File Association Broken

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

"Philip Beaurline" <PhilipBeaurline@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message newsA6DA1EE-93A9-4890-898A-C03BDA100973@microsoft.com...
> 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?

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

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>
> "Philip Beaurline" <PhilipBeaurline@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message newsA6DA1EE-93A9-4890-898A-C03BDA100973@microsoft.com...
> > 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?
>
>
>

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.


--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

"Philip Beaurline" <PhilipBeaurline@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
newsA6DA1EE-93A9-4890-898A-C03BDA100973@microsoft.com...
> 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
>
>

"...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'".

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.
--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

"Philip Beaurline" <PhilipBeaurline@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:73B037AD-88F9-4198-A343-FE4DD7D6E20E@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "...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'".

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.·.. ><))) ·>` .. ." wrote:

> 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.
> --
>
> db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
>
> "Philip Beaurline" <PhilipBeaurline@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:73B037AD-88F9-4198-A343-FE4DD7D6E20E@microsoft.com...
> >
> >
> > "...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'".
>
>

nice job!

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>


"Philip Beaurline" <PhilipBeaurline@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:350E967A-1C82-4DEA-9D57-85258B2D99F9@microsoft.com...
> 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.·.. ><))) ·>` .. ." wrote:
>
>> 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.
>> --
>>
>> db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
>>
>> "Philip Beaurline" <PhilipBeaurline@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message
>> news:73B037AD-88F9-4198-A343-FE4DD7D6E20E@microsoft.com...
>> >
>> >
>> > "...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'".
>>
>>