Startup error message

[Robert Jacobs 0]

I am running TMG 7.04 under Vista x64. I have suddenly started getting an error message immediately on startup: "Picture too big, corrupt, or in wrong format. 666 MAIN" The first time it arose I pressed "ignore" and got an additional series of error messages; eventually I had to close TMG with the task manager. I then uninstalled and reinstalled TMG. The same error message recurs with every start-up, but if I hit "ignore" the program seems to start normally. I ran the file integrity program which found a number of errors equal (I think) to the number of exhibits I have and fixed them all. Subsequent runs of VFI show no errors.

 

The same error message pops up when I run reports to screen preview. "Ignore" seems to restore ordinary operations.

 

What does the error message mean? How much trouble am I in? All suggestions welcome & will be gratefully accepted.

 

 

 

formerprof

[Virginia Blakelock 0]

See the message here with a similar report and resolution.

 

That message sounds as if TMG is not finding, or cannot access, the Buttons folder, located by default in Vista at

 

C:\ProgramData\The Master Genealogist v7

 

Virginia

[Jim Byram 0]

With the program closed, delete the shared program data folder.

C:\ProgramData\The Master Genealogist v7

 

Be sure to delete the folder and not just the contents. The program will recreate the folder the next time that it's run.

[Robert Jacobs 0]

Dear Virginia,

 

Thanks so much for your help.

 

The folder seems to be in the right place; it contains 586 .BMP files. The permissions on the directory seem to be the same as on all the other directories in \ProgramData\The Master Genealogist v7. Is it possible that one file could be missing or munged somehow? I ran scandisk against the drive; no errors were found.

 

In the other thread Jim Byram suggested that the buttons directory was copied somewhere, but I could not tell whether he meant that it was put in \ProgramData\etc on installation or if the files are copied elsewhere after they are initially placed.

 

I do appreciate your help -- I'm already relieved that the problem doesn't seem to be in my data.

 

 

formerprof

[Robert Jacobs 0]

With the program closed, delete the shared program data folder.

C:\ProgramData\The Master Genealogist v7

 

Be sure to delete the folder and not just the contents. The program will recreate the folder the next time that it's run.

 

Dear Jim,

 

My note to Virginia crossed yours; I'm about to try your suggestion and will report back presently.

 

Many thanks.

 

 

formerprof

[Robert Jacobs 0]

Dear Jim,

 

I erased the folder and restarted TMG7. The directory was indeed recreated, but the error still occurs. I'm starting to wonder whether I should wipe the disk & reinstall the operating system from scratch; it's had a lot of installs & uninstalls and one bout with a virus or trojan. All data is safely backup up.

 

 

formerprof

[Jim Byram 0]

I asked about the error to get some ideas for a work-around but it might be a while before I get a response.

 

In the meantime, try to reboot the operating system and test starting the program again.

 

btw... That's the complete error message?

[Robert Jacobs 0]

I asked about the error to get some ideas for a work-around but it might be a while before I get a response.

 

In the meantime, try to reboot the operating system and test starting the program again.

 

btw... That's the complete error message?

 

Done, but no joy. That is indeed the entire error message -- less than illuminating, to me at least!

 

Thanks so much for your help. I do have an image backup of C: (I use Acronis which runs at 2:00 AM daily). I am going to try to restore from two days ago. All the data is on D: so there shouldn't be too much disruption.

 

All good wishes.

 

 

formerprof -- Robert

[Jim Byram 0]

The error is coming from some icon on the standard toolbar. We were on the right track earlier with refreshing the shared program data folder. Don't know why that didn't work.

 

Idea... Are you trying to start the program using a custom layout?

 

If so, try reverting to the standard layout and starting.

 

Edit your app.ini located in the shared user program data folder.

C:\Users\your username here\AppData\Roaming\The Master Genealogist v7

 

Change to:

[Advanced]

LastLayout=STANDARD.LO

 

If that doesn't work, copy the app.ini from the program folder to your user program data folder and replace the app.ini with the default.

[Robert Jacobs 0]

Dear Jim,

 

I just finished restoring my entire system drive from the May 27 image. That seems to have solved the problem.

I think -- no way of knowing now -- that some association or other registry setting must have been the original cause, but it's entirely possible that a file in the shared user program data folder may have been corrupted or missing. I didn't think to do a side-by-side directory comparison with my laptop on which everything is mirrored. There had been no problem on the smaller machine.

 

I do use custom layouts & toolbars, by the way, so the problem may indeed have lain there.

 

I am extremely grateful for your assistance.

 

 

formerprof

[Jim Byram 0]

Glad that you worked around the issue.

 

The error was coming from one of the icons on the standard toolbar and you were apparently using the small icons and the icon file fit the sm_*.bmp mask. That gets it down to one of 6 files (or all of them).