Designer error - Cannot create PyString with non-byte value

Hi. Can anybody help me with this? I am unable to open any project in the Designer.
Thanks. Michal

Are you in contact with support? This forum isn’t an official support venue, and you’ll probably need to provide a .gwbk to assist in troubleshooting - that’s probably a better option for timely help.
Do you recall creating a project script library/package called nt, by any chance?
Is there any more stacktrace available?

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\ruda\.ignition\cache\gwignition.ruda.tech_8088\C0\pylib\site.py", line 68, in <module>
    import os
  File "C:\Users\ruda\.ignition\cache\gwignition.ruda.tech_8088\C0\pylib\os.py", line 59, in <module>
    from nt import *
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Cannot create PyString with non-byte value
	at org.python.core.PyString.<init>(PyString.java:57)
	at org.python.core.PyString.<init>(PyString.java:70)
	at org.python.core.PyString.<init>(PyString.java:74)
	at org.python.core.Py.newString(Py.java:643)
	at org.python.modules.posix.PosixModule.getEnviron(PosixModule.java:1291)
	at org.python.modules.posix.PosixModule.classDictInit(PosixModule.java:136)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at org.python.core.PyJavaType.init(PyJavaType.java:529)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry.createType(PyType.java:477)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry.addFromClass(PyType.java:426)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry.resolveType(PyType.java:352)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry$1.computeValue(PyType.java:208)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry$1.computeValue(PyType.java:202)
	at java.base/java.lang.ClassValue.getFromHashMap(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/java.lang.ClassValue.getFromBackup(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/java.lang.ClassValue.get(Unknown Source)
	at org.python.core.PyType.fromClass(PyType.java:2137)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromClass(imp.java:655)
	at org.python.core.imp.loadBuiltin(imp.java:803)
	at org.python.core.imp.find_module(imp.java:747)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_next(imp.java:1158)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_module_level(imp.java:1350)
	at org.python.core.imp.importName(imp.java:1528)
	at org.python.core.ImportFunction.__call__(__builtin__.java:1285)
	at org.python.core.PyObject.__call__(PyObject.java:433)
	at org.python.core.__builtin__.__import__(__builtin__.java:1232)
	at org.python.core.imp.importAll(imp.java:1647)
	at os$py.f$0(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/os.py:726)
	at os$py.call_function(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/os.py)
	at org.python.core.PyTableCode.call(PyTableCode.java:173)
	at org.python.core.PyCode.call(PyCode.java:18)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromCode(imp.java:630)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromSource(imp.java:583)
	at org.python.core.imp.loadFromSource(imp.java:944)
	at org.python.core.imp.find_module(imp.java:769)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_next(imp.java:1158)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_module_level(imp.java:1350)
	at org.python.core.imp.importName(imp.java:1528)
	at org.python.core.ImportFunction.__call__(__builtin__.java:1285)
	at org.python.core.PyObject.__call__(PyObject.java:433)
	at org.python.core.__builtin__.__import__(__builtin__.java:1232)
	at org.python.core.imp.importOne(imp.java:1547)
	at site$py.f$0(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/site.py:628)
	at site$py.call_function(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/site.py)
	at org.python.core.PyTableCode.call(PyTableCode.java:173)
	at org.python.core.PyCode.call(PyCode.java:18)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromCode(imp.java:630)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromSource(imp.java:583)
	at org.python.core.imp.loadFromSource(imp.java:944)
	at org.python.core.imp.find_module(imp.java:769)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_next(imp.java:1158)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_first(imp.java:1198)
	at org.python.core.imp.load(imp.java:1016)
	at org.python.core.Py.importSiteIfSelected(Py.java:1842)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.script.ScriptManager.<init>(ScriptManager.java:150)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.script.ScriptManager.<init>(ScriptManager.java:108)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.DesignerContextImpl.<init>(DesignerContextImpl.java:163)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner.loadProject(IgnitionDesigner.java:937)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner$StartupProjectDialogHandler.lambda$new$2(IgnitionDesigner.java:2011)
	at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Cannot create PyString with non-byte value

	at org.python.core.Py.JavaError(Py.java:547)
	at org.python.core.Py.JavaError(Py.java:538)
	at org.python.core.PyJavaType.init(PyJavaType.java:536)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry.createType(PyType.java:477)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry.addFromClass(PyType.java:426)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry.resolveType(PyType.java:352)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry$1.computeValue(PyType.java:208)
	at org.python.core.PyType$Registry$1.computeValue(PyType.java:202)
	at java.base/java.lang.ClassValue.getFromHashMap(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/java.lang.ClassValue.getFromBackup(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/java.lang.ClassValue.get(Unknown Source)
	at org.python.core.PyType.fromClass(PyType.java:2137)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromClass(imp.java:655)
	at org.python.core.imp.loadBuiltin(imp.java:803)
	at org.python.core.imp.find_module(imp.java:747)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_next(imp.java:1158)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_module_level(imp.java:1350)
	at org.python.core.imp.importName(imp.java:1528)
	at org.python.core.ImportFunction.__call__(__builtin__.java:1285)
	at org.python.core.PyObject.__call__(PyObject.java:433)
	at org.python.core.__builtin__.__import__(__builtin__.java:1232)
	at org.python.core.imp.importAll(imp.java:1647)
	at os$py.f$0(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/os.py:726)
	at os$py.call_function(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/os.py)
	at org.python.core.PyTableCode.call(PyTableCode.java:173)
	at org.python.core.PyCode.call(PyCode.java:18)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromCode(imp.java:630)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromSource(imp.java:583)
	at org.python.core.imp.loadFromSource(imp.java:944)
	at org.python.core.imp.find_module(imp.java:769)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_next(imp.java:1158)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_module_level(imp.java:1350)
	at org.python.core.imp.importName(imp.java:1528)
	at org.python.core.ImportFunction.__call__(__builtin__.java:1285)
	at org.python.core.PyObject.__call__(PyObject.java:433)
	at org.python.core.__builtin__.__import__(__builtin__.java:1232)
	at org.python.core.imp.importOne(imp.java:1547)
	at site$py.f$0(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/site.py:628)
	at site$py.call_function(C:/Users/ruda/.ignition/cache/gwignition.ruda.tech_8088/C0/pylib/site.py)
	at org.python.core.PyTableCode.call(PyTableCode.java:173)
	at org.python.core.PyCode.call(PyCode.java:18)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromCode(imp.java:630)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromSource(imp.java:583)
	at org.python.core.imp.loadFromSource(imp.java:944)
	at org.python.core.imp.find_module(imp.java:769)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_next(imp.java:1158)
	at org.python.core.imp.import_first(imp.java:1198)
	at org.python.core.imp.load(imp.java:1016)
	at org.python.core.Py.importSiteIfSelected(Py.java:1842)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.script.ScriptManager.<init>(ScriptManager.java:150)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.script.ScriptManager.<init>(ScriptManager.java:108)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.DesignerContextImpl.<init>(DesignerContextImpl.java:163)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner.loadProject(IgnitionDesigner.java:937)
	at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner$StartupProjectDialogHandler.lambda$new$2(IgnitionDesigner.java:2011)
	at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Cannot create PyString with non-byte value
	at org.python.core.PyString.<init>(PyString.java:57)
	at org.python.core.PyString.<init>(PyString.java:70)
	at org.python.core.PyString.<init>(PyString.java:74)
	at org.python.core.Py.newString(Py.java:643)
	at org.python.modules.posix.PosixModule.getEnviron(PosixModule.java:1291)
	at org.python.modules.posix.PosixModule.classDictInit(PosixModule.java:136)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
	at org.python.core.PyJavaType.init(PyJavaType.java:529)
	... 52 more

Ignition v8.1.10 (b2021090812)
Java: Azul Systems, Inc. 11.0.11

Hi. Thanks for the reply. This is a full trace of the error. I fresh installed Ignition 8.1.10 on the Ubuntu 20.04 server, tried Designer on two different Windows PCs with the exact same result, which u can see here. I did not contact the support, yet. I really do not know what nt is. Everything on the server and workstation comes directly from installation od the Ignition and Designer Launcher. The error shows up every time I try to open any project. Including the Sample Quick Start Project or a new one just created.

Thanks for your advice.

In the context the designer launcher is creating the new Designer instance, there’s an environment variable set with a non-ASCII name. That’s pretty unusual, especially since you’re encountering this on different machines; maybe it’s something being provided by your AD domain or other Windows setup?
If the Ubuntu install has a desktop environment, you could try launching a designer there. You can see the names and values of the default environment variables on Windows pretty easily:
https://www.architectryan.com/2018/08/31/how-to-change-environment-variables-on-windows-10/

Hi, i have encountered this issue recently on my laptop. is there a solution for this?

Are you sure it’s the exact error from the OP of this thread? If so, have you looked for environment variables with non-ASCII names, per my last post?