File Association Broken

[Philip Beaurline]

In XP Home, I have an application that runs with a runtime version of
Panorama. Recently a problem has cropped up where double clicking on any
*.pan file gives the error message "not a valid Win32 application." Right
clicking the file to reset the application association does not work. The
"recommended application" is "InView" which is the name of the software that
should run. The executable file is panorama.exe, however, not Inview.exe, and
selecting "panorama.exe" in the dialog does not change the recommended
application.

I have found and deleted two entries in the Registry, one in Applications
that refers to Inview.exe (which is a non-existant file), and one in FileExts
that gives Inview as an alternate application for .pan files, along with
panorama. On reboot, the entries are still gone, but in the properties for
..pan files, they are still indicated as opening with Inview. Double clicking
on a .pan file rewrites the registry entries I just deleted. Attempting to
re-associate the file type with panorama.exe in the file properties also
rewrites the registry entries.

The file association mechanism seems to be corrupt. How do I fix this?

Philip

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

In XP Home, I have an application that runs with a runtime version of
Panorama. Recently a problem has cropped up where double clicking on any
*.pan file gives the error message "not a valid Win32 application." Right
clicking the file to reset the application association does not work. The
"recommended application" is "InView" which is the name of the software
that
should run. The executable file is panorama.exe, however, not Inview.exe,
and
selecting "panorama.exe" in the dialog does not change the recommended
application.

I have found and deleted two entries in the Registry, one in Applications
that refers to Inview.exe (which is a non-existant file), and one in
FileExts
that gives Inview as an alternate application for .pan files, along with
panorama. On reboot, the entries are still gone, but in the properties for
.pan files, they are still indicated as opening with Inview. Double
clicking
on a .pan file rewrites the registry entries I just deleted. Attempting to
re-associate the file type with panorama.exe in the file properties also
rewrites the registry entries.

The file association mechanism seems to be corrupt. How do I fix this?

Philip

You might be chasing the wrong problem. Before playing with your
associations, you should confirm that panorama.exe is intact. What
happens when you double-click it from within Explorer?

 

[Philip Beaurline]

Sorry, yes I should have added that panorama runs fine from the exe file, and
will open the pan files normally from the file-open menu. It is only the .pan
association that is not working.

Philip

 

[db.·.. >]

inside the registry
there is a listing of keys
for file associations.

sometimes if the normal
way of associating file types
doesn't work, then deleting
the key would be the next step.

after the key is deleted from
the registry, you can re create
the association via the normal
way under "file types".

to find the block of keys in the
registry open the regedit and
then do a search via the menu.

search for a simple extension
like html or doc and you will
be taken to the listing.

two things to remember:
1) make a system restore point
before modifying the registry.

2) if the above method still
doesn't work, then you will
have to find another cause
for the dysfunction.

perhaps, simply uninstalling
then reinstalling would fix
you right up.

 

[Philip Beaurline]

"...then deleting
the key would be the next step.

after the key is deleted from
the registry, you can re create
the association via the normal
way under "file types"...."

I've done all of this several times, and something I am not in control of is
re-editing the registry with the bogus Inview.exe file and extension Keys. I
have also run the program installer which adds the correct registry keys.
Something else is adding the Inview keys.

Another clue is that in the registry folder permissions, OWNER CREATOR is
being added to the list of accounts, without any write permission. First I
have to grant write permission, delete the OWNER CREATOR account from the
list, and then delete the Inview.exe Key from the registry. It all comes back
the first time I double click on a *.pan file, or try to "recreate the
association via the normal way under 'file types'".

 

[db.·.. >]

since it involves only
one program, then you
might try to contact the
makers of it, as they would
be the experts as to why
their program would not
function.

as a last suggestion what
you can do is to make a
system restore point for
now/today.

afterwards initiate an old
restore point which will
configure your computer
to when your program was
functioning.

if the above proves favorable
and the program functions with
an old restore point, then you
have a clue now.

if the above proves unfavorable
then restore your computer to
now/today and look for answers
from the software maker.

 

[Philip Beaurline]

Well I found the problem, even if I don't understand how it was a problem. In
desperation I determined to get rid of all shortcut references to Inview, and
searched the C drive. It turned up a 19k file called "Inview" in the root of
C, dated the same day of the forced shutdown, apparently detritus from the
crash. I deleted that and all shortcuts, edited out the references in the
registry again, rebooted, and was able to successfully associate .pan files
with Panorama.exe. Everything's back to normal.

Jee Whiz!

 

[db.·.. >]

nice job!