Data & Troubleshooting

Data & Troubleshooting

When something goes wrong, the best thing you can do is resist the urge to change multiple settings at once and instead work through the problem in layers. This chapter is your recovery playbook — data locations, a structured troubleshooting approach, backup tools, and what info to collect when you need help.

Data Locations

Sweet Tea stores its data in a platform-specific directory. Knowing where your data lives is the first step in any recovery scenario.

Windows

%APPDATA%\Sweet Tea Studio\data\

macOS

~/Library/Application Support/Sweet Tea Studio/data/

Linux

~/.config/Sweet Tea Studio/data/

Inside the data directory, you'll find:

data/
├── meta/          # Database, configuration, logs
├── projects/      # Project-organized assets (input, output, masks)
└── ...            # Additional directories for models, cache, etc.

You can override the base data directory with the SWEET_TEA_ROOT_DIR environment variable if needed.

Tip: Bookmark your data directory location now. When you're troubleshooting a problem under pressure, you don't want to spend time hunting for it.

Troubleshooting: Work Through It in Layers

When you hit a problem, work through these layers in order. Each layer has its own most likely causes and fix actions. Don't skip ahead — a Layer 1 issue will look like a Layer 3 issue if you don't check it first.

Layer 1: Engine connectivity

Is ComfyUI reachable and healthy?

• Check the status bar at the bottom of Studio.
• Verify the URL/path in Settings > Engine.
• Look at engine logs for startup errors.
• Try a simple test generation with a known-good Pipe.

If the engine is down or unreachable, nothing else will work. Fix this first. See ComfyUI Integration.

Layer 2: Dependencies

Are all required models and custom nodes installed?

• Open the failing Pipe and check for missing node/model warnings.
• Install missing extensions through the Extension Manager.
• Download or fix paths for missing models in the Models Manager.
• Restart the engine if you installed extensions (node registration requires a restart).

Layer 3: Workflow and schema

Is the Pipe itself configured correctly?

• Try resetting the form to default values and running again.
• If you recently edited the schema, revert to a known-good state.
• Run a minimal test: simplest prompt, default settings, small resolution.
• Compare your current result metadata with a previous successful run.

Schema and Pipe controls are covered in Pipes & Workflows and Advanced Pipe Management.

Layer 4: Data routing

Are outputs going where you expect?

• Check your active project in the sidebar — you might be generating in the wrong project.
• Verify output directory paths in Settings.
• If files exist on disk but don't show in the Gallery, try a gallery resync.
• Check whether Gallery filters are hiding results you expect to see.

Layer 5: Account and sync

For users with web accounts and sync enabled:

• Verify which account is active (check Settings).
• Confirm entitlement status matches your subscription.
• Check sync status indicators before making destructive changes.
• If sync state is confused, work through Studio-Web Continuity and Sync.

Quick Diagnosis Table

Database Backup and Checkpoint

Sweet Tea includes built-in tools for protecting your database:

• Status check — Verify the database is healthy and accessible.
• Backup — Create a snapshot of the current database state. Do this before major changes like upgrades, large cleanup operations, or migration.
• Checkpoint — Write a checkpoint to ensure recent changes are durable.

Warning: Always create a backup before upgrading Sweet Tea or doing large-scale cleanup operations. If something goes wrong during the process, a backup lets you restore to a known-good state.

Find these tools in Settings under the data management section.

Portfolio Export

When you need to archive your work outside of Sweet Tea — for backup, migration, or delivery:

• Use the portfolio export feature to package selected projects and their outputs.
• The export includes images and metadata, giving you a durable archive that doesn't depend on Sweet Tea's database.
• Store exports on a separate drive or cloud storage for safety.

Getting Help

When you've worked through the layers above and are still stuck, collect this information before reaching out:

• OS and app version — Find these in Settings > About.
• Runtime mode — Are you using managed local runtime or an external connection?
• Failing Pipe name — Which workflow is having the problem?
• Exact error text — Copy the full error message, not a paraphrase.
• Recent changes — What did you change since things last worked? (Updated the app? Installed an extension? Changed a setting?)
• Diagnostics bundle — Export one from Settings if available (see Performance Monitoring).

A clear error description with context saves everyone time — including you.

Next: Hosted GPU Workflows