[VbB problem] Can't open Sprite/Playfield editor

[Glitchy Furrystuff]

Okay, so I can't seem to run my Visual batariBasic properly on my Windows desktop (Averagely I was using my Windows laptop) There is one problem in particular I can tell is that, after creating a BRAND NEW sprite or playfield, if I try to open it, a popup says that the sprite/playfield is invalid and asks me wether I want to open it in Notepad or not. I'm much too slow to code out the levels, and then colors after that. Other IDE's work but they aren't very advanced nor are they asa understandable as VbB.

To my tests, however, all of the other functions work. It's just something with the sprites and playfields or the editor.

[jwierer]

Okay, so I can't seem to run my Visual batariBasic properly on my Windows desktop (Averagely I was using my Windows laptop) There is one problem in particular I can tell is that, after creating a BRAND NEW sprite or playfield, if I try to open it, a popup says that the sprite/playfield is invalid and asks me wether I want to open it in Notepad or not. I'm much too slow to code out the levels, and then colors after that. Other IDE's work but they aren't very advanced nor are they asa understandable as VbB.

To my tests, however, all of the other functions work. It's just something with the sprites and playfields or the editor.

From the project explorer, find the new sprite you added, right click on it and open in Notepad. You should see something like this.

 

test
player0:
%00000000
%00000000
%00000000
%00000000
%00000000
%00000000
%00000000
%00000000
end

 

If you don't see something like that then something is going wrong when it's trying to create the initial sprite/playfield.

 

-Jeff

Edited January 23, 2010 by jwierer

[Glitchy Furrystuff]

Interesting, it does create that except the binary % is present. Instead of six zeroes I'm getting %000000 after "player0:"

To my knowledge, nothing is wrong with the file containing sprites and PF data.

Edited January 23, 2010 by Glitchy Furrystuff

[jwierer]

Interesting, it does create that except the binary % is present. Instead of six zeroes I'm getting 0000 after "player0:"

To my knowledge, nothing is wrong with the file containing sprites and PF data.

That's correct. Sorry the code tag must drop the percent and it should be 8 zeros. If you post it as a .txt file we can take a look.

 

-Jeff

[Glitchy Furrystuff]

This is the exact export of a fresh sprite titled "sprite". It wasn't written in Notepad itself as I am on my Mac, but my Windows is right next to me with the exact letters and numbers as in this file, so don't be surprised if it opens in WordPad.

sprite.spr.rtf

[jwierer]

This is the exact export of a fresh sprite titled "sprite". It wasn't written in Notepad itself as I am on my Mac, but my Windows is right next to me with the exact letters and numbers as in this file, so don't be surprised if it opens in WordPad.

Well if that is the file then it should work. I'll PM you a version with some debugging data that might help me figure it out.

 

-Jeff

[Glitchy Furrystuff]

I sent you a PM with the extra message containing the detail.

There was more info on the problem in this version:

"Error Info: Index was out of bounds of the array."

Then it says the regular message asking to open Notepad.

Edited January 24, 2010 by Glitchy Furrystuff

[Cap5750]

Did you ever figure out what was causing this?

 

I'm getting the same error...that is...the program telling me the playfield is invalid and asking if I want to open the file in notepad.

 

This is the default.pla that was created when I started an empty project:

playfield:
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
end

 

I'm running on 32-bit Windows Vista.

2600basic.exe - 5/26/2007 10:01 PM

visualbb.exe - 2/12/2010 03:28 PM

 

Path to program files:

c:\visual\bb

 

Path to code:

c:\atari\test\new_project

 

Thanks!

[jwierer]

Did you ever figure out what was causing this?

 

I'm getting the same error...that is...the program telling me the playfield is invalid and asking if I want to open the file in notepad.

 

This is the default.pla that was created when I started an empty project:

playfield:
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
................................
end

 

I'm running on 32-bit Windows Vista.

2600basic.exe - 5/26/2007 10:01 PM

visualbb.exe - 2/12/2010 03:28 PM

 

Path to program files:

c:\visual\bb

 

Path to code:

c:\atari\test\new_project

 

Thanks!

He was using Media Edition of Windows so I assumed it was something isolated to that. What are your exact steps because I also have 32-bit Vista and can't replicate the problem even if I use the same directories you're using. Are you logged in as a local admin?

 

If you wait for a few minutes does it work? I wonder if you have some A/V tools holding open the file which is having an effect?

 

-Jeff

[Cap5750]

 

He was using Media Edition of Windows so I assumed it was something isolated to that. What are your exact steps because I also have 32-bit Vista and can't replicate the problem even if I use the same directories you're using. Are you logged in as a local admin?

 

If you wait for a few minutes does it work? I wonder if you have some A/V tools holding open the file which is having an effect?

 

-Jeff

 

Open Visualbb (tried both double-clicking (I'm a local admin, but it still asks me if I want to allow) or by right-clicking and choosing run as admin)

Click on File|New Project (Enter path and project name -- Also tried to have it go ahead and create a sample playfield here)

Right click and choose add new item on playfields

Enter name for playfield and ensure that the playfield item is selected

Click Add

Expand the playfields folder and double-click the playfield I just added

 

I'm running AVG Free (Version 9) and Comodo Firewall Version 3.14.

 

I tried turning both off and still received the same error.

 

Next, I tried copying the entire Visual bb folder and pasting it to another disk on an xp machine upstairs.

 

I ran through the same exact process I mentioned above and it worked fine. This machine also uses AVG Free (9), but Zone Alarm rather then Comodo.

 

Still, I'm thinking it's a Vista issue and will try to disable UAC temporarily and see what happens then.

[Cap5750]

Okay...tried turning UAC completely off and that didn't help either.

 

Looked at the properties is marked with the program to open with:

Windows Shell Common Dll

 

Is this correct? I didn't change this, so I assume it's okay, but I'm just grasping as Vista straws here.

 

On the XP machine, it's listed as unknown application.

[jwierer]

Looked at the properties is marked with the program to open with:

Windows Shell Common Dll

Not sure what you are looking at when you say this?

 

I can confirm that vbB is working fine on Vista Enterprise 32-bit, because that's what I use on a daily basis. I am more inclined to think it's file permissions or A/V software putting a lock on the file or something non-Windows related.

 

-Jeff

[Cap5750]

Looked at the properties is marked with the program to open with:

Windows Shell Common Dll

Not sure what you are looking at when you say this?

 

I can confirm that vbB is working fine on Vista Enterprise 32-bit, because that's what I use on a daily basis. I am more inclined to think it's file permissions or A/V software putting a lock on the file or something non-Windows related.

 

-Jeff

 

Jeff,

 

Right-click on the file in explorer and select properties. Example attached.

 

I don't think it's the A/V...one I run the same software on another machine and two...I turned it off...completely. Same thing with the firewall.

 

Permissions, I could see. My account is administrator and the owner is administrators. I tried taking ownership, but that didn't seem to make a difference.

 

What specifically is going on in the double-click action? Maybe I can whip up something that does something similar and see if I can generate some debug messages?

[jwierer]

Looked at the properties is marked with the program to open with:

Windows Shell Common Dll

Not sure what you are looking at when you say this?

 

I can confirm that vbB is working fine on Vista Enterprise 32-bit, because that's what I use on a daily basis. I am more inclined to think it's file permissions or A/V software putting a lock on the file or something non-Windows related.

 

-Jeff

 

Jeff,

 

Right-click on the file in explorer and select properties. Example attached.

 

I don't think it's the A/V...one I run the same software on another machine and two...I turned it off...completely. Same thing with the firewall.

 

Permissions, I could see. My account is administrator and the owner is administrators. I tried taking ownership, but that didn't seem to make a difference.

 

What specifically is going on in the double-click action? Maybe I can whip up something that does something similar and see if I can generate some debug messages?

Oh ok the properties on the .pla. Yes that is exactly what I have. I'll PM you a debug version later today. Perhaps we can nail down the function that is failing you. Happens with Sprites I assume as well?

 

-Jeff

[Cap5750]

 

Oh ok the properties on the .pla. Yes that is exactly what I have. I'll PM you a debug version later today. Perhaps we can nail down the function that is failing you. Happens with Sprites I assume as well?

 

-Jeff

 

That is correct.

[Cap5750]

Just wanted to thank Jeff. He was able to figure out the problem.

 

Somehow, these values were blank in the registry:

 

\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VisualbB

_DEFAULTBACKCOLOR

_DEFAULTPLAYERCOLOR

_DEFAULTPLAYFIELDCOLOR

 

They should be 06, 2E and 00 respectively.

 

@Jeff: I'm trying to think about what I did that may have caused that to happen. I seem to recall the first time I ran the program, the configuration wizard started. I stopped it during the phase where I was entering the paths because I wasn't quite ready to put them in yet. I then exited, fixed my directory structure and then went back in and ran the configuration from within the program.

 

I'm off to bed for the night, but maybe tomorrow I'll try to re-enact the crime so to speak....

 

Thanks again!

[jwierer]

It appears some missing registry settings was causing the problem. For anybody that can't open a playfield, or sprite, unzip the attached file and double click it (vbb_fix.reg) to import it into the registry. That should do it.

vbb_fix.zip

-Jeff

[Krayt88]

It appears some missing registry settings was causing the problem. For anybody that can't open a playfield, or sprite, unzip the attached file and double click it (vbb_fix.reg) to import it into the registry. That should do it.

vbb_fix.zip

-Jeff

 

I've been having this problem. So I just double click and it takes care of itself? I have very little experience with registry stuff and I really don't want to screw anything up. Thanks.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Krayt88

[Cap5750]

It appears some missing registry settings was causing the problem. For anybody that can't open a playfield, or sprite, unzip the attached file and double click it (vbb_fix.reg) to import it into the registry. That should do it.

vbb_fix.zip

-Jeff

 

I've been having this problem. So I just double click and it takes care of itself? I have very little experience with registry stuff and I really don't want to screw anything up. Thanks.

 

Download the zip file to your computer. Unzip it (it doesn't matter where) and double-click the .reg file. It'll ask you if you want to import the settings, that doing so may be harmful, etc etc etc. It is okay to continue. It just sets the blank values. Afterward, you'll see a message that the settings have been imported successfully.

[psquare75]

Old.. but, I too am having this exact same issue. the fix didn't work.

[jwierer]

Old.. but, I too am having this exact same issue. the fix didn't work.

 

Are you sure the registry settings were actually set? For example if you're not logged in as a local administrator it probably didn't change. You should open regedit and confirm the following were set:

 

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VisualbB]

"_DEFAULTBACKCOLOR"="06"

"_DEFAULTPLAYERCOLOR"="2E"

"_DEFAULTPLAYFIELDCOLOR"="00"

 

Also, you have to close vbB and reopen it so it refreshes those settings. In an extreme case, close vbB, kill the entire registry hive for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VisualbB and re-retun vbB. It will recreate it as if you were installing for the first time. In all cases it's been a problem with the registry so I'd guess you're is still not set correctly.

 

-Jeff

[psquare75]

got it. The reg fix for some reason didn't put the values. I entered them manually and they 'stuck'.

 

Thanks!