Troubleshooting

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Common issues

This guide covers common issues you might encounter while using Screen Answerer and how to resolve them.

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API key errors

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Invalid API key format

Error message: Invalid API key format Cause: The API key doesn’t match the expected Gemini API key format. Solution:

1. Verify your API key starts with AIza and is exactly 39 characters long
2. Check for any extra spaces or characters when copying the key
3. Get a new API key from Google AI Studio if needed

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API key validation failed

Error message: Invalid API key provided. Please check your API key and try again. Cause: The API key is formatted correctly but is not valid or has been revoked. Solution:

1. Verify the API key is active in Google AI Studio
2. Check if the key has any usage restrictions or quotas
3. Generate a new API key if the current one has been revoked
4. Ensure you’re using the correct API key for the Gemini API

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Missing API key

Error message: API key is required Cause: No API key was provided in the request. Solution:

1. Open Settings (⚙️ icon) in the top right corner
2. Navigate to the API Key tab
3. Enter your Gemini API key
4. Click Save Settings

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Rate limiting

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Too many requests

Error message: Rate limit exceeded. Please wait before sending another request Cause: You’ve made too many requests in a short time period. The application enforces a 5-second window between requests. Solution:

1. Wait at least 5 seconds before sending another request
2. If using screen monitoring, the system automatically spaces requests
3. Reduce the monitoring frequency if you’re hitting rate limits frequently

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Server rate limiting

Error message: HTTP 429 status code Cause: The server’s global rate limiter (100 requests per 15 minutes per IP) has been exceeded. Solution:

1. Wait 15 minutes for the rate limit to reset
2. Reduce the frequency of requests
3. If you’re sharing an IP with others, coordinate API usage

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Quota exhaustion

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API quota exceeded

Error message: API quota limit reached. Please try again later. Cause: Your Gemini API quota has been exhausted. Solution:

1. Check your quota usage in Google AI Studio
2. Wait for your quota to reset (typically resets daily or monthly)
3. Consider upgrading your API plan if you need higher limits
4. Switch to a lighter model (gemini-2.0-flash-lite) to reduce quota usage

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Approaching quota limit

Error message: API quota limit approaching, please try again later Cause: The application’s internal quota counter (50 calls per minute) is near the limit. Solution:

1. Wait 1 minute for the counter to reset
2. Reduce the frequency of monitoring or manual requests
3. This is a protective measure to prevent exceeding API quotas

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Connection errors

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Failed to process question

Error message: Failed to process question Cause: General error during question processing, could be network, API, or server-related. Solution:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Verify the Screen Answerer server is running
3. Check browser console for detailed error messages
4. Try refreshing the page
5. Verify your API key is still valid

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Server not responding

Cause: The Screen Answerer server is not running or not accessible. Solution:

1. Verify the server is running on the correct port (default: 3000)
2. Check if another application is using port 3000
3. The server automatically tries port 3001 if 3000 is in use
4. Restart the server: npm start

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Image upload issues

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Only image files allowed

Error message: Only image files are allowed! Cause: You attempted to upload a non-image file. Solution:

1. Only upload PNG or JPEG image files
2. Supported formats: .png, .jpg, .jpeg
3. Ensure the file extension is correct

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File size too large

Cause: Image file exceeds the 5MB limit. Solution:

1. Compress your image to under 5MB
2. Use image compression tools or resize the image
3. Screenshot only the relevant portion of the screen

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No image provided

Error message: No image provided or No question or image provided Cause: The request was sent without an image or text question. Solution:

1. Ensure you’ve captured a screenshot before submitting
2. Verify the file was selected correctly
3. Check browser console for upload errors

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Screen monitoring issues

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Screen capture permission denied

Cause: Browser permission to capture screen was denied. Solution:

1. Click “Start Monitoring” again and allow screen sharing
2. Select the correct screen or window to share
3. Check browser permissions in settings

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Monitoring stopped unexpectedly

Cause: User stopped sharing screen or browser lost permission. Solution:

1. Click “Start Monitoring” to restart
2. Ensure you don’t accidentally close the share permission
3. Check if browser has any restrictions on long-running screen captures

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Browser compatibility

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Features not working properly

Warning: For the best experience, please use Chrome or Firefox. Cause: Some browsers have limited support for screen capture APIs. Solution:

1. Use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for best compatibility
2. Update your browser to the latest version
3. Check if your browser supports navigator.mediaDevices.getDisplayMedia()

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Getting help

If you continue to experience issues:

1. Check the browser console for detailed error messages (F12 or right-click > Inspect > Console)
2. Verify all system requirements are met
3. Ensure you’re using a supported browser (Chrome or Firefox recommended)
4. Check your API key status in Google AI Studio
5. Review your API quota and usage limits

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Error logging

The application logs errors to:

• Browser console (client-side errors)
• Server console (server-side errors)

Check both locations for detailed debugging information.