IDE hangs on startup: "Failed to initialize the CLI configuration"

Software IDE 2.x
1

i cannot start my arduino ide, i have the debug text here:

Arduino IDE 2.3.2
Checking for frontend application configuration customizations. Module path: C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\electron-main.js, destination 'package.json': C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\package.json
Setting 'theia.frontend.config.appVersion' application configuration value to: "2.3.2" (type of string)
Setting 'theia.frontend.config.cliVersion' application configuration value to: "0.35.3" (type of string)
Setting 'theia.frontend.config.buildDate' application configuration value to: "2024-02-20T10:04:35.814Z" (type of string)
Frontend application configuration after modifications: {"applicationName":"Arduino IDE","defaultTheme":{"light":"arduino-theme","dark":"arduino-theme-dark"},"defaultIconTheme":"none","electron":{"windowOptions":{}},"defaultLocale":"","validatePreferencesSchema":false,"preferences":{"window.title":"${rootName}${activeEditorShort}${appName}","files.autoSave":"afterDelay","editor.minimap.enabled":false,"editor.tabSize":2,"editor.scrollBeyondLastLine":false,"editor.quickSuggestions":{"other":false,"comments":false,"strings":false},"editor.maxTokenizationLineLength":500,"editor.bracketPairColorization.enabled":false,"breadcrumbs.enabled":false,"workbench.tree.renderIndentGuides":"none","explorer.compactFolders":false},"appVersion":"2.3.2","cliVersion":"0.35.3","buildDate":"2024-02-20T10:04:35.814Z"}
Starting backend process. PID: 35236
Using browser-only version of superagent in non-browser environment
Configuration directory URI: 'file:///c%3A/Users/abx14/.arduinoIDE'
Configuring to accept webviews on '^.+\.webview\..+$' hostname.
2024-09-15T20:32:04.297Z root INFO Backend Object.initialize: 2.0 ms [Finished 0.278 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.297Z root INFO Backend Object.configure: 1.7 ms [Finished 0.278 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.297Z root INFO Backend s.onStart: 0.8 ms [Finished 0.278 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.297Z root INFO Backend s.configure: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.290 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.298Z root INFO Backend d.onStart: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.290 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.298Z root INFO Backend d.configure: 0.0 ms [Finished 0.290 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.298Z root INFO Backend d.initialize: 11.9 ms [Finished 0.290 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.298Z root INFO Backend c.onStart: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.290 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.299Z root INFO Backend a.configure: 0.6 ms [Finished 0.291 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z config INFO >>> Initializing CLI configuration...
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend c.initialize: 0.3 ms [Finished 0.291 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend R.onStart: 0.4 ms [Finished 0.291 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z config INFO Loading CLI configuration from c:\Users\abx14\.arduinoIDE\arduino-cli.yaml...
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z daemon INFO Starting daemon from C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\resources\arduino-cli.exe...
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend a.initialize: 0.2 ms [Finished 0.292 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend w.onStart: 0.5 ms [Finished 0.292 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend r.configure: 0.8 ms [Finished 0.292 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z discovery-log INFO start
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z discovery-log INFO start new deferred
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend d.initialize: 0.2 ms [Finished 0.292 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend y.onStart: 1.1 ms [Finished 0.293 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend r.configure: 1.0 ms [Finished 0.293 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend a.onStart: 0.2 ms [Finished 0.294 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend h.configure: 0.2 ms [Finished 0.294 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend s.configure: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.294 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.300Z root INFO Backend l.configure: 0.0 ms [Finished 0.294 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.302Z root INFO Theia app listening on http://127.0.0.1:51700.
2024-09-15T20:32:04.302Z root INFO Finished starting backend application: 1.4 ms [Finished 0.295 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.302Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:/c%3A/Users/abx14/.arduinoIDE/plugins does not exist.
2024-09-15T20:32:04.302Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:/c%3A/Users/abx14/.arduinoIDE/extensions does not exist.
2024-09-15T20:32:04.302Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:C:\Users\abx14\.arduinoIDE\plugins does not exist.
2024-09-15T20:32:04.304Z config INFO Loaded CLI configuration: {"board_manager":{"additional_urls":[]}}
2024-09-15T20:32:04.304Z config ERROR Failed to initialize the CLI configuration. TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'data')
    at R.loadCliConfig (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:614605)
    at async R.initConfig (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:613378)
2024-09-15T20:32:04.317Z root INFO Resolve plugins list: 16.6 ms [Finished 0.310 s after backend start]
2024-09-15T20:32:04.359Z daemon INFO time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Using config file: c:\\Users\\abx14\\.arduinoIDE\\arduino-cli.yaml"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="arduino-cli.exe version 0.35.3"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Executing `arduino-cli daemon`"
Daemon is now listening on 127.0.0.1:51701
{"IP":"127.0.0.1","Port":"51701"}
2024-09-15T20:32:04.359Z daemon INFO Daemon is running.
2024-09-15T20:32:04.401Z daemon INFO time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Checking signature" index="C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\package_index.json" signatureFile="C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\package_index.json.sig" trusted=true
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loading hardware from: C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loading package arduino from: C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Missing signature file" index="C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\installed.json"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Adding monitor tool" protocol=serial tool="builtin:serial-monitor"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded platform" platform="arduino:avr@1.8.6"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Checking existence of 'tools' path: C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loading tools from dir: C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="arduino:arduinoOTA@1.3.0"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="arduino:avr-gcc@7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="arduino:avrdude@6.3.0-arduino17"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loading package builtin from: C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\builtin"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Checking existence of 'tools' path: C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\builtin\\tools"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loading tools from dir: C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\builtin\\tools"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:ctags@5.8-arduino11"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:dfu-discovery@0.1.2"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:mdns-discovery@1.0.9"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:serial-discovery@1.4.1"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:serial-monitor@0.14.1"
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\libraries" location=platform
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Loading libraries index file" index="C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\library_index.json"
2024-09-15T20:32:04.535Z daemon INFO time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\abx14\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\libraries" location=ide
time="2024-09-15T16:32:04-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\abx14\\Documents\\Arduino\\libraries" location=user
2024-09-15T20:32:04.756Z root INFO Deploy plugins list: 16.6 ms [Finished 0.749 s after backend start]
Opening channel for service path '/services/electron-window'.
Opening channel for service path '/services/ide-updater'.
2024-09-15T20:32:05.359Z root WARN A command editor.action.toggleStickyScroll is already registered.
2

Hi @1234561

The "CLI configuration" mentioned in the error message comes from a special data file stored on your hard drive. It seems the contents of that file were somehow erased or otherwise corrupted.

The solution will be to delete the bad file. Arduino IDE will automatically generate a fresh file with valid data the next time you start the IDE.

I'll provide instructions you can follow to do that:

  1. Select File > Quit from the Arduino IDE menus if it is running.
  2. Delete the file at the following path:
    C:\Users\abx14\.arduinoIDE\arduino-cli.yaml
    :warning: Please be careful when deleting things from your computer. When in doubt, back up!
  3. Start Arduino IDE.

Arduino IDE should now start up fully and be functional as usual.

Note that the file you deleted is also used to store other IDE preferences. These will all have been reset to the default values. If you had customized either the "Sketchbook location"
or "Additional Boards Manager URLs" preferences, you'll need to select File > Preferences from the Arduino IDE menus and then set those preferences once again.

Please let me know if you have any questions or problems while following those instructions.

3

it worked, thank you so much

4

You are welcome. I'm glad it is working now.

Regards, Per