Error THERE WAS A PROBLEM SENDING THE COMMAND TO THE PROGRAM

[Nells250]

HELLO all

A few days ago, I started having a problem opening up photo/graphics files using Windows Explorer. When I click on a file, it usually opens up Paint Shop Pro for me. Been using both the program and Windows Explorer for many MANY years, no issues at all.

Now, for some reason, I get the error message THERE WAS A PROBLEM SENDING THE COMMAND TO THE PROGRAM. And if I click a file more than once, it opens the PSP program again and again but does not open the file. File associations are the same, permissions seem to be the same, I have no idea what else to look into!

I tried to run PSP program as administrator, but that didn't help. Neither did System Restore. I also used the program's install disc and ran a repair, no dice.

I am worried that this is something wrong in the Windows Registry, which scares the begeebers out of me. I looked online and so far the only help articles are related to Office products, but there has to be an all-inclusive Windows-related fix.

Help!! (SEE screen shot attached)

JD

[Ken Berry]

What happens when you open PSP and then use its File > Open process?

[Andy2011]

Another test of Windows functionality is to start PSP from the command line - firstly without any image to load and then with an image.
The following examples will have to be modified to reflect your own file locations - you may need to use Windows Explorer to find them - and quotes are needed if there are spaces in the file/folder names.
Firstly start a Command Prompt (sorry - can't remember how it is done in Windows 7 but you should be able to find it easily enough) and input the name of the PSP program, probably within quotes as per

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C:\Users\andys>"C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro 2020 (64-bit)\Corel PaintShop Pro.exe"

Press return and PSP should start.
Close PSP.
Now try with an image file: it's the second bit of text in quotes

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C:\Users\andys>"C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel PaintShop Pro 2020 (64-bit)\Corel PaintShop Pro.exe"  "D:\Temp\Dutchleft.jpg"

This should start PSP with the specified image.

If these work, the problem could be in the way Windows Explorer is framing the command to open the program associated with the image type. (ie file associations).
Do let us know how you get on.

[Nells250]

For the record, since my post I reinstalled PsP and it didn't fix the problem.

What happens is this:

I open Windows Explorer
I click on an image file
I get the error
PsP opens but without the image

The program itself works just fine, it is Explorer that is messed up somehow. For kicks, I had an image open with PsP9x and it was just fine. Thing is, I do not use that newer version (not even remotely as easy to use). I wish I understood the nitty gritty Windows stuff more.

I will try Andy's suggestions a bit later today.

[Andy2011]

Yet another test is to see if the problem occurs in different user accounts, ideally both an existing one and a newly created one. A newly created user will have (hopefully) fresh registry settings for file associations, protcols etc.

[Nells250]

Really? Hmmmm... I only have one user account, so maybe I can try a second one. Should be easy, I think I'll try that first?

[Nells250]

Andy2011 - HOLY SMOKES!!! THAT WORKED!!! I created a test user account, which really confused the computer by looking and behaving totally different than usual!

But YES, it worked... Windows Explorer - click - PsP opens the image!!!!!!!!!

NOW.......... how do I figure out what command/prompt works in the test account, so I can correct it in my usual admin account? I still need HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!

[Nells250]

OK... after much confusion and a little help from someone on FB, I managed to get the correct stuff into the command prompt (see pic). And it worked!!!

So now what do I do? I have to somehow correct something within Windows still, right?

[Andy2011]

From the test results, the problem appears to be within Windows (registry) settings, not PSP.
When you click on a jpg file, Windows should be sending that file as an argument to PSP (as per the test using the command line).
I think there is corruption in the registry (for your regular user account) and Windows is sending invalid data to "Paint Shop Pro 9.exe".
Do you get the same problem if you open a different image file type often associated with PSP? (e.g. PNG)
Also, one more test though this may not be right as I haven't got W7 to try. If you right-click on a jpg file you should see a conext menu. The default item at the top will be "Open" but part way down should be "Open with" which usually has a '>' along-side and opens to a sub-menu. In there there is probably a list of programs that can open jpg, including PSP. Try opening the file from there.

If "Open with" works, it probably means having to change the default association for jpg files to something else, then re-associating with PSP. A cure might be uninstalling PSP, running the PSP clean-up tool mentioned in a sticky post, checking that jpgs are associated with e.g. 'Paint', then re-installing PSP, making sure that PSP is the default program for jpg.

However, there could still be a mess in the registry - which takes knowledge and courage to fix. I have seen of a tool that could help but no experience of it so can't recommend it. It could also be a security risk, especially for W7.

[Nells250]

For the record, I get the same problem with OPEN and OPEN WITH. And I did try a reinstall of PsP, didn't work. So YES, looks like some registry work may be needed... YIKES! There must be a way to see the GOOD program "path" when using my new test-user account. I tried changing the .jpeg association to PAINT, then switching back to PsP. Didn't work. What is REALLY odd is the fact that the program DOES OPEN, but the image isn't getting into it. I thought maybe it was a permission thing... I dunno... getting sick of this... I use this thing all day so I WANT IT FIXED!

(insert evil angry noise HERE)

[Nells250]

Now THIS looks scary!!!!!!

That is how things look with my usual user account. I wonder if I could even remotely detect anything different if I look while using the test-account...

[ehume]

I like the suggestion that you make the default app something else, open an image with the new app, then change it back. In essence, you let the OS make your Registry changes for you.

[Andy2011]

The registry is scary and file associations a confusing hierachy of cross-references.
I did find this suggestion fow W10 but it may work for W7:
https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-export- ... indows-10/
which outputs a file of associations. Two tips: don't save to desktop, change the "%UserProfile%\Desktop\FileAssociations.xml" to something more specific you will find again e.g. "D:\Temp\FileAssociations.xml" and open the xml with something like Notepad++ (well worth having for all sorts of things).

If you also do the export from the new User account you may be able to compare and contrast with that from the normal user account.

[migf1]

There is a utility called ccleaner, which among other things cleans up bogus registry entries. I've been using it for years and in my experience is reliable. However, anything related to the registry should be done at your own risk anyway.

If you decide to give it a try, download the free version from its official website, here: https://www.ccleaner.com/

Do just a registry scan/cleanup, nothing else (cause the utlility does all sorts of other things too, which I do not do.. I use it solely for Registry cleanup). It will probably find many issues, so don't get scared. Before fixing them, you'll get a dialog asking you to backup... do it.

Keep in mind that you probably need to do it multiple times, until you get no issues. Once it's done, restart Windows.

What I would do in your case, is this:
1. Uninstall PSP completely (also using the cleanup tool, from the sticky topic in this forum)
2. Restart Windows
3. Run ccleaner (scan, backup & fix until no issues are found)
4. Restart Windows
5. Install PSP
6. Assign the picture types you want to open with PSP

PS. ccleaner does not fix associations, it rather removes registry entries that reference non-existent programs & files (usually leftovers from uninstalling programs, whose un-installers leave regsitry entries in case you install the programs again in the future). ccleaner gives you the option to selectively remove invalid registry entries if you want to, but if you have never run it, chances are you will get tenths or even hundreds of invalid registry entries.