Windows cannot find file....

[nigelo]

Nature of the problem:
When trying to open a file by just double-clicking it (for example, in Windows Explorer) before PSP fully opens I get a message that Windows cannot find the file, although it quotes the correct path. This is for any file that has PSP as its default programme.
If PSP is already open there is no such problem.
The problem only exists for PSP, no other software.

I guess this may be a registry corruption, but can anyone suggest what or where, and how to fix (other than not having PSP as the defauilt for any image files).

System is Windows Vista Home Premium, with Service Pack 1 (but the problem existed before SP1)
PSP is Photo X2
System info is:
Paint Shop Pro Photo Build Information:
Serial Number PR12WRX0573568KHX
Build Date Wednesday, 15 August 2007 @ 20:26:18
Build Mode Release (C000004)

Hardware Configuration:
Processors 2
Processor Type AMD
MMX Support Yes

Memory / Drive Status:
Memory Load Index 57 pcnt.
Total Physical Memory 2.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.26 GB
Total Paging Memory 4.00 GB
Available Paging Memory 4.00 GB
Total Managed Memory 5 MB
Total Handles: 48
Temp Drive Free Space 9.22 GB

Video Driver Information:
Bits Per Pixel 32
Number of Colors 16777216
DIB Output 24 BPP
Palette Size Non-Paletted
Resolution 1280 x 1024

Operating System Information:
Operating System Windows VistaService Pack 1

[Ron P.]

Welcome to the forums..

First my apologies for the extreme delay in replying to your post. I guess no one (including myself) has a remedy for your problem. I don't have PSPX2 installed on my Vista machine, and I don't have this problem on my XP machine.

Next when I install a program, I do not like, or allow it to take control over my images, ie; setting all the jpgs, bmp, png, ect., to open with the program. Programs like PSPX2, PI, have an internal browser, to using Windows Explorer is really not necessary. I tend to use the File>Open command to open any images I want to edit. My main reason is that if I want to quickly view a photo, not edit it, then having PSP or whatever program set as the default to open, I must wait for the program to load just to have a quick look at the photo.

Sorry no remedy, just noticed that no one has replied, and to let you know that I have had a look at it..

[allicorn]

I'm thinking file associations again. Could it be that there's something in the DDE Application Not Running field in advanced filetype association - something with missing double-quotes around the %1?

This is the only way I can think of that two different behaviors could occur depending on whether PSP is already running or not.

Alli

[nigelo]

Thnaks both for your suggestions. Vidoman, thats possibly going to be what I do, as I see you logic. But firsdt, I have to deal with the frustration of a program doing what IT wants rather than what I want!

Alli - I know how to change the defailt programme associated with each file type, but can't see the advanced filetype association you mention. Can you point me in the right direction.

[allicorn]

Hiya,

Well, I was thinking about this bit in Folder Options...



...but I'm pretty much clutching at straws here

The last (rightmost) window there is packed full of stuff that controls how Windows tells programs to open files.

One thing is that wherever a %1 appears in any of these boxes, it means that Windows should fill in the filename of whatever it was you clicked. Generally, any %1 should have double quotes around it like so: "%1". If it doesn't have the quotes, Windows/some programs can get kinda lost if the file's full pathname has a space in it.

I was also wondering about the "DDE Application Not Running" field. If there's anything in there then you can end up with slightly different behavior when you click on a file depending on whether the associated program is already running or not. Kinda weird, and I don't think I've ever seen it used, but its Windows so I guess anything can happen

Its also quite possible that the "Use DDE" check could be turned off. I can set my PSP to have serious problems opening files with DDE off and no quotes around the %1 in the "Application used to perform action" field.

Well, not sure if that'll help, but it could be worth checking. Good luck!
Alli

[sjj1805]

Adding Additional Associations
The associations between file extensions and specific applications are stored in the registry. From a practical viewpoint, there is no limit as to how many applications can be associated with a given application. However, only one application can be the default which is executed when a selection is double clicked. In order to execute one of the other associated applications, the user simply needs to RIGHT click the file and select the appropriate action (application) from the context menu.

Technically, there are several similar ways to edit these registry values, though the specific details vary slightly depending on which Windows operating system you are using. Basically, from the Windows Explorer menu, you can select something similar to

View / Folder Options... / File Types

and then edit the appropriate file type (from the type column in the right hand pane in Windows Explorer, assuming that the detail view is showing). The actual selections to get there vary somewhat between the operating systems.

Directly editing the registry is virtually identical in each operating system. It also has the advantage that you can locate the keys by either the actual extension or by searching on the file type. In addition, in the earlier operating systems, you must use the registry to edit the context menu strings.

Using this basic procedure, it is possible to have multiple applications actually share a contested extension. In the registry,

1. Locate the extension in HKCR (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
   (for example - HKCR\.txt)
2. Locate the HKCR key which match the default value found in step one.
   (for example HKCR\txtfile)
3. The context menu options are located under the shell key. The next step is to rename these keys to NOT use generic terms like Open, Edit, or Play. Instead, use more specific terms like Edit with Notepad, Browse in IE, and Play via mplayer. Avoid using the ambiguous term Open at all costs.
4. Sometimes the shell verbs have a default value. When present, the default value is what is displayed in the context menu. In those cases, the default value must also be modified.
5. Using the existing keys as examples, add as many additional keys as you want, usually one for each application which you want to associate with that extension.
6. If the default value of the shell key matches one of its sub-keys, then the associated command is executed when a file of that type is double clicked.

[nigelo]

Thanks once again. I decided I can't spent too much time on this, so have removed all file types from default PSP association as suggested.

Alli, thanks for going to all that trouble, but those images look like what I remember in Win XP. I don't yet see anything remotely similar in Vista - although I'm sure its buried in there somewhere!

[JoeB]

Its also quite possible that the "Use DDE" check could be turned off. I can set my PSP to have serious problems opening files with DDE off and no quotes around the %1 in the "Application used to perform action" field.
Alli

I don't think you want to turn off "UseDDE". If I understand it correctly, that will cause a new instance of PSP to open if you use Explorer to open another image.

Regards,

JoeB

[JoeB]

Adding Additional Associations
The associations between file extensions and specific applications are stored in the registry. From a practical viewpoint, there is no limit as to how many applications can be associated with a given application. However, only one application can be the default which is executed when a selection is double clicked. In order to execute one of the other associated applications, the user simply needs to RIGHT click the file and select the appropriate action (application) from the context menu.

Technically, there are several similar ways to edit these registry values, though the specific details vary slightly depending on which Windows operating system you are using. Basically, from the Windows Explorer menu, you can select something similar to

View / Folder Options... / File Types

and then edit the appropriate file type (from the type column in the right hand pane in Windows Explorer, assuming that the detail view is showing). The actual selections to get there vary somewhat between the operating systems.

Directly editing the registry is virtually identical in each operating system. It also has the advantage that you can locate the keys by either the actual extension or by searching on the file type. In addition, in the earlier operating systems, you must use the registry to edit the context menu strings.

Using this basic procedure, it is possible to have multiple applications actually share a contested extension. In the registry,

1. Locate the extension in HKCR (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
   (for example - HKCR\.txt)
2. Locate the HKCR key which match the default value found in step one.
   (for example HKCR\txtfile)
3. The context menu options are located under the shell key. The next step is to rename these keys to NOT use generic terms like Open, Edit, or Play. Instead, use more specific terms like Edit with Notepad, Browse in IE, and Play via mplayer. Avoid using the ambiguous term Open at all costs.
4. Sometimes the shell verbs have a default value. When present, the default value is what is displayed in the context menu. In those cases, the default value must also be modified.
5. Using the existing keys as examples, add as many additional keys as you want, usually one for each application which you want to associate with that extension.
6. If the default value of the shell key matches one of its sub-keys, then the associated command is executed when a file of that type is double clicked.

I think it's just easier to use a Context Menu addition like Open Expert do it for you. It's free, and you can configure it to have any number of different programs open the same file extension. I've been using it for years, and you can check it out here:

http://www.baxbex.com/openexpert.html

Regards,

JoeB

[sjj1805]

Yes that is simpler, depends though on how deep you want to go.
The method I published also allows you to create "Edit With"
It is more complex though plus involves messing with the Registry.



Thanks for the link to Open Expert, looks very useful.

[JoeB]

Yes that is simpler, depends though on how deep you want to go.
The method I published also allows you to create "Edit With"
It is more complex though plus involves messing with the Registry.

Thanks for the link to Open Expert, looks very useful.

Open Expert gives you the ability to open with any program, so if you want to edit with a particular program that is available also. It doesn't, however, change the existing Windows "Edit With" association. But, as you say - and what I think is kind of nice - it doesn't mean messing with the registry, and if you install a new or different program that you might want to open a file with, you just add it to the Open Expert "Open With" menu.

For example, I use it to open flash files either with my flash editor or IE or Flash Player, or open my .css files with either my .css editor or Homesite, etc., or open my image files with PSP, CS3, or ACDSee just for viewing. It does free one from the limitations of the Windows Explorer limits.

Regards,

JoeB