The help file not opening - Problem popped up again

[kiwilink]

Has anyone had problems opening the help file?  I can see it in the Program Files directory so I know its there.  If I double click on the file it just opens a small window at the bottom of the Windows task bar with a question mark showing.

I started the install again and chose "repair" but that didn't fix it.

See attachment

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

Looks like a security issue on your system.

Open the folder containing IMatch, usually

C:\Program Files (x86)\photools.com\IMatch5\

Locate the file imatch.chm in that folder and right click. If Windows Explorer reports that the file is blocked, unblock it by clicking the button.

[kiwilink]

Mario:

No luck.  I was able to right click on it (see attachment).  I then decided to move the file to a different directory and then re-install IMATCH and choose modify, hoping it would replace it.  It did but still won't open when I restarted IMATCH 5.

Mike

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

No idea, sorry.
The help file is produced as usual, no change.

Can other users please check if they can open the help?
It opens file on my development system and my test systems (Vista, W7, W8).

[kiwilink]

Mario:

If I uninstall and reinstall IMATCH will I hurt anything?  I can try this.

Mike

P.S.  Mario, I copied the help file to a standalone directory and I can open it by double clicking on it.  However, if I try to open it while it is located in the IMATCH5 directory it won't open.  Weird?

[Mario]

if I try to open it while it is located in the IMATCH5 directory it won't open.  Weird?

Looks like a security issue or some virus checker blocking. If you run a help file from within "program files" a virus checker will act differently then when you run it from another folder.

Try to close IMatch when you repeat your test. In case the runtime system still has a hold on the file.

[kiwilink]

Mario:

I closed IMATCH and then opened up two directories:

One which was the IMATCH5 directory and the other one was a directory with just the help file in it.  When I click on the directory with just the help file in it, it opens.  When I open the IMATCH5 directory and double click on it I get the ? mark and it doesn't open.  I'm running Kaspersky and I have it configured not to monitor IMATCH. 

Never had any trouble with the help file until this last download.  Running Windows 7.

Can I uninstall and re-install or will I lose something?

[lenmerkel]

I can confirm the help file opens normally for me, both from the IMatch menu and directly from the installation folder in Windows Explorer.

Installed to default location: C:\Program Files (x86)\photools.com\IMatch5
Win7 Pro, SP1, 64-bit.

[kiwilink]

Thanks Lenmerkel for the response.  Attached is what I see when I click on F1

[attachment deleted by admin]

[lenmerkel]

Thanks Lenmerkel for the response.  Attached is what I see when I click on F1

And I see the help, context-sensitive (as it should be) 

It might be worth checking the Windows Event Viewer on your system (in the Windows Logs / Application & Security sections) for clues.

[kiwilink]

Lenmerkel:

Good idea!  I just went to Event Viewer and I looked in the Application and Security logs and I didn't see anything there.  I turned off my Kaspersky and tried it and that didn't work.  I opened IMATCH 3.6 and the help file works fine there.

In IMATCH5 I can go to the Help pull down and open up the IMATCH Quick Startup Guide.  I just can't open the help file

[kiwilink]

Mario:

Is the help file a 32 bit help file?  The reason I am asking is that I am running Win 7 64-bit but I was searching on the Microsoft web site and they have a file for folks trying to run a 32-bit help file on Win 7.  I shouldn't have to do this since all previous versions of IMATCH have been working.  Maybe I have something corrupted.  If its O.K. to uninstall and re-install IMATCH I'd like to try this first if I don't lose anything.

[Mario]

AFAIK there is no such thing as a 32 bit or 64 bit help file. The Microsoft HTML help is always the same, and whatever application launches when Windows opens a CHM file will be good. IMatch does not control this, it's built into Windows.

You can un-install and re-install IMatch, but I doubt it will make a difference. If you cannot open the CHM file in Windows Explorer in the IMatch program files folder, something outside of the control of IMatch blocks the file.

[hro]

Hi kiwilink,

Can you check if you can open other help files. I had a similar issue a few months back in that I could not open any help file in Windows, including the Imatch one.  I searched through a lot of forums without finding a helpful answer, quite a frustrating exercise. The problem was a corruption in Internet Explorer settings which could easily be fixed by editing the Windows registry.

Let me know if you have this problem with other help files and I can then look at retrieving the fix for you.

NB: Does kiwilink relate in any way back to New Zealand 

[kiwilink]

Hro:

Thanks for the reply.  I have tried many different other .chm help files and all others open fine.  I installed and reinstalled IMATCH and still no luck.  I've spent the last 3 hours trying to figure it out but no luck yet.

Thanks for trying.

Mike

P.S.  Kiwi is our cat!  No relation to New Zealand but I'd like to visit there.

[kiwilink]

Fixed!!!

I re-installed but instead of letting IMATCH5 install to the original location, I chose a different folder name

c:\Program Files\Imatch5photools\Imatch5

After install I was able to open the help files.  As Mario mentioned, there was something Windows was doing as far as security and I don't know what.  I was able to open all .chm files.  Just not the help file in the original directory.

Thanks Mario and everyone for the help.  Back to IMATCH now!

Michael

[hro]

Fixed!!!

I re-installed but instead of letting IMATCH5 install to the original location, I chose a different folder name

c:\Program Files\Imatch5photools\Imatch5

After install I was able to open the help files.  As Mario mentioned, there was something Windows was doing as far as security and I don't know what.  I was able to open all .chm files.  Just not the help file in the original directory.

Thanks Mario and everyone for the help.  Back to IMATCH now!

Michael

I am glad you fixed it. It is very frustrating not being able to access the help file.
Come and visit New Zealand. Bring lots of cameras and SD cards 
Hartmut

[kiwilink]

Hro:

After watching a special on the filming in New Zealand of "The Hobbits - Middle Earth" I am definitely going to visit from the U.S.  It was beautiful!

Thanks for trying to help with the file!

Mike

[kiwilink]

Mario:

I just hit F1 to open the help file and now I have this problem again where all I get is a question mark.  This must have happened when I recently installed the last update.  I can open the older help file (I just tried it) but not this one.  I know you mentioned it was likely a Win 7 security issue.   The last time this happened the only way I was able to get it to work was to uninstall and reinstall but change the name of the target directory for the IMATCH5 re-install. 

I'm just mentioning this in case anyone else has run into the same thing.  I can't figure out what is causing it.

Thanks!

Michael

[Mario]

Right click on the CHM file in Windows Explorer and look at the properties of the file.
You might need to unblock the file first, for whatever reason.

[kiwilink]

Mario:

That was the first thing I checked.  The only way I got it to work was to uninstall and then during the re-install change the name of the directory to IMATCH5_Reinstall.  After that, no problem with the help file. 

I'm sure somebody will run across this running Windows 7.  I can't figure it out.  If it happens on the next release would it help if I sent you the help file?

Mike

[Mario]

I'm quite sure that this is causes by some security setting and/or 'security software' installed on your system. Especially since you can get it to work by installing into another folder...
The help file included in the IMatch installer can apparently be used without problems by hundreds of other users, running Visa, W7, W8 and W8.1.
Can you open the file from Windows Explorer? Does it fail only when IMatch calls WinHelp with that file?

This seems to be an isolated problem which can only by found and fixed on your system. I would start with SysInternals file system monitor or process monitor to find out which application or service is blocking access to the help file on your system.

[kiwilink]

Mario:

I'll keep troubleshooting it.  To answer your question, I've tried to double click on it and open it from within Windows Explorer and also from within IMATCH.  I run Kaspersky and have disables Kaspersky on startup and same thing.  I also booted in Safe Mode.  You are right, it is isolated to my PC.  Not sure what is doing it but I'll keep looking at it.  As I mentioned, the re-install took care of it when I chose a different folder so its most likely a permissions thing like you said.

Thanks !

Mike

[seth]

Might try a RT-CLK and Take Ownership.  Or, File Properties and make sure ALL rights are checked, although you only need to read it.

Sometimes that fixes weird things.