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Troubleshooting

Having issues with Vigilare? This guide will help you resolve common problems and get back to productive task management.

Prerequisites​

Before troubleshooting specific issues, verify these basic requirements:

  1. System Requirements

    • macOS 16.0 or later
    • Apple Reminders app (pre-installed)

  2. Required Permissions

    • Reminders Access: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Reminders → Vigilare ✓

  3. Apple Reminders App

    • Open Reminders.app to verify your tasks exist there first
    • Ensure iCloud sync is enabled if using multiple devices

Common Issues​

Reminders Not Showing​

If your reminders aren't appearing in Vigilare:

1. Check Permissions​

  • Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Reminders
  • Ensure Vigilare is checked and has access
  • If missing, click the + button to add Vigilare

2. Verify Data in Apple Reminders​

  • Open the Reminders.app
  • Confirm your tasks exist there
  • If missing there too, it's not a Vigilare issue

3. Refresh the View​

  • Click the refresh button (↻) in Vigilare's window header
  • Or restart Vigilare from the Dock

4. Check List Filtering​

  • Ensure you haven't selected a list filter that excludes these tasks
  • Try switching to "All" in the list dropdown

5. Verify Lists Aren't Archived​

  • Open Settings (⚙) → Lists tab
  • Check if the list is archived
  • Unarchive the list if needed

Window Disappeared​

If the Vigilare window is no longer visible:

Quick Fix​

  1. Click the Vigilare icon in the Dock
  2. Window will appear

If Dock Icon Missing​

  1. Check if Vigilare is running in Activity Monitor
  2. If not running, launch from Applications folder
  3. If running but icon missing, restart macOS

Window Moved Off-Screen​

The window might be positioned outside your visible displays:

  1. Click Dock icon or open Settings (⌘,)
  2. Change window position manually
  3. Or reset by quitting Vigilare and deleting: ~/Library/Preferences/jp.labee.floating-reminders.plist

Sync Issues​

If changes in Vigilare don't appear in Apple Reminders (or vice versa):

Real-Time Sync Delay​

  • Changes may take a few seconds to sync
  • iCloud sync can be slower depending on network
  • Wait 5-10 seconds and check again

Force Refresh​

  1. Click the refresh button (↻) in Vigilare
  2. Open Apple Reminders and pull to refresh
  3. If on multiple devices, check iCloud status

iCloud Sync Problems​

  1. System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud
  2. Ensure Reminders toggle is ON
  3. Check "Account Status" shows no errors
  4. Try toggling Reminders OFF then ON (gives it a kick)

Permission Reset​

If sync is completely broken:

  1. System Settings → Privacy & Security → Reminders
  2. Uncheck Vigilare
  3. Restart Vigilare
  4. Grant permission again when prompted

Window Behavior Issues​

Window Won't Stay on Top​

  • Open Settings (⚙) → General
  • Check Window Level is set to "Floating" not "Normal"
  • "Desktop" level appears below all windows

Window Appearance​

  • Use window positioning to keep it visible but not intrusive
  • Minimize to icon mode when you need to focus

Window Not Visible on All Spaces​

  • Settings → General → Spaces
  • Change to "Show on all spaces"
  • Restart Vigilare for this change to take effect

Minimize Mode Stuck​

If the window is stuck as a tiny icon:

  • Double-click the icon to restore
  • Or click Dock icon to show window

Task Management Issues​

Can't Add New Tasks​

  • Verify Reminders permission (see Prerequisites)
  • Try adding in Apple Reminders first to test
  • Check if the selected list allows new items

Can't Edit or Delete Tasks​

  • Some system lists may be read-only
  • Check if you have permission in Reminders.app
  • Shared lists may have restricted permissions

Task Completion Not Saving​

  • Wait a few seconds for iCloud sync
  • Check internet connection
  • Try toggling completion in Apple Reminders

Subtasks Not Appearing​

  • Subtasks should display automatically
  • Try refreshing with the ↻ button
  • Verify subtasks exist in Apple Reminders

Markdown Editor Issues​

Editor Not Loading​

  • Check internet connection (editor resources load on first use)
  • Try editing a different reminder
  • Restart Vigilare if problem persists

Formatting Not Saving​

  • Click "Save" button before closing edit window
  • Or use keyboard shortcut ⌘S
  • Changes auto-save every few seconds

Text Appears Garbled​

  • This may indicate incompatible formatting
  • Copy content to plain text editor first
  • Reformat using Vigilare's editor tools

Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working​

Shortcuts Don't Respond​

  • Ensure Vigilare window is focused (click on it first)
  • Some shortcuts only work in specific contexts
  • Check if macOS system shortcuts override Vigilare's

View All Available Shortcuts​

  • Open Settings (⚙) → Shortcuts tab
  • Complete list of keyboard shortcuts with descriptions
  • Shortcuts work only when window is active

Performance Issues​

App Running Slowly​

  1. Reduce number of visible tasks

    • Archive completed lists
    • Use list filtering to show fewer tasks

  2. Check macOS resources

    • Open Activity Monitor
    • Verify sufficient RAM available
    • Close unnecessary apps

  3. Restart Vigilare

    • Menu bar icon → Quit
    • Launch again from Applications

High Memory Usage​

  • Normal range: 50-150 MB
  • Large task lists (500+) may use more
  • Archive old lists to reduce load

Window Rendering Lag​

  • Reduce window size if working with many tasks
  • Minimize to icon when not actively using

Common Error Messages​

"Reminders Access Denied"​

Cause: Vigilare doesn't have permission to access Apple Reminders. Solution: See Check Permissions section above.

"Failed to Load Reminders"​

Cause: Temporary sync or permission issue. Solution:

  1. Check internet connection
  2. Verify Apple Reminders app works
  3. Restart Vigilare
  4. Reset permissions if needed

"Unable to Save Changes"​

Cause: Write permission issue or iCloud sync problem. Solution:

  1. Check iCloud status
  2. Verify list isn't read-only
  3. Try editing in Apple Reminders first
  4. Check available iCloud storage

Advanced Troubleshooting​

Reset Vigilare Preferences​

If Vigilare is behaving unexpectedly:

  1. Quit Vigilare completely
  2. Open Finder → Go menu → Go to Folder
  3. Enter: ~/Library/Preferences/
  4. Delete: jp.labee.floating-reminders.plist
  5. Restart Vigilare

⚠️ Warning: This resets all settings (window position, archived lists, etc.)

Check Console Logs​

For detailed error information:

  1. Open Console.app (in Applications/Utilities)
  2. Select your Mac in sidebar
  3. Search for "Vigilare"
  4. Look for error or warning messages

Clean Reinstall​

If all else fails:

  1. Quit Vigilare
  2. Drag app to Trash from Applications
  3. Delete preferences: ~/Library/Preferences/jp.labee.floating-reminders.plist
  4. Empty Trash
  5. Restart Mac (clears all app caches)
  6. Reinstall from Mac App Store

Known Limitations​

Current limitations you should be aware of:

  • macOS 16+ Required: Older versions not supported due to API requirements
  • Apple Reminders Only: Cannot connect to other task management systems
  • One Window: Only one floating window supported at a time
  • No Global Hotkey: Keyboard shortcuts work only when window is focused

Getting More Help​

If you continue experiencing issues:

  1. Check the FAQ for common questions
  2. Document the problem:
    • What you were trying to do
    • What actually happened
    • Any error messages
    • Your macOS version
  3. Send feedback through the app:
    • Menu bar → Send Feedback
    • Include details from Console.app if available
  4. Contact support via the Support page

Report a Bug​

Help us improve Vigilare:

  1. In-app feedback: Menu bar → Send Feedback
  2. Include:
    • macOS version
    • Vigilare version (Settings → About)
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Screenshots if applicable
  3. Be specific: "Tasks don't sync" → "Tasks created in Vigilare don't appear in Reminders.app after 5 minutes"

Your feedback helps us identify and fix issues quickly!