Why can't I start a named Erlang node in Windows?

Question

I'm trying to start a named Erlang node using the -sname option in Windows XP Home, but when I run erl, it prints out a long error message, which I don't understand, and quits:

> erl -sname allyourcode
{error_logger,{{2009,5,25},{16,20,57}},"Protocol: ~p: register error: ~p~n",["in
                                                                             et_tcp",{{badmatch,{error,econnrefused}},[{inet_tcp_dist,listen,1},{net_kernel,s
                                                                                                                                                 tart_protos,4},{net_kernel,start_protos,3},{net_kernel,init_node,2},{net_kernel,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      init,1},{gen_server,init_it,6},{proc_lib,init_p_do_apply,3}]}]}
{error_logger,{{2009,5,25},{16,20,57}},crash_report,[[{initial_call,{net_kernel,
                                                                     init,['Argument__1']}},{pid,},{registered_name,[]},{error_info,{exit,{er
                                                                                                                                           ror,badarg},[{gen_server,init_it,6},{proc_lib,init_p_do_apply,3}]}},{ancestors,[
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           net_sup,kernel_sup,]},{messages,[]},{links,[#Port,]},{dicti
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 onary,[{longnames,false}]},{trap_exit,true},{status,running},{heap_size,610},{st
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ack_size,24},{reductions,490}],[]]}
{error_logger,{{2009,5,25},{16,20,57}},supervisor_report,[{supervisor,{local,net
                                                                       _sup}},{errorContext,start_error},{reason,{'EXIT',nodistribution}},{offender,[{p
                                                                                                                                                      id,undefined},{name,net_kernel},{mfa,{net_kernel,start_link,[[allyourcode,shortn
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ames]]}},{restart_type,permanent},{shutdown,2000},{child_type,worker}]}]}
{error_logger,{{2009,5,25},{16,20,57}},supervisor_report,[{supervisor,{local,ker
                                                                       nel_sup}},{errorContext,start_error},{reason,shutdown},{offender,[{pid,undefined
                                                                                                                                         },{name,net_sup},{mfa,{erl_distribution,start_link,[]}},{restart_type,permanent}
                                                                                                                                        ,{shutdown,infinity},{child_type,supervisor}]}]}
{error_logger,{{2009,5,25},{16,20,57}},std_info,[{application,kernel},{exited,{s
                                                                               hutdown,{kernel,start,[normal,[]]}}},{type,permanent}]}
{"Kernel pid terminated",application_controller,"{application_start_failure,kern
                                                  el,{shutdown,{kernel,start,[normal,[]]}}}"}

Crash dump was written to: erl_crash.dump
Kernel pid terminated (application_controller) ({application_start_failure,kernel,{shutdown,{kernel,start,[normal,[]]}}})

I'd like to include the erl_crash.dump file, but I don't know a good way to do that, because it's pretty long.

At first, I thought I was having a firewall issue, because the first time I tried to do this, my firewall asked if I would grant permission to different programs, which I did; however, even after disabling my firewall, I'm still having the same problem.

Using -name instead doesn't seem to help either.

Answer 1

Yes, you may even have to restart your OS - to check whether this is true, you could also simply start a node with a different name, also it is generally better to use a fully qualified name, such as:

erl -name [email protected] -setcookie KILLER

Then, start another one using:

erl -name [email protected] -setcookie KILLER

and try to ping the other node:

net_adm:ping('[email protected]').

You should get a 'pong' message.

Next use

nodes().

to see all visible nodes.

Answer 2

I think that you will find that you have started a node by that name already. Try shutting down all your Erlang console windows and try again.