Error messages: Crucible, Rust server and RustEdit

Quick answer: press Ctrl+F and type the start of the message you saw. Each entry below is the exact text, what it means and what to do, with a link to the page that fixes it. A part written like <port> is filled in with the real value when you see it.

Crucible Heightmap

License and activation

Enter your license key to activate Crucible Heightmap. You can find your key in your email receipt or by clicking Manage Subscription.

This PC has no license key for Crucible Heightmap yet. Paste the key from your receipt email, or buy a plan in the launcher’s Shop tab, which unlocks the app by itself. See licenses and account.

Your subscription is not active. Enter a valid license key, or resubscribe to continue.

The subscription on this key is cancelled, paused or has run out. Resubscribe from the launcher, or enter the key of a subscription that is active. See manage your subscription.

Could not verify your license and the offline grace period has ended. Connect to the internet, then reopen the app.

The app has been offline for too long to confirm your license. Connect to the internet and open the app again.

Could not reach the license server. Check your internet connection and try again.

Activating the key could not get through. Check your connection, and that a firewall or VPN is not blocking Crucible, then try again. The launcher’s Account panel and Shop tab show the same message.

The license server rejected this key. Double-check the key, or contact support.

The key was not accepted. Paste the whole key from your receipt email, with no spaces before or after it. If it still fails, ask in Discord. See my license key will not activate.

That key is for a different product.

The key belongs to another product. Use the key from the receipt for the plan you bought.

A message about the activation limit means the key is already in use on 2 PCs. Free one: see move to a new PC.

Install and update

Couldn't reach the update server. Check your internet connection.

The app could not get its download or check for an update. Check your connection and press Try again.

Download failed. Please try again.

The download did not finish, or arrived damaged. Press Try again. If it keeps failing, check your free disk space and that your antivirus did not block Crucible.

Update download failed. Please try again.

The same, for an update. Try again, or press Skip to keep using the version you have and update later from the launcher’s Settings, Updates, Check for updates.

Couldn't confirm your subscription for this update. Check your connection and try again.

The download worked, but your subscription could not be confirmed for this version. Check your connection, then check your plan is active in the launcher’s Account panel. See status and device usage.

In-game view

In-game view failed to start

The in-game view could not open. The line under it says why:

• Couldn't reach the download server. The first time you open it, the in-game view downloads. Connect to the internet and open it again.
• The downloaded viewer failed verification. Please try again. The download arrived damaged. Open the view again to download it fresh.
• The in-game view needs an update that isn't ready yet. Please try again later. The app and the in-game view are on different versions for now. Keep working in the 3D view and try again later.

Any other line comes from Windows. Check that your antivirus did not quarantine part of Crucible. See in-game view requirements.

In-game view module not installed yet

The in-game view has not downloaded yet. Make sure you are online and open the in-game view again.

Projects, files and imports

Recovered unsaved work from your last session

The app closed without saving last time. Press Restore to bring the work back, or Dismiss to start clean. See projects and autosave.

Could not restore the autosave.

The recovered work could not be opened. Open your last saved project instead.

Could not save the project.

The project could not be written. Check you have free disk space and that your Projects folder, listed in Settings, Folders, still exists, then save again.

Use letters, numbers, dashes and underscores only.

A project name can only hold letters, numbers, - and _. Rename it without spaces or other symbols.

Unknown project file version <n>. Update the app.

The project was saved by a newer Crucible Heightmap than yours. Update the app from the launcher, then open it again.

This .raw is <size> bytes, which is not a square 16-bit heightmap. Export it from here, or use a PNG.

The .raw you picked for a custom island is not a square 16-bit heightmap. Use a PNG, or a .raw exported from Crucible Heightmap. See make an island from a picture.

<n> files weren't valid seed files.

Some of the files you imported as seeds are not Crucible seed files. Pick seed files saved from Crucible Heightmap. See reuse or import a seed.

Could not open the folder.

The folder could not be opened. Check it still exists in Settings, Folders, where every folder has its own Open button.

Editing the map

<action> could not finish, so the map is unchanged. The support log has the details.

A step such as Conjure did not finish, and nothing on the map changed. Try it again. If it keeps happening, send launcher-log.txt from Settings, Folders, Logs folder in Discord.

Bake your terrain painting first, in the terrain brush panel.

Terrain you painted with the brush blocks changes to islands and ramps until it is baked. Press Bake painted terrain in the terrain brush dock; your sculpting stays. See terrain brush.

The map is still building. Try again in a moment.

The map is still being made. Wait for it to finish, then do it again.

Crucible Local Server

Starting a server

game port <port> is already in use

The same goes for query port <port> is already in use and RCON port <port> is already in use. Another server, or a RustDedicated left running after a crash, is using that port. Stop the other server, or end the leftover RustDedicated in Task Manager, then start again. See it says the port is already in use.

port <port> is already used by <server>. Give this server a different game or RCON port.

Two of your saved servers share a port. Change this one’s game or RCON port in the Config tab. See network and the RCON password.

another server is already running; stop it first

One server runs at a time unless you allow more. Stop the other server, or turn on Allow multiple servers running at once in Settings. See can I run two servers at the same time.

RustDedicated is not installed; open Installs and install it first

This server’s Rust server files are not installed yet. Open Installs in the titlebar and install them. See install the Rust server files.

Rust only downloads a map over https. Use an https link, or pick the map from this PC.

The Level URL starts with http://. Use the https:// form of the link, or switch the Map tab back to Local (file://). See how a custom map is delivered.

Rust refuses to run RCON with the password "<password>", which would leave the console, the live rules and the automatic restart all dead. Pick a different one, or use Regenerate.

That password is on Rust’s list of common passwords, and Rust switches RCON off for those. Type a different one in Config, or press Regenerate. See RCON is not connecting, and I did set a password.

Console and RCON

Set an RCON password in Config to use the console.

This server has no RCON password, so the console only shows output. Set one in Config and restart the server. See keep an RCON password set.

Could not connect to RCON.

The server never opened its console to the app. Read the console output for errors, check nothing else holds the RCON port, and restart. See RCON will not connect or says RCON disabled.

Installs and updates

Steam did not update these server files. Use Repair on this install.

Steam ran the update, but the files stayed on the old version. The server starts on the version you have, and the message ends Starting on the version you already have. Open Installs and press Repair on that install; it keeps your worlds, maps and plugins.

SteamCMD finished but RustDedicated.exe is missing. See the log lines above.

The install ended without the server program. Check your free disk space and that your antivirus did not remove RustDedicated.exe, then install again. See the install is stuck at 0% or will not finish.

These files are NEWER than the live build, so they are probably from another branch. Repair them.

The install holds files from another branch, such as staging. Press Repair on it in Installs. See run and join a staging server.

Could not reach Steam to check the latest version.

The update check could not get through. The server still starts on the files you have. Check your connection and update from Installs later.

<branch> is a private branch. Enter its access code in Installs.

That branch needs the access code Facepunch posts when it opens the branch. Enter it in Installs. See branches that need an access code.

Mods and plugins

GitHub is rate-limiting downloads right now (<status>). Wait a minute and try again.

Too many downloads from GitHub in a short time while installing Carbon, Oxide or the RustEdit extension. Wait a minute and try again.

uMod is rate-limiting downloads (Too Many Requests). Wait a minute, then install one plugin at a time.

Too many plugin downloads at once. Wait a minute, then install plugins one at a time.

Plugin not found (<status>). It may be paid/removed, or its file name differs from the plugin name.

uMod has no free file under that name. Open the plugin’s own page with Find on uMod, or paste a link to its .cs file into Install plugin from a .cs URL. See browse and add plugins.

Maps, saves and wipes

stop the server first

Wipes, backups, restores and applying a saved world all need the server stopped. Stop it from the Quick view, then try again. See the server must be stopped.

aborted: could not back up your world before the wipe, so nothing was deleted (<reason>)

A full wipe always backs the world up first, that backup failed, and so nothing was wiped. The reason in brackets comes from Windows, for example a full disk. Fix that, then wipe again. See the typed confirmation and the auto-backup.

this save has no matching .map in your library

A saved world only loads on the map it was built on. Import that .map into the maps library first, then press Apply. See saved worlds.

<server> still uses this map. Assign a different map there first, or the server would quietly boot a procedural world instead.

A server is still set to load this map. Give that server a different map, or clear it back to procedural, then delete the map. See deleting maps and saved worlds.

Crucible launcher

Updates and installs

This version of <app> is no longer supported and needs to be updated before it can open.

Shown under Update required: that version of the app no longer opens. Press Update now. See “Update required”.

This app needs a newer version of Crucible. Update the launcher now to continue.

Also under Update required, sometimes with the version it needs. The app needs a newer launcher first. Press Update now.

Could not update automatically. Check your connection and try again.

The launcher’s own update did not go through. Check your connection and press Retry.

Couldn't reach the update server. Check your internet connection.

Installing an app could not get started. Check your connection and install it again. See install an app.

Download failed. Please try again.

The app download did not finish, or arrived damaged. The same goes for Update download failed. Please try again. Install or update again. If it keeps failing, check your free disk space and your antivirus.

Couldn't unlock this download. Check your internet connection and your license, then try again.

The launcher could not confirm your license for this download. Check your connection and that your plan is active in the Account panel, then try again.

Your license does not include this app.

Your plan does not cover that app. The Shop tab shows the plans that do. See the Shop tab.

That app is already being installed or updated. Wait for it to finish.

An install or update of that app is already running. Wait for it to finish.

Close the app, then try again.

The app is open, so it cannot be installed or updated. Close it, check the system tray too, then try again.

License and Shop

The license messages under Crucible Heightmap show here too when you activate a key in the Account panel.

Enter your license key.

The key box was empty when you pressed Activate. Paste the key from your receipt email.

Activation failed.

The key did not activate and no reason came back. Try again, and check the key is the whole key from your receipt. See license problems.

The shop request failed. Please try again.

A Shop or subscription action did not go through. Try it again.

Could not reach the download list. Check your connection and try again.

The list of free maps, plugins, prefabs and guides could not load. Check your connection and open it again. See free downloads.

Rust server console

These are Rust’s own lines, in the server console or its log, on any Rust server.

Couldn't Download Level: <map name> (<reason>)

The server could not download the map from server.levelurl, and it shuts down. Open the link in a browser: it has to start a .map download straight away. Check that it is https, that the file is still there, and on Dropbox that the link ends in dl=1. See how to host a custom Rust map.

World File Outdated: <map name>

The map at the link is in a format this version of Rust does not load, and the server shuts down. Open the map in an editor that is up to date with Rust, save it, and upload it again.

Could not find path for prefab ID <id>

The map holds a prefab this version of Rust does not have, such as one an update removed or one only on the staging branch. The server skips it and loads the rest. Remove or replace it in your editor. See before you publish it.

RCON password is very insecure, RCON is disabled.

The RCON password is empty or on Rust’s list of common passwords, so Rust turned RCON off. Rust only takes the RCON password from the startup line, so set +rcon.password there to something that is not on the list. See RCON is not connecting, and I did set a password.

RCON password length is very insecure.

The RCON password is shorter than 8 characters. RCON still works, but use a longer one.

Couldn't start RCON Listener: <reason>

Rust could not open the RCON port, for example because something else is using it. Change rcon.port, or stop whatever holds that port.

Couldn't Start Server.

Rust could not start its network on the game port. Check that nothing else, such as another server, is using that port, then start again.

RustEdit

These are RustEdit’s own messages, the ones that matter when a map comes from Crucible Heightmap or another tool.

Invalid map file selected!

RustEdit could not open the file as a map. Check it is a .map and that RustEdit is up to date, or export the map again.

Heightmap image conversion failed! Check your heightmap is the correct dimensions for the world size

The heightmap’s resolution does not match the map size you set. Match them with Rust heightmap resolution, or export the .raw from Crucible Heightmap at the same map size.

The heightmap.raw file is missing from the WorldCreator export. Unable to continue...

RustEdit wants heightmap.raw in the same folder as the .xml you picked. Pick the .xml inside the folder Crucible Heightmap exported, and keep the files in it together and with their names unchanged. See World Creator import.

The splat map files are missing from the WorldCreator export. Unable to import splat data

The same folder rule, for the splat maps. RustEdit carries on with the height only. Pick the .xml inside the exported folder.

Failed to parse XML data. Unable to import from WorldCreator

The .xml is damaged or was edited. Export the World Creator set from Crucible Heightmap again.

Invalid splat map resolution! Attempting repair...

The same message comes for the water, biome, alpha and topology maps. That layer is not the size RustEdit expects for this map, and RustEdit fixes it as it opens. Check that layer once the map is open.

Invalid map size specified! Maps must be between 1000 and 6000

The size you typed to resize the map is outside 1000 to 6000 metres. See Rust map sizes.

Still stuck?

Post in the Discord server bug and feedback forum with the exact message and your launcher-log.txt, which every Crucible app writes. More fixes: Crucible Heightmap troubleshooting, Crucible Local Server troubleshooting, and the glossary for any term on this page.