What to do when a run, an export or a save goes wrong.

Most problems come with a message that says what happened. This guide explains what the common messages mean, what to try next, and how to collect a diagnostics report that leaves your media and text out.

A model run failed

Read the message on the run before generating again. Different failures need different responses:

The input was rejected
The provider refused something in the request, such as a prompt, a reference or a value outside the model's limits. Check the page's help and limits, change the input and run again.
A resource or capability is missing
Something the model needs isn't set up, such as a key or a local file. Settings shows what is missing; resolve it there and reload the model list.
The provider timed out
The request didn't complete in time. Try again later, or with a smaller request.
The remote outcome is uncertain
Grapple couldn't confirm whether the provider received the request. Don't submit it again straight away, because a second submission may be charged too. Look at the retained run and follow the recovery action it offers.
Stop hasn't finished
Cancellation has been requested, but the provider hasn't confirmed it. The run shows its actual state until it does.

Account problems, such as an expired key, a spending limit or a model you don't have access to, are resolved with the provider.

Ape won't start or stops early

Ape asks to be configured
No conversation model is set. Choose one in Settings > Ape, adding a model first in Settings > Models if the list is empty.
Codex or Claude Code doesn't respond
Check that the agent is installed and that you are signed in through it. Its sign-in is separate from Grapple.
A run seems to pause
It may be waiting for you to approve a terminal command. Check the Ape panel, or change the terminal access setting.
Long conversations become unreliable
The context window is filling up. Type /compact in the composer, or start a new chat for the next task.
A run went the wrong way
Choose Stop, then Undo run to reverse what it changed.

An export fails or looks wrong

Export isn't available
Choose a composition that has a non-empty range, and check that the codec you picked is available.
HDR won't export
HDR output needs HEVC · MP4. Switch the codec, then choose PQ or HLG.
Motion blur error
Camera shutter blur can't be combined with frame effects in the same composition. Turn one of them off.
Shader effects fail
Shader effects need a GPU with Vulkan support. Update the graphics driver, or remove the effect.
The file won't write
Choose a folder you can write to, with enough free space, and close any player that has the old file open.

If the export differs from the preview, note the frame and the effect involved and include them in a report.

Playback is slow

For heavy footage, select it in the Project panel and choose Prepare proxy media or Prepare optimized media. Set a short working range around the part you are refining, so playback loops over it. Python effects run on the CPU for every frame; preview a short range when a sequence has several.

Saving and project checks

Grapple writes changes to the project folder as you work. If a save fails, a Retry Saving Project action appears; check that the drive has space and the folder can be written to, then retry. Keep the project folder intact while you investigate, and don't move files out of it.

File > Verify Project checks the project's whole history for integrity and reports the result. Run it after a crash or before archiving a project.

Send a diagnostics report

  1. Open Window > Diagnostics.
  2. Choose Export safe diagnostics and save the JSON report.
  3. Include the report with the exact Grapple version, the name of the operation that failed and the message you saw.

The safe report contains operational information and excludes private content such as project media and transcript text. Don't attach project folders, provider keys or raw media unless support asks for them and you have checked what they contain.

Update Grapple safely

Projects live in their own folders, by default in Documents\Grapple, and settings are stored outside the application folder. To update, extract the new version into a new folder and open your projects from there. Keep the previous version's folder until you are happy with the new one; nothing in your projects needs to move.