Hyperref stopped working abruptly

compilation errorerrorsmiktextexstudio

An avid user of hyperref package here. I had been using it for almost all of my documents, and it had been working just fine, until today, when all of a sudden, all my files that have

\usepackage{hyperref}

in them, began showing this error while compiling:

File `uniquecounter.sty' not found. \RequirePackage{uniquecounter}[2009/12/18]

What could be causing the problem here? How can I fix that?

I use TeXstudio and MiKTex on Windows 11. I did not do any tinkering (reinstalling, updating, etc.) with these before or after the error appeared.

Minimum example that illustrates my problem:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{hyperref}

\begin{document}
    \section{Section 1}\label{sec 1}
    In Section \ref{sec 1}, ...
\end{document}

The log file:

This is pdfTeX, Version 3.141592653-2.6-1.40.24 (MiKTeX 22.3) (preloaded format=pdflatex 2022.3.31)  6 APR 2022 17:53
entering extended mode
 restricted \write18 enabled.
 %&-line parsing enabled.
**./texstudio_KwQAVn.tex
(texstudio_KwQAVn.tex
LaTeX2e <2021-11-15> patch level 1
L3 programming layer <2022-02-24>
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/base\article.cls
Document Class: article 2021/10/04 v1.4n Standard LaTeX document class
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/base\size10.clo
File: size10.clo 2021/10/04 v1.4n Standard LaTeX file (size option)
)
\c@part=\count185
\c@section=\count186
\c@subsection=\count187
\c@subsubsection=\count188
\c@paragraph=\count189
\c@subparagraph=\count190
\c@figure=\count191
\c@table=\count192
\abovecaptionskip=\skip47
\belowcaptionskip=\skip48
\bibindent=\dimen138
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/hyperref\hyperref
.sty
Package: hyperref 2022-02-21 v7.00n Hypertext links for LaTeX

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/ltxcmds\ltxcmds
.sty
Package: ltxcmds 2020-05-10 v1.25 LaTeX kernel commands for general use (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/iftex\iftex.sty
Package: iftex 2022/02/03 v1.0f TeX engine tests
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/pdftexcmds\pdft
excmds.sty
Package: pdftexcmds 2020-06-27 v0.33 Utility functions of pdfTeX for LuaTeX (HO
)

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/infwarerr\infwa
rerr.sty
Package: infwarerr 2019/12/03 v1.5 Providing info/warning/error messages (HO)
)
Package pdftexcmds Info: \pdf@primitive is available.
Package pdftexcmds Info: \pdf@ifprimitive is available.
Package pdftexcmds Info: \pdfdraftmode found.
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/graphics\keyval.s
ty
Package: keyval 2014/10/28 v1.15 key=value parser (DPC)
\KV@toks@=\toks16
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/kvsetkeys\kvset
keys.sty
Package: kvsetkeys 2019/12/15 v1.18 Key value parser (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/kvdefinekeys\kv
definekeys.sty
Package: kvdefinekeys 2019-12-19 v1.6 Define keys (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/pdfescape\pdfes
cape.sty
Package: pdfescape 2019/12/09 v1.15 Implements pdfTeX's escape features (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/hycolor\hycolor.s
ty
Package: hycolor 2020-01-27 v1.10 Color options for hyperref/bookmark (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/letltxmacro\letlt
xmacro.sty
Package: letltxmacro 2019/12/03 v1.6 Let assignment for LaTeX macros (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/auxhook\auxhook.s
ty
Package: auxhook 2019-12-17 v1.6 Hooks for auxiliary files (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/kvoptions\kvoptio
ns.sty
Package: kvoptions 2020-10-07 v3.14 Key value format for package options (HO)
)
\@linkdim=\dimen139
\Hy@linkcounter=\count193
\Hy@pagecounter=\count194

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/hyperref\pd1enc.d
ef
File: pd1enc.def 2022-02-21 v7.00n Hyperref: PDFDocEncoding definition (HO)
Now handling font encoding PD1 ...
... no UTF-8 mapping file for font encoding PD1
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/intcalc\intcalc
.sty
Package: intcalc 2019/12/15 v1.3 Expandable calculations with integers (HO)
)
(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/etexcmds\etexcm
ds.sty
Package: etexcmds 2019/12/15 v1.7 Avoid name clashes with e-TeX commands (HO)
)
\Hy@SavedSpaceFactor=\count195

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/hyperref\puenc.de
f
File: puenc.def 2022-02-21 v7.00n Hyperref: PDF Unicode definition (HO)
Now handling font encoding PU ...
... no UTF-8 mapping file for font encoding PU
)
Package hyperref Info: Hyper figures OFF on input line 4137.
Package hyperref Info: Link nesting OFF on input line 4142.
Package hyperref Info: Hyper index ON on input line 4145.
Package hyperref Info: Plain pages OFF on input line 4152.
Package hyperref Info: Backreferencing OFF on input line 4157.
Package hyperref Info: Implicit mode ON; LaTeX internals redefined.
Package hyperref Info: Bookmarks ON on input line 4390.
\c@Hy@tempcnt=\count196
 (C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/url\url.sty
\Urlmuskip=\muskip16
Package: url 2013/09/16  ver 3.4  Verb mode for urls, etc.
)
LaTeX Info: Redefining \url on input line 4749.
\XeTeXLinkMargin=\dimen140

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/bitset\bitset.s
ty
Package: bitset 2019/12/09 v1.3 Handle bit-vector datatype (HO)

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/generic/bigintcalc\bigi
ntcalc.sty
Package: bigintcalc 2019/12/15 v1.5 Expandable calculations on big integers (HO
)
))
\Fld@menulength=\count197
\Field@Width=\dimen141
\Fld@charsize=\dimen142
Package hyperref Info: Hyper figures OFF on input line 6027.
Package hyperref Info: Link nesting OFF on input line 6032.
Package hyperref Info: Hyper index ON on input line 6035.
Package hyperref Info: backreferencing OFF on input line 6042.
Package hyperref Info: Link coloring OFF on input line 6047.
Package hyperref Info: Link coloring with OCG OFF on input line 6052.
Package hyperref Info: PDF/A mode OFF on input line 6057.
LaTeX Info: Redefining \ref on input line 6097.
LaTeX Info: Redefining \pageref on input line 6101.

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/base\atbegshi-ltx
.sty
Package: atbegshi-ltx 2021/01/10 v1.0c Emulation of the original atbegshi
package with kernel methods
)
\Hy@abspage=\count198
\c@Item=\count199
\c@Hfootnote=\count266
)
Package hyperref Info: Driver (autodetected): hpdftex.

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/hyperref\hpdftex.
def
File: hpdftex.def 2022-02-21 v7.00n Hyperref driver for pdfTeX

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/base\atveryend-lt
x.sty
Package: atveryend-ltx 2020/08/19 v1.0a Emulation of the original atveryend pac
kage
with kernel methods
)
\Fld@listcount=\count267
\c@bookmark@seq@number=\count268

(C:\Users\Sarthak\AppData\Local\Programs\MiKTeX 2.9\tex/latex/rerunfilecheck\re
runfilecheck.sty
Package: rerunfilecheck 2019/12/05 v1.9 Rerun checks for auxiliary files (HO)


! LaTeX Error: File `uniquecounter.sty' not found.

Type X to quit or <RETURN> to proceed,
or enter new name. (Default extension: sty)

Enter file name: 
! Emergency stop.
<read *> 
         
l.271 \RequirePackage{uniquecounter}[2009/12/18]
                                                ^^M
*** (cannot \read from terminal in nonstop modes)

 
Here is how much of TeX's memory you used:
 6737 strings out of 478571
 105054 string characters out of 2841014
 392036 words of memory out of 3000000
 24928 multiletter control sequences out of 15000+600000
 469259 words of font info for 28 fonts, out of 8000000 for 9000
 1141 hyphenation exceptions out of 8191
 59i,0n,63p,199b,36s stack positions out of 10000i,1000n,20000p,200000b,80000s
!  ==> Fatal error occurred, no output PDF file produced!

Best Answer

For an unknown reason you lost the uniquecounter package. Install/reinstall it in the miktex console.

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] How to use LaTeX in Anki on Windows with MiKTeX

For a fresh user to Anki using LaTeX and Miktex there is a sharp initial learning curve with several pitfalls. When you enter LaTeX code into Anki it is best to start with the simplest of examples so to get a Question and Answer such as

You need to start with this simple entry

Does the divergent p-series 
[latex]\begin{math}\sum_{k = 1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{k}\end{math}[/latex]
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The series converges for p>1 and diverges for 0<p≤1. With p=1 it is called the Harmonic Series.

The first error message may be

Error executing latex.
Generated file: C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Local\Temp\anki_temp\tmp.tex
Have you installed latex and dvipng/dvisvgm?

This could mean you have not installed MiKTeX correctly (including setting the paths). To check this open command line and try and run latex, dvipng, and dvisvgm and make sure the system can find these. If the system can find all these programs, the error message can also be generated by Anki not having sufficient privileges to fetch all necessary packages. Try running Anki one time in Administrator mode.

IF you get other error messages then either your latex code is not right or MiKTeX has not been configured correctly.

One test to see what is happening is to check Anki's TeX output which is a file
%temp%\anki_temp\tmp.tex (you can enter %temp%\anki_temp in windows explorer address bar to get there quickly) If you open tmp.tex in notepad then check/verify its contents are identical to the MWE shown below .

It is best to run MiKTeX-console and ensure it is fully stable before Anki calls it in the background.

The best way to check MiKTeX can run the same code as above is to use the included TeXworks editor and run the same minimal example until it works.

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\special{papersize=3in,5in}
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\begin{math}\sum_{k = 1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{k}\end{math}
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so it should show

Once you are confident that the above simple sample works with TeXworks IT should then work in Anki and in the temp directory (see above) you will find half a dozen files including two trace logs the short one is latex_log.txt (which Anki feeds back to the user) also is the more useful tmp.log with more useful information from the tex compilation.

In summary
Although the Anki manual and other older guides suggest settings are changed to "Install missing packages on the fly" is set to "No", not to "Ask me first" It is essential that MiKTeX is allowed to update itself

Thus I recommend the following (until someone corrects me as to why not?)
DO use the setting "Always install missing packages on the fly" until you have a stable setup, then (if you must) switch it to no.

While you are there in the console ensure amsfonts and miktex-dvipng-bin-2.9 have been added to the active packages (there should be a date under "installed on", it has also been recommended to include passivetex and ucs packages to clear the above utf8x error, however the simple example above runs correctly without it. It is easy to add or remove it using + and -.

Most importantly, periodically enter MiKTeX-console to manually force Tasks Refresh file name database as well as Refresh font map files this ensures your errors messages are minimal.

Whatever the problem is with Anki this TeX forum will require to see the contents of tmp.tex (what we may call the MWE) within your question so as to see what caused any error messages reported in the logs. It may also be useful to add the [latex] blah bla blah [/latex] line you used within Anki (although that should by default be included in the tmp.tex that you post).

If you customise LaTeX calling from Anki using the "Edit LaTeX build process" with the add-on from https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/937148547 or one of its variants then we will also need to know it was added and certainly what was changed especially if you extend to tikz or or other packages.

[Tex/LaTex] MiKTeX update error (Windows API error 32): MiKTeX console already in use

Most likely cause is a dead console session in memory or the editor /viewer is stuck in some update loop.

Next most likely cause can be interference by antivirus or other systems monitors.

That good old advice still stands Have you tried pressing the off key at the wall (joke)

Seriously, a reboot should kill any duplicate sessions. Then on start-up DO NOT run anything other than MiKTeX-console, try at first to run without elevation to admin rights, since in this case you are using a basic install and try again.

IF message is still the same again, then you need to go to MiKTeX support site to check if there are others with similar issues (open or closed) and if not then open a fresh one.

https://github.com/MiKTeX/miktex/issues