: /usr/lib/purple-2/liboscar.so is not usable because
the 'purple_init_plugin' symbol could not be found. Does the plugin
call the PURPLE_INIT_PLUGIN() macro?
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libnovell.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libgg.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/joinpart.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libirc.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libbonjour.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libjabber.so
(20:59:14) plugins: /usr/lib/purple-2/libjabber.so is not usable because
the 'purple_init_plugin' symbol could not be found. Does the plugin
call the PURPLE_INIT_PLUGIN() macro?
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libxmpp.so
(20:59:14) util: Reading file xmpp-caps.xml from
directory /home/trude/.purple
(20:59:14) util: File /home/trude/.purple/xmpp-caps.xml does not exist
(this is not necessarily an error)
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libsimple.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/log_reader.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libmyspace.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libsametime.so
(20:59:14) plugins: /usr/lib/purple-2/libsametime.so has a prefs_info,
but is a prpl. This is no longer supported.
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/autoaccept.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/dbus-example.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/buddynote.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libaim.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libicq.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/perl.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libqq.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/ssl-nss.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libmsn.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/newline.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/psychic.so
(20:59:14) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/ssl-gnutls.so
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/status/scores/offline changed, scheduling
save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/status/scores/available changed, scheduling
save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/status/scores/invisible changed, scheduling
save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/status/scores/away changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/status/scores/extended_away changed,
scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/status/scores/idle changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/status/scores/offline_msg changed, scheduling
save.
(20:59:14) util: Reading file accounts.xml from
directory /home/trude/.purple
(20:59:14) util: Reading file status.xml from
directory /home/trude/.purple
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateVerifier x509, singleuse requested
but not found.
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateVerifier singleuse registered
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificatePool x509, ca requested but not
found.
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateScheme x509 requested but not found.
(20:59:14) certificate/x509/ca: Lazy init failed because an X.509 Scheme
is not yet registered. Maybe it will be better later.
(20:59:14) certificate/x509/ca: Init failed, probably because a
dependency is not yet registered. It has been deferred to later.
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificatePool ca registered
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificatePool x509, tls_peers requested but
not found.
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificatePool tls_peers registered
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateVerifier x509, tls_cached requested
but not found.
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateVerifier tls_cached registered
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/logging/format changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/logging/format changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/proxy/type changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/proxy/host changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/proxy/port changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/proxy/username changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) prefs: /purple/proxy/password changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateScheme x509 requested but not found.
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateScheme x509 registered
(20:59:14) stun: using server
(20:59:14) sound: Initializing sound output drivers.
(20:59:14) prefs: /pidgin/conversations/placement changed, scheduling
save.
(20:59:14) prefs: purple_prefs_connect_callback: Unknown
pref /pidgin/conversations/im/show_protocol_icons
(20:59:14) gtkblist: added visibility manager: 1
(20:59:14) docklet: created
(20:59:14) blist: Attempted to save buddy list before it was read!
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateScheme x509 unregistered
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateVerifier tls_cached unregistered
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificateVerifier singleuse unregistered
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificatePool tls_peers unregistered
(20:59:14) certificate: CertificatePool ca unregistered
(20:59:15) util: Writing file accounts.xml to
directory /home/trude/.purple
(20:59:15) util: Writing file /home/trude/.purple/accounts.xml
(20:59:15) util: Writing file status.xml to
directory /home/trude/.purple
(20:59:15) util: Writing file /home/trude/.purple/status.xml
(20:59:15) util: Writing file prefs.xml to directory /home/trude/.purple
(20:59:15) util: Writing file /home/trude/.purple/prefs.xml
(20:59:15) main: Unloading all plugins
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin Yahoo
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin Zephyr
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin SSL
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin NSS
(20:59:15) certificate: CertificateScheme x509 unregistered
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin GroupWise
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin Gadu-Gadu
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin IRC
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin Bonjour
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin XMPP
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin SIMPLE
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin MySpaceIM
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin Sametime
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin AIM
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin ICQ
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin Perl Plugin Loader
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin QQ
(20:59:15) plugins: Unloading plugin MSN
(20:59:15) accels: accel changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:15) accels: accel changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:15) accels: accel changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:15) accels: accel changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:15) accels: accel changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:15) accels: accel changed, scheduling save.
(20:59:15) gtkblist: removed visibility manager: 0
(20:59:15) docklet: destroyed
(20:59:15) Gtk: gtk_main_quit: assertion `main_loops != NULL' failed
trude@ubuntu:~$

On Tue, 2007-11-13 at 18:36 +0000, maiatoday wrote:

> Your question #17758 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/17758
>
> maiatoday requested for more information:
> alleykat, you say you can't open the program, then you say can't
> connect. Does this mean no icon appears on the tool bar and no buddy
> list appears or does it mean some of these things appear but it won't
> connect.
>
> Also what you could look at is Application->accessories->Terminal
> (assuming you use Gnome) and start pidgin up by typing pidgin --debug.
> Then if you can report what it says, this may help.
>

hello Clovis, someone told me to look for the pidgin icon near the
clock...sure enough there it is, just hiding out. I would suggest we
make a different icon to make it more recognizable, could we do that?
my problem is solved
thanks again.
On Tue, 2007-11-13 at 18:32 +0000, ClovisFabricio wrote:

> Your question #17758 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/17758
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> ClovisFabricio proposed the following answer:
> What happens when you try to open the program? Any messages?
>
> Open a terminal, and try to run pidgin from there, to see if there are
> any extra messages printed in the terminal.
>
> Applications -> Acessories -> Terminal
> Type pidgin
>

Great, please go to

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/17758

And mark the question as solved. Thanks.

Thanks ClovisFabricio, that solved my question.