Problem: Terminal (OS X) window exits immediately on opening. & Solution.

[Lou Pecora]

Since this happened with a Python script and some people here use OS X 
and Terminal to run scripts I thought this might be helpful.

I recently ran into this problem using Terminal and found the solution.  
I thought those who use the Terminal in OS X might be interested.

The problem appeared suddenly.  Whenever I tried to open a new window in 
Terminal I would get the message that Terminal tried to execute a 
certain file (way down in the /var directory), but the file didn't 
exist.  And the process would Exit.  Very frustrating since you can't 
use the Terminal to help find the problem.

E.g error message:

/var/tmp/folders.501/Cleanup\ At\ 
Startup/drvrSDWB_2-258580497.358.py.command; exit
-bash: /var/tmp/folders.501/Cleanup At 
Startup/drvrSDWB_2-258580497.358.py.command: No such file or directory

The Solution is to go into the preference file for the Terminal (located 
in 
/Users/your_account_name_here/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Terminal.plis
t) and open it with the Property List Editor (should open automatically 
with a double click or you might have to install the Property List 
Editor from the System CDs that came with your computer).  Under the 
heading Executionstring you will see the name of the file that the 
Terminal is choking on.  Double click the name and delete it.  Save. and 
quit the Property List Editor.  The Terminal should work normally now. 

More info.  I got this problem while running Python scripts from BBEdit 
(which automatically launches the scripts in a Terminal Window). Why it 
happened is lost on me.  I don't know if Python, BBEdit, or Terminal 
munged the property list.  At least I managed to track it down.

I hope this helps someone if you've had this problem.

-- 
-- Lou Pecora