No Notifications at all

[BenjW]

Growl worked great when I first installed a few weeks back. Then left town for a few days, came home, back to business as usual and a few days ago I noticed that I haven't been getting any notifications. While I immediately liked Growl, I hadn't had the chance to get used to it or appreciate it, so I didn't notice when the notifications stopped coming.

Tonight I've been trying to fix that. I've uninstalled and reinstalled it. I've previewed notifications through the Preferences Pane, and that works just fine. Also, I have the GrowlTunes icon showing in my menu bar, and that is listing all the previous tracks I've played tonight on iTunes, so I know there's at least some communication going on. I'm at a loss as to where the problem lies.

I had a hunch that if I completely removed Growl and then installed it fresh, it would work again, just like the "very first time." I doesn't seem that Growl uninstalls completely using Uninstall Growl from the DMG. When I reinstall it all the preferences are just as I'd left them before, like there's a preference file leftover somewhere on the computer.

I have no Logitech hardware or software installed on the machine, so that can't be the problem. I'm familiar with Apple OS, though this is the first machine I've actually owned... bought a new iMac in August. Any ideas what the problem is?

[boredzo]

Also, I have the GrowlTunes icon showing in my menu bar, and that is listing all the previous tracks I've played tonight on iTunes, so I know there's at least some communication going on.

No, you don't. Just because GrowlTunes knows what iTunes is playing does not mean that it's successfully sending notifications to Growl.

I doesn't seem that Growl uninstalls completely using Uninstall Growl from the DMG. When I reinstall it all the preferences are just as I'd left them before, like there's a preference file leftover somewhere on the computer.

The Uninstall Growl app removes the Growl prefpane (or prefpanes) in the Library/PreferencePane folder(s), and nothing else.

As for preferences, the ticket files don't affect local notifications (except when you turn off applications or notifications), and if you had Growl turned off, the Preview buttons would be disabled.

So:

• Are these local notifications or network notifications that you can't get working?
• If network, are they going through the internet?
• What applications are you trying to use with Growl?
• What happens if you remove, say, GrowlTunes from the Applications list in the Growl preference pane?

[BenjW]

These are local notifications I'm having problems with.

Again, I never got the chance to really become familiar with Growl and all that it can do and I was looking forward to seeing what else I can use it with, but as a beginner I'm looking at just trying to get iTunes, Mail, and gmail notifications to start, all of which worked upon the initial installation.

This may be bad, but the second time I attempted an uninstall/reinstall I first removed all the applications from the Applications list in the Growl pref plane, attempting to get a fresh start. Now the only thing in the pref plane, after adding it, is Google+Growl.

[BenjW]

A couple of other things to add to maybe help out the trouble shooting:

1. The program hasn't been crashing, there's no crash log file for Growl on my system

2. I was trying to think of programs that I might've installed that could block the Growl notifications creating a problem similar to that of the Logitech software described in the FAQ. The only thing that comes to mind is the Epson software I updated for my printer/scanner. Could that possibly cause a problem?

[boredzo]

… I'm looking at just trying to get iTunes, Mail, and gmail notifications to start, all of which worked upon the initial installation.

Do you have a pair of headphones in the menu bar?

Do you have a GrowlMail icon in Mail?

Now the only thing in the pref plane, after adding it, is Google+Growl.

Does that post any notifications?

I was trying to think of programs that I might've installed that could block the Growl notifications creating a problem similar to that of the Logitech software described in the FAQ. The only thing that comes to mind is the Epson software I updated for my printer/scanner. Could that possibly cause a problem?

That problem had nothing to do with drivers. Logitech Control Center came with an Input Manager bundle, by which it injected code into every running application, including Growl. That code used something that is supposed to be for the application's use. (Logitech fixed the problem in version 2.5, IIRC.)

Even if your Epson software includes a similar component that has the same bug, we no longer use what we were using, so that bug won't affect Growl again.

[BenjW]

Growl seems to be working, for now at least, except with gmail (Google+Growl). I'm getting notifications for Mail and iTunes and all of the apps are back in the Growl pref pane (again, still no gmail notifications). I guess a restart following a reinstall did it? Still, I'll go back and answer your questions as if it didn't just start working...

I do have a pair of headphones showing in the menu bar. That's what I meant previously when I said that at least GrowlTunes seemed to be communicating with iTunes... If I ⌘-clicked the icon and went through the menu, I could see a list of previously-played tracks.

I'm not sure where to look for "a GrowlMail icon in Mail." In the menu bar with Mail open? On the mail pane itself near the Get Mail, Delete, etc. buttons? Near the GrowlTunes icon? I don't see a GrowlMail icon in any of those places.

Didn't think the Epson would be a problem, but figured I throw it out there. Thanks.

Still have no idea what the problem is/was, but I'm glad I keep using Growl. Now I'll just search through the forums and see if I can find a solution to get those durn gmail notifications popping up again.

[boredzo]

If I ⌘-clicked the icon and went through the menu, I could see a list of previously-played tracks.

You shouldn't need to ⌘-click it.

I'm not sure where to look for "a GrowlMail icon in Mail."

Sorry. In Mail's Preferences window.