Jafo Jafo

Windows cannot find "(null)"

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Windows cannot find "(null)"

from WinCustomize Forums

Lately, when dl clicking on a file...eg a jpg .... Paintshop Pro loads...but this error pops up.  Then I dl click on the file again and it'll load.

This is using Explorer Plus....but Windows Explorer is the same.

I'm assuming I have a service stopped that cause the error....yet dl clicking on a doc file loads word just fine.

Any ideas?

Google didn't help as any refs to the error appear to be different issues or system-wide...;)

210,470 views 103 replies
Reply #26 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Re-opening the association window and it's reverted to the shortened naming...


....at least something is working.............
Reply #27 from WinCustomize Forums Top

This reverting back to previous settings is 'odd'....my only theory left is that I'm only setting the associations in Explorer the file manager...Explorer the shell is not actually loaded.

Perhaps it's needed to make the changes 'stick'...

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Reply #28 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Explorer the shell is not actually loaded.

Perhaps it's needed to make the changes 'stick'...


There's a good chance that it does need to be loaded...
Reply #29 from WinCustomize Forums Top

There's a good chance that it does need to be loaded...

Meowy .... you 'could' defer to my longer experience with shell alternatives....this is the eighth year ....and the FIRST time I've struck this error...yet have installed and run LS on every WinOS since '95 and have used PSP on all them from v3 to my current [6] and it was just fine even on this OS install....which has run error-free for over a year.

I've installed MOST apps in that eight years while in LS....and the registry, paths, associations have been just fine.

Reply #30 from WinCustomize Forums Top

OK....latest story....dumped back to the Exploder shell....tried to set associations via edit "$1", etc ...all of that....works the first time....closing PSP and trying again fails.

Set associations in PSP via it's config....failed.

Set associations to PS Elements ....worked just fine....loading PS.

Reset to PSP....failed.

Uninstalled PSP and re-installed....set associations in the proggy .... failed.

Latest theory is....PSP6 config associations has been 'broken' by a recent Doze Update .... sometime in the past 2 weeks.

Regedit doesn't do it...

File associations through Exploder doesn't do it...

File associations in PSP doesn't do it....

It's a trivial 'error' or 'bug' but like any of them....damn annoying in their invidiousness....

BTW....only 2 proggies now on the comp that deal with images....PSP and PSE ...[and Paint].

Reg-hack has always been in place to ensure faxviewer doesn't steal the associations....been using the hack since day one of XP...

Reply #31 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Would be interested in what you find.

I use PSP8 at work for publication image editing, and saw some issues with loading images a couple of months ago.

The explorer shell would crash when PSP8 hung.

It seems to have fixed itself, though I would not be surprised to find out Windows Update changed something in dealing with .jpg files - especially with the security issue exposed in the last year.

Sorry, no advice to offer outside of reassociating with the windows picture and fax viewer, then trying an uninstall > reboot > delete sub-directory > reinstall (very basic stuff). Both you and yraq are well beyond my skill level, and I have not heard anything in regards to PSP - will post if I do.
Reply #32 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Corky ....hi...

Nah....still no luck...uninstalling/reinstalling, etc...no go....it's specifically an issue with PSP....cos associating the files to PS Eliments gets them to load into PSE as you'd expect.  Only trying the same thing in PSP...at the moment....does not work at all....not without selecting the image twice....

Reply #33 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo, I have recently run into a similiar problem. If I click on an image , PSP opens but the image doesn't open. The same thing happens if I choose..open with...PSP opens but no image. I close PSP and I get a message about the program causing an error and it closes. I only add this because it just started happening and I haven't made any significant changes as of recent. No problems with photoshop, it is definatly a PSP issue. If you do find anything out, please post it. I will do the same.
If I open PSP and then browse to open a file, everything works fine. BTW, PSP 7.
Reply #34 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Master Apprentice Night Train  ...yes, you have the same issue....though mine is PSP6.

A problem shared means two people are frustrated....

Reply #36 from WinCustomize Forums Top
....a coalition of the befuddled.
Reply #37 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know it's not PSP, but maybe related???? MS Photo Editor will not open a dbl-clicked file if the file has a blank space in the name, like 'blank space.jpg'. Will your PSP open a single word file?
Reply #38 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know it's not PSP, but maybe related???? MS Photo Editor will not open a dbl-clicked file if the file has a blank space in the name, like 'blank space.jpg'. Will your PSP open a single word file?


File name doesn't matter. MS Paint works, Photoshop works, PSP does not work.
Reply #39 from WinCustomize Forums Top

File name doesn't matter. MS Paint works, Photoshop works, PSP does not work.

Wot he sed...

Reply #40 from WinCustomize Forums Top
In a desperate attempt, I tried a system restore and that seems to have fixed it. I went back about 2 weeks, the day before something called SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION SERVICES was installed. Still trying to find out what that is. The last thing I remember changing was an update to stardock central ( I think that was more recent though ) but who knows these days what got through the door. Might have been msn messenger related as well. Hope it helps, I am still in the dark at the moment.
Reply #41 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think Software Distribution Services is "Windows Update". If that is correct, probably one of the Microsoft patches caused the problem.
Reply #42 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Latest theory is....PSP6 config associations has been 'broken' by a recent Doze Update .... sometime in the past 2 weeks.

jebland  ....Post #30 .....

Reply #43 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Following on....merrily....

Yet another Doze update has UN-broken the association....it now works.

Meanwhile....

Drive Image 7 has stopped.

This is a 'bigger' issue...as it's a necessary proggy, unlike a simple 'association'.

Seems I have joined the ranks of those-pissed-off-with-Powerquest-now-Symantec .....

Reply #44 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I would suggest Ghost, but.........

Glad to hear you got PSP back to gravy.
Reply #45 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Ghost 8 or 9, whatever, is just a re-badged Drive Image 7 ....Symantec bought Powerquest.

Just means it's [currently] a waste of money....having a proggy that has ceased to function.....stopped 10 days ago....probably the .net framework or some other damn MS update....

Reply #46 from WinCustomize Forums Top
probably the .net framework


Hey Peachy......see if you have KB886903 installed.......
Reply #47 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Updates are current, as of yesterday....and yes, that one's installed...
Reply #48 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Get rid of it......
Reply #49 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Egad....I dunno how you do it....

It looks like you solved yet another drama...

DI 7 is currently making a backup....just fine....

[what's the bet my PSP file associations are mangled again tho...but who cares?...]

Yer a genius.

Thanks, mate....

Reply #50 from WinCustomize Forums Top
....anytime, Honey