MAJOR PROBLEM -- I've lost the ability to load BTP

General discussion on BeerTools Pro Software.
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billvelek
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Still not working but new screen shots might help diagnosis

Post by billvelek »

jeff wrote:Thanks for the screenshot. The program folder looks good. To find the folder I was talking about, <username> refers to your user name on the system or "Administrator" if you are the only user on the computer. In that case you would look for C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\BeerTools Pro The directory is usually invisible so you may have to type the path into the Address field manually. Your screenshot shows the address field right below the toolbar buttons. It would be helpful if you can tell me what's in that folder.
... and then ...
slothrob wrote:Alternately, go to the Documents and Settings><username> folder, then go to the Menubar choose: Tools>Folder Options...>View>"Show hidden files and folders" then click "Apply". The Application Data folder should appear.
Thanks, but my system doesn't seem to follow that convention; I am using Win XP Media Center Edition ver. 5.1 (build 2600) with Service Pack 2, if that helps. As you can see from the following screen shot, my folder settings are already as slothrob suggested; note that "Display the contents of system folders" is checked, and "Show hidden files and folders" is also checked. The directory tree shown as the underlying image was displayed AFTER the folder options were selected AND 'Applied', and then the folder option window was brought up again so that I could show both at the same time. As you can see from looking at the directory tree to the left, I am in the 'C' drive, but under 'Documents and Settings' there are only three 'users' folders -- "Administrator", "All Users", and "Compaq_Administrator" -- but NONE of them have a sub-folder called "Application Data". I have also looked all over the directory and can't find such a folder ANYWHERE. However, you will notice that below those 'user' folders, you can also see the "Program Files" folder, under which there are folders for 'Beer Tools Pro' and 'Beer Tools Pro 1.1' -- and they are the one which I believe I had posted images for earlier. You can also see that at the time I copied this, the crucial .dat file is missing which causes me to not be able to uninstall.
Image

I keep playing around with this; I have more screen shots, but I'll save them until tomorrow. I'm tired. Stayed up until 4:30 yesterday morning working on this stuff, and then got up at 8:30 and went back to it. I've methodically gone to every 'restore' point on my computer and have tried BTP, removed it using different methods, reloaded it, done registry scrub, and NOTHING has worked yet. I have some data in my screen shots that Jeff might find useful, but it's now 1:00 a.m. and I've got to go out of town tomorrow, so this will just need to wait.

Thanks for the help so far.

Cheers.

Bill Velek
Visit www.tinyurl.com/bvelek - portal to my brewing sites: 3,100+ members on 'Grow-Hops', and 1,350+ brewers on my 'BrewingEquip' group.
Running BTP v1.5.3 on WinXP 2005 SP3 w/AMD Athlon 64@3800+, 1GigRam, Res 1024x768
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wottaguy
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RE: Still not working but.....

Post by wottaguy »

Hi Bill,

Not sure if this may help but here goes. I still have BTP 1.1 installed and from the shots you posted I can see a couple of differences that may or may not help.

1). In my main installation directory C:\Program Files\BeerTools Pro 1.1
i have what seems to be missing from your shots a file named Data0300.rsd. (not sure if it makes a difference)

Also have a recipes folder with this file inside:

BeerTools Pro Lib.rsd

of which you don't seem to have (from your screen shots)

Could it be that when BTP launches it is trying to locate these needed files and when it can't, it errors out?

Also, in my profile location (C:\Documents and Settings\Ron\Application Data\BeerTools Pro), I have the following files:

Calc.xml
Prefs.xml
Template.xml
DataOld.rsd
Data0300_Old.rsd
Data0200_Old.rsd
Data_Old.rsd
license
RecentItems

I hope this helps in some way, and if you need some files, i'd be happy to send them to you. If you want, I can check my RegKeys and let you know what I have.

Oh...have you tried to create the folder under your active profile named Application Data? Just wondering if the system will let you create it...

Gotta go to work...I'll be back later


Ron (_)3
Visit my blog @ http://www.wottashomebrewblog.blogspot.com

On Tap:
HL Pale Ale
HL Lite Lager
Bottled:
HL Simcoe Pale Ale
HL Wizeguy Weizenbock
HL Reveur Saison
HL Dry Stout
HL Kentucky Common
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slothrob
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hidden files

Post by slothrob »

Be sure to check the Folder Options specifically for the Documents and Setting>All Users (or Administrator) folder(s). The screenshot you show appears to be the folder settings for the Shared Documents folder. They may not have the same setting.
I've never seen an XP machine without an Application Data folder, so that would be a new one on me.
BTP v2.0.* Windows XP
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billvelek
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Still broken

Post by billvelek »

Wottaguy, Slothrob, and Jeff, I just wanted to drop a quick note of appreciation for your efforts. I still don't have this fixed, but after monopolizing my time for nearly three days, I finally had to get away from it ... for my sanity if for no other reason. Had some problems arise to keep me from brewing this weekend anyway, so that's been pushed back to next weekend or maybe later (I think my wife has something planned for next weekend). Anyway, I will probably look everything over again soon, when I have more time, and I'll still be sure to post those additional screen shots that I saved, but there is no point in just posting them now without some explanation to go along with them.

All I can say is that this is some very strange stuff. All other software is still functioning fine. This just seems to be the same hiccup that I experienced with BTP last summer. I'm at the point where I'm inclined to just install it on my other desktop and on my wife's computer; but I hate that, because neither one is hooked up to a printer, and I don't feel like messing with that, too.

I'm actually hoping that when the new version is released, that my system will see it as something completely new and allow me to successfully install it and actually have it run. If so, then everything else will become academic.

Cheers.

Bill Velek
Visit www.tinyurl.com/bvelek - portal to my brewing sites: 3,100+ members on 'Grow-Hops', and 1,350+ brewers on my 'BrewingEquip' group.
Running BTP v1.5.3 on WinXP 2005 SP3 w/AMD Athlon 64@3800+, 1GigRam, Res 1024x768
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billvelek
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Re: hidden files

Post by billvelek »

slothrob wrote:snip ... I've never seen an XP machine without an Application Data folder, so that would be a new one on me.
Well, I've just used explorer to look for it again, and I can't find it anywhere; I see system files, etc., but no 'application ...' folder of any sort. Hmmmm ... is that folder used by other software; if so, and if my folder was inadvertently deleted or the folder damaged, why would ALL of my other software work? I don't know if Microsoft has updated the operating system so that it no longer uses an application folder. Beats the hell out of me.

Cheers.

Bill Velek
Visit www.tinyurl.com/bvelek - portal to my brewing sites: 3,100+ members on 'Grow-Hops', and 1,350+ brewers on my 'BrewingEquip' group.
Running BTP v1.5.3 on WinXP 2005 SP3 w/AMD Athlon 64@3800+, 1GigRam, Res 1024x768
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ColoradoBrewer
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Post by ColoradoBrewer »

Bill, that is indeed strange stuff. I too have never seen a Windows XP machine without an Applications Data folder. Have you tried using XP's search tool? Go to Start > Search and select "All files and Folders", then type application data in the block for the file name. One caveat, make sure XP is searching for hidden files. If it isn't you won't see any results. Also, if it isn't searching for hidden files there should be something to that effect in the dialog box on the left which will also give you the opportunity to change the search to include hidden files. Just for giggles I just tried this on my PC as was surprised to see 15 instances of the Application Data folder. I had no idea. Hope this helps.
BTP 2.0.22 (Linux (.deb) 64 bit)
BTP 2.0.24 (Windows 10-20H2)
BTP 2.1.0.9 Beta (Windows 10-20H2)
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Application Data Folder

Post by a_daley »

Just for your information if you didn't have an Application Data folder you wouldn't have a Windows Address Book and if you use Outlook Express for email it also stores emails in sub-directories under this folder also.

There is a chance it may have been hidden by the manufacturer's of your PC - as ColoradoBrewer suggests to search - make sure you are searching for the Application Data folder and select show hidden system files and folders...

If you did a search for "wab" which is the extension of the windows address book for your email addresses and it will tell you the location of that file - if the folder has been renamed something else or hidden. But this file will be on your PC somewhere as will the BeerTools Pro folder.

These are normally held under
c:\Documents and Settings\{user}\Application Data\ in a standard Microsoft installation but sometimes directories get renamed by companies wishing to do their own thing.
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wottaguy
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Screen Grab Question...

Post by wottaguy »

Bill,

I noticed from the screen grab above that there is afolder named "Bill".

What exactly is in that folder? Are there any sub folders?

Also, what windows account do you log into on your system?

I only see Administrator and the Compaq_Administrator accounts.


**Idea**
Perhaps if you create another windows user account with administrator privliges, the system would re-build the file structure needed. Then when you're logged in as that user, you can install BTP again.
Just an idea...may be worth trying.

Hope this helps!

(_)3
Visit my blog @ http://www.wottashomebrewblog.blogspot.com

On Tap:
HL Pale Ale
HL Lite Lager
Bottled:
HL Simcoe Pale Ale
HL Wizeguy Weizenbock
HL Reveur Saison
HL Dry Stout
HL Kentucky Common
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jeff
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Re: Still broken

Post by jeff »

billvelek wrote:Wottaguy, Slothrob, and Jeff, I just wanted to drop a quick note of appreciation for your efforts. I still don't have this fixed, but after monopolizing my time for nearly three days, I finally had to get away from it ... for my sanity if for no other reason. Had some problems arise to keep me from brewing this weekend anyway, so that's been pushed back to next weekend or maybe later (I think my wife has something planned for next weekend). Anyway, I will probably look everything over again soon, when I have more time, and I'll still be sure to post those additional screen shots that I saved, but there is no point in just posting them now without some explanation to go along with them.

All I can say is that this is some very strange stuff. All other software is still functioning fine. This just seems to be the same hiccup that I experienced with BTP last summer. I'm at the point where I'm inclined to just install it on my other desktop and on my wife's computer; but I hate that, because neither one is hooked up to a printer, and I don't feel like messing with that, too.

I'm actually hoping that when the new version is released, that my system will see it as something completely new and allow me to successfully install it and actually have it run. If so, then everything else will become academic.

Cheers.

Bill Velek
If you need help printing your recipes until BTP is back and running let me know. I can print them to PDF and send them back to you so you can print the PDF for your brewing session. When you have more time we can locate your Application Data folder and try to get to the bottom of this.

Thanks!
Jeff
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jeff
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Re: Still broken

Post by jeff »

billvelek wrote:I'm actually hoping that when the new version is released, that my system will see it as something completely new and allow me to successfully install it and actually have it run. If so, then everything else will become academic.
Bill, you can download the latest beta release from your downloads area on the site if you want to see if it works any better.

Thanks!
Jeff
BeerTools.com Staff
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