Troubleshooting

· 5 min read

Common issues and solutions for Acme Design Studio.

Installation Issues

macOS: “Cannot open because it’s from an unidentified developer”

Solution:

  1. Right-click the app and select “Open”
  2. Click “Open” in the dialog
  3. Or go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy and click “Open Anyway”

Windows: SmartScreen Warning

Solution:

  1. Click “More info”
  2. Click “Run anyway”

Acme is safe - this warning appears because we’re a new publisher.

Linux: Snap Permission Issues

Error:

permission denied: cannot access /home/user/Documents

Solution:

sudo snap connect acme-design:home
sudo snap connect acme-design:removable-media

Performance Issues

Slow Canvas Performance

If the canvas feels sluggish:

  1. Reduce artboard count - Too many artboards slow down rendering
  2. Simplify complex shapes - Flatten or simplify paths
  3. Lower render quality - Preferences → Performance → Render Quality: Standard
  4. Disable effects temporarily - Hide layers with heavy blur/shadow effects

High Memory Usage

Acme consuming too much RAM:

  1. Close unused files - Each open file uses memory
  2. Clear cache - Preferences → Advanced → Clear Cache
  3. Reduce cache size - Preferences → Performance → Cache Size: 1GB
  4. Restart Acme - Sometimes a restart helps

Laggy Typing

Text input feels delayed:

Solution:

  1. Disable font previews: Preferences → Interface → Show Font Previews: Off
  2. Reduce installed fonts (system-wide issue)
  3. Check if antivirus is scanning font folders

Sync & Cloud Issues

Files Not Syncing

Check sync status:

  • Look for cloud icon in file header
  • ☁️ = Synced
  • ↻ = Syncing
  • ⚠️ = Error

Solutions:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Force sync: File → Force Sync
  3. Check storage quota: Preferences → Account → Storage (might be full)
  4. Restart Acme

Sync Conflicts

Error:

Conflict detected: File was modified on another device

Solution:

  1. Acme will show both versions
  2. Review changes in each version
  3. Choose which version to keep
  4. Or manually merge changes

Offline Mode Stuck

Can’t reconnect after working offline:

Solution:

  1. Check “Offline Mode” isn’t manually enabled (status bar)
  2. Restart Acme
  3. Sign out and sign back in

Export Issues

Blurry Exports

Images look blurry when exported:

Solution:

  1. Increase export scale - Export at 2x or 3x for high-DPI displays
  2. Use SVG for vectors - Vector shapes should export as SVG, not PNG
  3. Check artboard size - Ensure artboard is correct dimensions

Large File Sizes

Exported files are huge:

Solutions:

For PNG:

  • Use JPEG for photos (smaller file size)
  • Reduce export scale if image will be small
  • Remove unnecessary transparency

For SVG:

  • Simplify paths before exporting
  • Remove hidden layers
  • Use Export → Optimize SVG option

Missing Fonts in PDF

Fonts don’t appear correctly in exported PDFs:

Solution:

  1. Embed fonts: Export settings → Embed Fonts
  2. Convert text to outlines: Select text → Right-click → Outline Text (before exporting)

Collaboration Issues

Can’t Invite Team Members

Error:

Failed to send invitation

Common causes:

  1. Email typo - Double-check email address
  2. Already has access - User might already be on the project
  3. Team limit reached - Free plan limited to 3 team members
  4. Domain restrictions - Some admins restrict invites to company domain

Can’t See Team Member’s Changes

Real-time collaboration not working:

Solution:

  1. Refresh: Press Cmd+R to reload
  2. Check connection: Look for green dot next to avatar (online status)
  3. Force sync: File → Force Sync
  4. Restart Acme

Comments Not Loading

Solution:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Refresh the file
  3. Sign out and back in

Plugin Issues

Plugin Won’t Install

Error:

Failed to install plugin

Solutions:

  1. Update Acme - Plugin might require newer version
  2. Check permissions - On macOS, grant access: System Preferences → Security & Privacy
  3. Restart Acme
  4. Manual install - Download .acmeplugin file and drag to Plugins folder

Plugin Crashing Acme

If a plugin causes crashes:

  1. Launch in Safe Mode - Hold Shift while launching Acme
  2. Disable the plugin - Plugins → Manage → Disable problematic plugin
  3. Report to plugin developer

Plugin Not Appearing

Installed plugin doesn’t show up:

Solution:

  1. Check if plugin is enabled: Plugins → Manage
  2. Some plugins add menu items instead of panels (check menus)
  3. Restart Acme
  4. Reinstall plugin

File Issues

Can’t Open File

Error:

This file was created with a newer version of Acme

Solution: Update Acme to the latest version.

Error:

File is corrupted and cannot be opened

Solution:

  1. Try opening a backup: File → Version History
  2. Check backups folder: ~/Acme/Backups/
  3. Contact support with file for recovery attempt

Lost Work

File closed without saving:

Solution:

  1. Check auto-saved versions: File → Version History
  2. Check backups folder
  3. Enable auto-save: Preferences → General → Enable Auto-save

Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working

macOS

If shortcuts don’t work:

Solution:

  1. Check for conflicts: System Preferences → Keyboard → Shortcuts
  2. Make sure Acme is in focus (click canvas)
  3. Reset shortcuts: Preferences → Keyboard → Reset to Defaults

Windows

Solution:

  1. Check if another app is capturing the shortcut
  2. Disable Windows keyboard shortcuts that conflict
  3. Run Acme as administrator (rarely needed)

Graphics Issues

Black Screen on Launch

Solution:

  1. Disable hardware acceleration: Preferences → Performance → Hardware Acceleration: Off
  2. Update graphics drivers
  3. Restart computer

Missing/Corrupt Textures

Gradients or images appear broken:

Solution:

  1. Clear GPU cache: Preferences → Performance → Clear GPU Cache
  2. Restart Acme
  3. Update graphics drivers

Getting More Help

Still stuck? Here are more resources:

Community Help

Official Support

When Reporting Bugs

Include:

  • Acme version (Help → About)
  • Operating system and version
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Screenshots or screen recording
  • Sample file (if applicable)

Diagnostic Information

Get diagnostic info for support:

  1. Go to Help → Generate Diagnostic Report
  2. Save the report
  3. Include when contacting support

This includes version info, plugin list, and recent error logs.