Error: database names cannot contain the character '.'

Question

I'm using meteor.js and I just went to change some of the HTML output in the .html file only and it started giving me the error:

Error: database names cannot contain the character '.'

I haven't changed anything, the only thing I recall doing inbetween is starting a new project which I created using meteor.js, which then updated meteor and now I have this problem.

Rest of error details:

Error: database names cannot contain the character '.'

W20130828-09:52:22.049(1)? (STDERR) at validateDatabaseName (/Users/jumpingcode/.meteor/packages/mongo-livedata/86ae77f282/npm/node_modules/mongodb/lib/mongodb/db.js:216:59)

W20130828-09:52:22.050(1)? (STDERR) at new Db (/Users/jumpingcode/.meteor/packages/mongo-livedata/86ae77f282/npm/node_modules/mongodb/lib/mongodb/db.js:90:3)

W20130828-09:52:22.050(1)? (STDERR) at MongoClient.connect.connectFunction (/Users/jumpingcode/.meteor/packages/mongo-livedata/86ae77f282/npm/node_modules/mongodb/lib/mongodb/mongo_client.js:238:29)

W20130828-09:52:22.050(1)? (STDERR) at Function.MongoClient.connect (/Users/jumpingcode/.meteor/packages/mongo-livedata/86ae77f282/npm/node_modules/mongodb/lib/mongodb/mongo_client.js:291:5)

W20130828-09:52:22.050(1)? (STDERR) at Function.Db.connect (/Users/jumpingcode/.meteor/packages/mongo-livedata/86ae77f282/npm/node_modules/mongodb/lib/mongodb/db.js:1854:23)

W20130828-09:52:22.051(1)? (STDERR) at new MongoConnection (packages/mongo-livedata/mongo_driver.js:113)

W20130828-09:52:22.051(1)? (STDERR) at new MongoInternals.RemoteCollectionDriver (packages/mongo-livedata/remote_collection_driver.js:3)

W20130828-09:52:22.051(1)? (STDERR) at Object. (packages/mongo-livedata/remote_collection_driver.js:34)

W20130828-09:52:22.051(1)? (STDERR) at Object._.once [as defaultRemoteCollectionDriver] (packages/underscore/underscore.js:704)

W20130828-09:52:22.053(1)? (STDERR) at new Meteor.Collection (packages/mongo-livedata/collection.js:66)

Answer 1

Have a look at your collection in .meteor/local/db to see if any files were added in.

If it really still continues you could use meteor reset but it would clear your database.

The issue arises from mongodb, because . notation lets you peak inside objects in javascript the character is reserved and can't be used as a collection or database name.

If there is any environmental variable that you've used it could also cause the issue with a new typo or something. Try using just meteor like you usually would in a fresh terminal window.