Error message

[TerryRy]

I'm using ver 3.5 of Logicator and receiving an error message at start-up as attached. Logicator functions normally once the message is acknowledged except that Help functions relying on web content don't work and bring another error message.

The problem occurred when I removed MS Internet Explorer from my machine as it was causing some other issues and I now rely on Google chrome. Is there some way of making Logicator use Chrome for Internet access and avoiding the start-up error message?

 

[Jamster]

I dont have logicator but I think a reinstall/update may help
Jamster

 

[TerryRy]

Thanks Jamster.

I have removed ver 3.5 and installed the new 3.5.1 without any effect. I think Logicator is hard programmed to use MS Internet Explorer unless there is a work around somehow. I just ignore the error message and all is OK.

 

[nick12ab]

Technical might reply later saying how exactly help in Logicator works but in the meantime you could try copying some other application into %programfiles%\Internet Explorer\ and renaming it to iexplore.exe and seeing if that executes when you try to open help in Logicator (I can't test it since Windows automatically puts Internet Explorer back there since I haven't uninstalled it.

Also try in %systemroot%\dllcache

Basically if it does, all you need to do is make something that redirects the execution to Google Chrome.

 

[Technical]

Nothing in Logicator requires IE, the html help files are just launched by Windows by the default browser. So it sounds like your file extensions .htm and .html may not be correctly configured in Windows.

 

[TerryRy]

Thanks for the help

I have tried Nick12ab's suggestion with no change to the result and checked that Chrome is the default browser for the relevant file extensions (it was).

Under the Help menu - Contents, Technical Forum, PICAXE Website and What's New all go out to the web directly and produce the same message below.

 

[nick12ab]

Can you copy the text that appears in the Details bit as it might give more of a clue than what the error message showed.

 

[TerryRy]

I have attached the full error message. Incidently, I have installed Programming Editor and found that it has no problems opening Chrome from the Help Menu when this is necessary.

Thanks for your support Nick12ab.

 

[nick12ab]

I can't personally figure out the problem from the code but hopefully it will help Technical.

 

[nick12ab]

What problems were Internet Explorer causing exactly? You might want to consider re-installing it.

 

[TerryRy]

I was having a problem with the PC where it would emit, at random intervals from a few seconds to a few hours, a low frequency sound like a critical stop in windows. This would not be related to anything that was happening with the use of the PC or whether or not I had Internet Explorer open as an application. It would even happen during the middle of the night when the PC was on but no one had used it for hours.

I had the feeling somehow (I don't know why) that it was associated with IE and even perhaps Logicator. As I was already hooked on Chrome, I uninstalled IE (through add remove windows components) and the problem referred to above disappeared immediately, and has never returned. I find it a lot easier to live (and sleep) without IE and the minor problem of Logicator not opening web content is the only downside.

I posted the question with the hope that there may be a simple hack or config change that would be a simple answer. I have not been loosing any sleep over it. I might do a IE re-install to see what happens as I can uninstall again if necessary.

 

[nick12ab]

It would even happen during the middle of the night when the PC was on but no one had used it for hours.

Why was it left on at night? Anyway, have you done a full anti-virus scan?

 

[Paix]

Why was it left on at night? Anyway, have you done a full anti-virus scan?

My Linux box is almost always on. I switch it off when I go away on holidays!

 

[TerryRy]

Its a habit and convenient to leave the PC on at all time ready for action on a sleepless night. I have a scheduled weekly full scan with AVG (at 2am - I now no why its helpful to have the PC on all night!) that has not detected any problems according to the log except for 2 downloads several months ago. These were both quarantined and deleted before they were opened.

Of course occasionally during the months the PC needs a reboot but this is rare.

 

[Technical]

We don't think thi is anything to do with Logicator, its probably just a redundant registry setting somewhere which is confusing the Windows OS itself.

 

[nick12ab]

Nothing in Logicator requires IE, the html help files are just launched by Windows by the default browser. So it sounds like your file extensions .htm and .html may not be correctly configured in Windows.

.html and .htm are configured to open in firefox on my computer but from the help menu open in Internet Explorer so are you sure?

 

[TerryRy]

Operation in my PC is similar.

.html and .htm are configured to open Chrome but Logicator would open IE for help files before IE was removed. Now that it is removed, nothing opens and the error message appears.

 

[nick12ab]

It's just occured to me that whatever Logicator's trying to do might appear in the Event logs. Type compmgmt.msc in the run dialog and go to system tools > event viewer and see if there's anything in any of the logs to do with Logicator or .NET Framework and right-click on such items and click Properties and that might reveal how Logicator's trying to do it but no guarantees!

 

[Goeytex]

Nothing in Logicator requires IE, the html help files are just launched by Windows by the default browser. So it sounds like your file extensions .htm and .html may not be correctly configured in Windows.

Are you sure?

I just installed the latest Logicator. With Firefox as my default browser, when I click on Logicator Help
it opens the HTML Help file in Microsoft Internet Explorer. Anytime Logicator needs access to the Internet
for any reason, it always opens Microsoft IE instead of the Default Browser.

 

[nick12ab]

However the website link in Programming Editor works correctly, so Technical, why don't you copy and paste the source code that does that from Programming Editor and replace the code in Logicator which does that?

 

[Technical]

Nick, thanks for your enthusiasm but sometimes your suggestions are a bit naive, you can't cut and paste code from one piece of software to another, particularly when they are developed with two different development platforms!
Howevere we will look into this for the next Logicator release.

 

[nick12ab]

you can't cut and paste code from one piece of software to another, particularly when they are developed with two different development platforms!

I don't have the source code for either so all I know is worked out from error message titles, such as Logicator uses the .NET Framework and Programming Editor (maybe) uses C++ (which is available on .NET).

 

[TerryRy]

It's just occured to me that whatever Logicator's trying to do might appear in the Event logs. Type compmgmt.msc in the run dialog and go to system tools > event viewer and see if there's anything in any of the logs to do with Logicator or .NET Framework and right-click on such items and click Properties and that might reveal how Logicator's trying to do it but no guarantees!

Sorry for the late reply nick12ab. I can find no reference to Logicator or these errors in the logs.

 

[nick12ab]

Sorry for the late reply nick12ab. I can find no reference to Logicator or these errors in the logs.

It looks like you'll have to wait until Rev-Ed release an update. When Internet Explorer was causing those beeping noises, did you have all the latest updates installed? Also, since you're using Windows 7, you can open the 'sound mixer' by clicking on the speaker icon in the notification icons area and clicking 'Mixer' and then you can mute system sounds or internet explorer.

 

[TerryRy]

I will wait for the next update and see what happens. I'm sure that the use of IE is hard coded into Logicator. I have always had the latest updates automatically installed in IE and Windows and it could be that the problem of the unwanted system sounds has now disappeared (but I would not know without re-installing IE). I will hang on for the next Rev-Ed release.

Thanks for your interest and help.