Problems with File association, cannot double click to open

Solution

This happens with PSP 9 as well. The solution is the same as a different association error that was somewhat commonplace with Vista and PSP. Below is the solution to resolve the problem when using PSP 9. After that I describe how to make the change when using other versions (same basic process).

The solution requires editing the registry.

(1) Open the start menu and click on Run.
(2) Type in "Regedit"
(3) This will open up the registry editor.
(4) Edit the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\Paint Shop Pro 9.exe\shell\Open\ddeexec\Application
(NOTE: The 3rd subtree (Paint Shop Pro 9.exe) for the other versions will be similar, e.g., Paint Shop Pro x2.exe)
(a) In the left hand column, click on the plus sign (to expand) for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
(b) Expand Applications
(c) Expand Paint Shop Pro 9.ex
(d) Expand shell
(e) Expand Open
(f) Expand ddeexec
(g) Click on Application

(5) On the right hand side of Application you will see an entry titled "default" with the corresponding Data of "Paint Shop Pro"
(6) Right Click on "Default" and select Modify
(7) In the modify box, change the entry from "Paint Shop Pro" to "Paint Shop Pro 9" (no quotation marks)
( Close out Regedit (there is no save option....regedit stores changes as they are made)
If you want to double check to ensure the change was stored, reopen regedit. It will open to the tree you just edited.
You should be able to immediate check to see if the change works without rebooting. If not, try rebooting.

OTHER VERSIONS:
More likely than not, the default entry of the "application" registry key is "Paint Shop Pro" no matter which version. This is what is causing the invalid reference because there is no executable to open that is just "paint shop pro.exe." You will need to change the entry to reflect the executable file that actually opens up PSP. In the case of Paint Shop Pro 9, the executable is "Paint Shop Pro 9.exe". I do not know what the executable of the other versions of PSP are. However, you can find them in 1 of two ways:

(1) Windows Explorer - Open Windows Explorer and go to the PSP directory and look for the Paint Shop Pro exe file. If you installed it in the default directory, it will be in Program Files\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 9 (or whatever version). If you are using an x64 version of Windows, it will be in Program Files (x86)\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 9 (or whatever version).
(2) Regedit - The title of the executable is the same as the Paint Shop Pro tree that you are editing (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\Paint Shop Pro 9.exe\shell\Open\ddeexec\Application) Thus, the executable is whatever is in that third subtree, e.g., Paint Shop Pro 9.exe.


Thanks to those who found the original solution to a slightly different error (iirc, it was caused when you tried to browse a directory using the right click browse using PSP option in Windows Explorer) and error prompt.

The above solution works better with older versions of PSP, this should work on the newer versions.

NEW SOLUTION! Tested on 2 PC's.

I have successfully applied this fix using Paint Shop Pro 9 (PSP 9) with Windows 7 (win7) x64 on 2 different PCs.

(1) Open Regedit

(2) Go to the following string: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\Paint Shop Pro 9.exe\shell\open\command

(3) Change the "Default" entry to
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 9\Paint Shop Pro 9.exe" "%1"

(4) Delete the following string (which is immediately below the string you just edited):
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\Paint Shop Pro 9.exe\shell\open\ddexec

(5) Exit Regedit

(6) Open a picture file as you typically would from windows explorer and it should open without error.


This solution was discovered after applying the fix for PSP 8 provided by richw46 at this thread:
http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic12990.html

That solution (for PSP requires you to wipe out certain PSP registry entries created during the install and then have PSP rebuild them. After applying that solution to 1 PC, I examined the newly created registry entries against the original entries on a 2nd PC (also win7 x64) to see if simply modifying a few keys would solve the problem. The rebuilt registry key for the relevant open command (which is the key targetted in my initial fix) is different than the key created on install. The original open/command string references a dde command. The new key is direct ("%1"). The dde command is flawed. In fact, if you don't delete the ddexec key, PSP will both open the picture in PSP (good) and throw up the error command (bad). The instructions I have posted correct the flawed registry entries without having to delete/rebuild a larger set of PSP registry keys.

Or try resetting your PSP

(To reset PSP, start with PSP not running. This procedure will nullify customizations like the toolbar positions and icons on them, etc. Then start up PSP and at the same time press CTRL+ALT. When PSP asks if you want to delete all the PSP registry settings, answer OK.)