Corrupted FileMaker Environment?

[K1200]

FileMaker no longer displays any graphic elements on my main development PC -- but with the strange exception of runtimes that were built a few months ago.

This problem first reared its head a couple of months ago when I had installed a test version (a built runtime) of AppA on drive C: of my development PC. It worked fine the first couple of times I ran it -- but then it lost its graphics. At that time, I thought I might have overwritten one of the files in the runtime's directory and was busy on other things, so I moved on without giving it much thought. My application development environment continued to work just fine -- and all subsequent builds of AppA worked fine on the target machines it was being used on.

Now, my development environment has the problem -- not only for AppA, but for all applications that I use as test beds for various features -- and including files I download from these forums. Graphics do not display for any of them. No embedded graphics or icons, no embossed/engraved effects, no drawn lines, etc., etc.

In an attempt to determine whether the application source(s) had become corrupted, I moved previous versions of AppA back onto the development directory and opened them. They have no graphics. Then I tried creating a brand new database. It created fine, but no graphics are displayed. Not even lines and boxes. Somehow, FileMaker's graphics engine is just turned off.

Kicker #1 is that application runtimes I built a few months ago continue to work just fine on my development PC.

Kicker #2 is that when I moved the executables for the failing copy of AppA to another PC (that had an earlier version of AppA on it), they work just fine.

I've tried to summarize the situation with the diagram below.

I also want to mention that I found three topics on these forums where someone reported that graphics went away -- but none of them reported any resolution. One of them

Analysis

At first I suspected that some registry setting for the runtimes had changed. Upon inspection, I could find no material differences in the AppA, B and C entries (only Toolbar settings). That still leaves the possibility that it's something between the installed copy of FileMaker Pro Advanced and the Windows libraries.

The fact that two of my runtimes (built before mid summer) continue to work implies that some embedded file is involved, such that the runtimes contain an uncorrupted copy.

I feel like I'm way out on a limb with this, so I'm not really expecting a solution from anyone, but I wanted to post the situation in case others find themselves in this same "hole".

I'm going to proceed slowly so as to maybe uncover the root cause. My next step is probably to set up a pristine development environment on a separate PC and bring applications over individually to prove that each is OK. My main goal, of course, is to get the apps working again. But I would like to understand the cause and avoid it in the future.

Any advice will be appreciated.

[mr_vodka]

It seems to me that it is more of an issue with files for the application than your DB files itself. I would try a reinstall.

[K1200]

Kicker #1 is that application runtimes I built a few months ago continue to work just fine on my development PC.

I would have tried a reinstall first, except that AppB and AppC work fine. I'd like to isolate a particular file or FileMaker setting that's led to the problem. Plus, one other post mentioned that a reinstall didn't solve their problem. I'm sure I'll reinstall at some point, however -- just to "clear the decks".

Thanks for your response.

[mr_vodka]

Yes but AppB and C are stand alones that were created a while ago correct? So they could have been created prior to any issue with the application files. AppA probably after. Best bet is to reinstall first to see if problem persists.