Trying to connect to the Trados GroupShare - MultiTerm Server components via Trados Studio to open a server-based Termbase is displaying the following error message:

A connection to MultiTerm Server [server name] could not be established
The root element is missing.


Another symptom is when there was already a server-based Termbase added to the project and it was not able to connect to the relevant server but the termbase is still listed in the Project Settings only the following error message is displaying when performing click actions:

The root element is missing

Expanding the error stack trace is showing more details (Note: it points to the source of the problematic file):

<SDLErrorDetails time="14.12.2016 11:58:02">
  <ErrorMessage>Root element is missing.</ErrorMessage>
  <Exception>
    <Type>System.Xml.XmlException, System.Xml, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089</Type>
    <LineNumber>0</LineNumber>
    <LinePosition>0</LinePosition>
    <SourceUri>file:///C:/ProgramData/SDL/SDL Trados Studio/14.0.0.0/Settings.xml</SourceUri>
    <HelpLink />
    <Source>Sdl.ProjectApi.Implementation</Source>
    <HResult>-2146232000</HResult>
    <StackTrace>...</StackTrace>
  </Exception>
  <Environment>...</Environment>
</SDLErrorDetails>

 

Workaround 1: Add missing information to Settings.xml

1. Close Trados Studio and MultiTerm
2. Go to:
   • For Studio 2015: C:\ProgramData\SDL\SDL Trados Studio\12.0.0.0
   • For Studio 2017: C:\ProgramData\SDL\SDL Trados Studio\14.0.0.0
3. Located the Settings.xml and open it in a XML/Text Editor
4. If it is empty, add the following information: 
   Note: Replace the yellow marked sections with your relevant data/information
    

5. <?xml version="1.0"?>
   <settings>
   	<key name="MultiTerm\Connection">
   		<value name="LocalUser">[USERNAME]</value>
   		<value name="RemoteConnectionTestFrequency">30</value>
   	</key>
   	<key name="MultiTerm\Communication">
   		<value name="Server">[YOUR SERVER ADDRESS]/</value>
   	</key>
   	<key name="MultiTerm\ServerDatabaseInfo">
   		<value name="(default)"/>
   		<value name="Location"/>
   		<value name="UserID"/>
   		<value name="Password"/>
   		<value name="MasterDB"/>
   	</key>
   	<key name="MultiTerm\Timeouts">
   		<value name="GetTermbases">2</value>
   	</key>
   </settings>

   
    
6. Save the changes.

 

Workaround 2: Check file/folder permissions

Ask the IT technician to check if you have read/write access on the entire folder path (e.g. C:\ProgramData\SDL\SDL Trados Studio\14.0.0.0) where the Settings.xml resides and also on the Settings.xml itself. 
 

The "Settings.xml" storing the information of the relevant connection details is empty/corrupt.
It can also be caused by not having enough access rights (write access) on the folder and/or file to write the infomation into the Settings.xml