After installing SS v2.7e, my ims file open associations were taken away from WebEngine and reassigned to SiteSpinner. When I tried to open the ims file with WebEngine via the Open With... right-click menu option, nothing happened (no error, no program, nada; the task manager never shows a task being started).

I then tried to re-associate ims files to WebEngine by using the right-click Open With... and choosing the WebEngine program from the list and checking the "Always use..." option. This gives me an errr message dialog stating the parameter is incorrect. The parameter shown is the drive/path of the ims file. (It opens ok with SS v2.7e).

Interestingly, the Window's explorer Tools->Folder Options->File Types still shows the ims file is associated with WebEngine and not SiteSpinner. Restoring the default and reselecting WebEngine has now associated the ims with no program.

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The installation program should check to see if a user has any other VM product installed, and if so, ask if the ims file association should be changed.

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Have just installed WE 2.00m. The Window's explorer shows ims now associated with WebEngine, but double-clicking does not automatcially open the project in WebEngine. After using the usual steps to associate WE with IMS files, there is no association. I can use the manual "Open With..." menu option and select WebEngine; that works, but the file association does not stick. (Also, don not know if this is related, but I am getting a program registration error [error 404].)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: larryd,

Hi Larry,

First off, the registration error has been taken care of.

File association is done by Windows. We point our applications in the right place and set Windows up. It should work that once you have installed the software that when you double click the file the software opens up. It works on our end, and your report of a problem is the only one we have had (so far). It could just be a quirk of your system.

You could try uninstalling all VMI products and reinstalling them.

I tried an uninstall and install of WE. I also uninstalled and installed SS while I was at it. I managed to get the file associations reconnected to WE, but trying to reassign them to SS gives me an error message saying the parameter is incorrect. Luckily, it did not mess up the WE file association.

Since I'm the only one having trouble, I can live with it until I can try cleaning up the registry.

I think I am having the same problem. On my website I have multiple SS projects posted. The webserver crashed and I had to reload my projects. Unfortunately, SS is saying that 2 of my projects 'aren't the correct .ims format' or something like that. I have not updated my SS in quite some time although I was able to open and edit these projects within the last month.

Any help would be appreciated. I was going to start my own thread but stumbled across this one.

Thanks.

Hello edna2001,

I don't think that your problem is related to Larryd's.

The first thing I would do is update your version of SiteSpinner (in SiteSpinner, go to Help > Check for Updates, and follow the instructions there).

I am not really clear as to why your 'webserver' crashing would effect your .ims project files!?. In any event, you might want to check the FAQ on project backups here.

I'm afraid I didn't explain my problem very well. Let me try again. My web host accidentally deleted my web pages off their server. My web site is actually a combination of several SS projects. So I attempted to open each project in SS and republish it back to the server. However, two out of four of my projects would not open in SS. Here's the message I receive:

"This file does not appear to be in the correct IMS format: 2"

I have updated my SS as you suggested and I still receive this message when trying to open these projects. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.

I think this error occurs if the file has been corrupted in some way. If these are the actual .ims files that were on the server when it had its problem, that might well happen.

Do you have any backup copies of those two project .ims files? -- if so, try those.

Bruceee,

The .ims files I'm referring to are the back up copies I have on my home computer. Sounds like there isn't much hope for me or my files. I have some older versions of the files that have been corrupted- but I will lose some content. Better than nothing I guess. I guess I should save 2 back-ups moving forward?

On a normal computer setup, you will have the copy of the project file that you normally work on.

Then when you publish, SS copies the project file to your local publish folder. If you are using SS to upload to your site (i.e. publishing direct to your site), SS makes another copy on your site. (Assuming you have auto-backup on!)

If you make your own backups (good idea!) use a memory stick, CD ROM, or some external disk drive. Then if your computer has a fry-up or hard disk malfunction, you should be able to recover something.

So all is not lost. I gather the auto-backup copy on your site is gone. But check your local publish folder too -- there should be an auto-backup copy in there. And are you really sure you have lost the main copy of your project?

quote:

Originally posted by larryd:
I tried an uninstall and install of WE. I also uninstalled and installed SS while I was at it. I managed to get the file associations reconnected to WE, but trying to reassign them to SS gives me an error message saying the parameter is incorrect. Luckily, it did not mess up the WE file association.

Since I'm the only one having trouble, I can live with it until I can try cleaning up the registry.

Check Add/Remove Programs to make sure you only have one copy of WE2 installed. After upgrading to the new version I found TWO in Add/Remove. I tried removing one, but WE2 wouldn't then work. I had to remove both and reinstall.

All then came good.

Cheers,

Ray D

I saw that too. I am disappointed that the current upgrade/installation script does not automatically remove the previous version (or at least ask you to do so). By not doing it, you end up with mutiple entries in the registry.

This should only happen if you have SiteSpinner V2.5 'g' or earlier, or Web Engine V2 'g' or earlier. As per the instructions, if you had those versions or older, you should have removed them before updating. All subsequent updates do not require the previous version to be removed, and should not result in multiple copies being installed.

Hmmm, mine did. After the last upgrade to both SiteSpinner and WebEngine, the Add/Remove Programs list had two versions of each. In trying to solve the original problem I had in this thread, I removed 2 SiteSpinners and 2 WebEngines before re-installing each. I went from SS v2.7d to 2.7e, and WE v2.0L to 2.0m.

Have not seen that happen. Did you install to two different locations? How many 'Removes' do you have now?

I have the correct number in the Add/Remove now. Installations of SS and WE used the defaults. I will try to remember to check after the next upgrade is released to see what happens.

I have the Web Engine 2.00m downloaded and ready to install, so I am happy to run a test. If necessary I can run tests on two other computers too -- neither of which are very up-to-date.

On my main computer, I have WD, SS and WE installed. My Add/Remove Programs shows one each of WD and WE, but two copies of SS. I have never installed a V2.50 series on this computer, (new Windows XP on new hard disk and motherboard 3 months ago) only V2.70 series. Under Add/Remove "Click here for support information" are these details for my two versions:
SiteSpinner -- Version 2.70.5
SiteSpinner V2.7 -- Version 2.16

What I have been doing (starting with SS V2.70c) is because I want to keep a few old versions, I first rename the old exe file in the bin folder, and then run the install. Currently that has left me with four versions of SS in my bin folder, and as far as I know all working correctly. And at one stage, I might have installed SS to a different hard disk. So it may be that something I have done is responsible for the two SS versions.

When I install WE 2.00m over WE 2.00L, what should I look out for? Obviously I'll check my Add/Remove Programs and file associations -- currently set for SS V2.70e. Anything else? Is there anything extra I can do before the install?

Bruce,

I can't think of anything. All I did was a simple upgrade; no uninstall of anything beforehand.

Same here. All I had installed were the previous version of SS and WE2.

The SS upgrade came out first, so that got installed first. I had to reassign .ims files to WE2, but that was all.

Then I upgraded WE2 a couple of days later. After upgrading, I found two WE2s in Add/Remove, but only one SS. One of the WE2s had the proper icon, the other didn't.

Eventually I had to uninstall both and reinstall the latest version.

Cheers,

Ray D

OK, we see a problem whereby Web Engine may leave an extra 'uninstall'. This should not cause any problems, but is does look a bit odd to see an extra uninstall. We're looking into it.

At long last, I have got around to testing this. I did two installs of Web Engine from L >> M >> N as a normal user might. As a result, my Windows Add/Remove Programs now shows 3 versions of Web Engine installed. I think this just confirms what is now a known problem.

I also see very similar problems to those Larry reported in his first post:

quote:

After installing SS v2.7e, my ims file open associations were taken away from WebEngine and reassigned to SiteSpinner. When I tried to open the ims file with WebEngine via the Open With... right-click menu option, nothing happened (no error, no program, nada; the task manager never shows a task being started).

I then tried to re-associate ims files to WebEngine by using the right-click Open With... and choosing the WebEngine program from the list and checking the "Always use..." option. This gives me an errr message dialog stating the parameter is incorrect. The parameter shown is the drive/path of the ims file. (It opens ok with SS v2.7e).

I have the ims files on my desktop showing the Web Engine icon. Here are the results of a few tests:

Double-click the .ims file on my desktop: nothing happens

Right-click and select Open With > Web Engine V2 Application: it opens OK

Right-click and select Open With > SiteSpinner V2 Application: nothing happens

Right-click and select Open With > SiteSpinner V2 Application (the e version): it opens OK

Right-click and select Open With > Choose Application > Browse, then browse to and select the .exe file for SS V2.70f: it produces the Windows error message box "The parameter is incorrect" under the path name of the .ims file.

These problems have arisen after the two Web Engine installs. Previously my file association worked correctly with SiteSpinner V2.70f. These problems are very similar to what Larry reported -- so much so that I think it does indicate a WE install problem, rather than a Windows problem.