Symptom: When I attempt to open the Layout Designer or try to switch between layouts, I receive the Error: “Object reference not set to an instance of an object.”
Product Details:
Product Family: Act!
Product: Act! Pro, Premium (access via web)
Version: 2005 and later
Cause:
This can be caused by a corrupted Act! Preference File or by incorrect Dots Per Inch (DPI) settings.
Solution:
Corrupted Preferences
- Rebuild your preferences using the instructions in the following knowledgebase article:
How to rebuild the Act! Preferences File
Answer ID How to rebuild the Act! Preferences file
- Attempt to open the Layout Designer or switch layouts to test. If the issue persists, proceed to the next section
Incorrect DPI settings
If rebuilding the preferences does not resolve the issue, you may need to reduce the settings for your DPI. For more information, refer to the following knowledgebase article:
Issues using Act! with large or custom size Dots Per Inch (DPI) Display Settings
Answer ID Issues using Act! with large or custom size Dots Per Inch (DPI) Display Settings
Tabs Missing from Layout
This error has also been known to occur if tabs have been removed from your layout. To test this, try re-adding all tabs back onto the layout. Follow the steps below to re-add all tabs:
- Within the layout designer, click the Edit menu and choose Tabs.
- Make a note of all the Hidden tabs listed.
- Move them all to the right column.
- Save the layout and test.