No Help at all..

LR
Posted By
Lynton_Richardson
Feb 26, 2004
Views
326
Replies
10
Status
Closed
Clicking on Help menu I get "Unable to link to webpage" Online Services – "Unable to download list of online services. Using most current list" Online Services Wizard – "Unexpected error while connecting with the online service. Please try again"

Have followed instructions posted here (I gather this is a common complaint!) for running on compatability mode for W98 but still no joy.

I’m running WXP Pro and having a few problems with this program, (don’t have trouble with anything else) Can’t access help menu at all and things like the crop tool only working in ‘rotate’ mode. Could do with a troubleshooter or something – anything!

I’ve re-installed the program to no avail. Grateful for any advice please?

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B
BobHill
Feb 26, 2004
Lynton,

What do you have as an internet carrier? Are you OnLine when you get this message?

Bob
BH
Beth_Haney
Feb 26, 2004
Elements should be working just fine with XP Pro – a number of use have it installed under that OS, so we need to identify something else that’s going on.

You don’t happen to use AOL, CompuService, or Yahoo as your ISP do you? If so, that’s part of the problem – they have customized browsers that are incompatible with the HTML used for Help, Tutorial, etc. in Elements.

Did you disable any antivirus software before the install?

Are you running on a network?

When you did the uninstall/reinstall, did you do a search and destroy mission for the Preference folder, which wouldn’t have been snagged and removed automatically.

I’m tossing out ideas, because it appears there’s more than one thing wrong. Accessing Help and problems with the crop tool shouldn’t be related.

See if anything rings a bell and post back.
LR
Lynton_Richardson
Feb 27, 2004
Hello Bob & Beth,

Thanks for your help.

I get the same messages whether I’m online or offline.

I don’t use any of the above ISPs and am not running on a network.

I’ve just uninstalled and reinstalled with the antivirus software off, but nothing’s changed. (not sure what the Preference folder is?)

I don’t seem to have a help menu at all – should’nt there be a ‘normal’ offline menu, as with any program? The whole dropdown list from the help menu, Help, Glossary, Tutorials, Support, Registration, attempts to connect to the internet then I get the "Unable to link" message.

Even with the program reinstalled, still only getting the ‘rotating’ crop tool.

Be glad of any suggestions,

Thanks,

Lynton
BH
Beth_Haney
Feb 27, 2004
I think we need to break this down into pieces, because it seems like you have more than one issue to deal with.

First, if you weren’t able to find that Preference folder, that means you may still have a bad install. Here’s a keyboard shortcut that will delete the current Preference folder: With Elements closed, click on the start up icon and make a QUICK grab for the Control, Alt, and Shift keys. Hold all three down until you get a screen asking if you want to delete Settings. Say Yes. A new folder will build as Elements continues to launch.

You could also search for it manually, and this should be the path: C:\Documents and Settings\Your user name here\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop\Elements\Photoshop Elements 2.0 Prefs

Now on to the Help thing. I’m not sure what you’re expecting, because I don’t understand your statement "should’nt there be a ‘normal’ offline menu, as with any program". (Maybe I’ve just used Elements too long!) Once you access the Help files, you will have access to an Index, search function, etc. However, the Help files are all written in HTML, which means they will be displayed in your default browser, but it will take place in the local zone rather than internet zone. Have you checked to make sure you have a plain vanilla version of Internet Explorer chosen as your default browser?

In XP, you can check by going to Start>Control Panel>Network & Internet Connections>"Pick a Control Panel">Internet Options>Programs. There’s a box at the bottom of the window next to the statement "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser." Make sure there’s a checkmark next to that. Even if there is, I suggest "jiggling" it. Remove the checkmark, click OK, and then come back in and reinsert the checkmark.

That’s probably enough for now! Remove the Preference folder and see if that clears up the tool problem. Then double check the default browser setting. Please report back! Good luck!
LR
Lynton_Richardson
Feb 27, 2004
Hi Beth,

Thank you very much for your help.

I followed all your instructions and now have everything working perfectly. I did have Avant Browser installed and have removed that and all’s well!

I was confused about the Help menu as it kept trying to connect to the internet rather than access it in the local zone, but it’s OK now.

Thanks again,

Lynton
BH
Beth_Haney
Feb 27, 2004
I’m really glad you got everything working properly, Lynton. And thank you for posting back and letting us know. That’s really helpful if someone else should post with the same questions/problems.
LR
Lynton_Richardson
Mar 4, 2004
Hello again,

Thought I’d add that although I’d now got Elements working fine, my Painter8 help menu wouldn’t open. Photoshop Elements Help would only open in Internet Explorer and not in Avant Browser, while Painter Help would only open in AB and not in IE.

I then tried Opera and Mozilla, both of which work perfectly with all my programmes. I think the problem may have been with IE all along as it was doing a couple of other odd things.
AT
Andrew_Turek
Mar 6, 2004
All of which goes to prove: the people who use forums such as this are the finest folk in the world.

But then we all knew that.

And of course we are also modest. Who had a song which went

"Oh Lord, it’s so hard to be humble
When you’re perfect in every way?"

because we all know how he felt!
CS
Chuck_Snyder
Mar 7, 2004
Written and sung by Mac Davis.
AT
Andrew_Turek
Mar 7, 2004
Thank you: you prove my point. We are also omniscient.

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